The £4m initiative, which was supported almost entirely through Government funding, secured the prestigious award for Best Climate Action or Decarbonisation Initiative at the APSE Service Awards. The project was delivered in partnership with sector specialists Alliance Leisure and energy consultants Leisure Energy.
The Meres leisure centre now features pioneering air source heat pump technology and photovoltaic solar panels, significantly reducing energy consumption, lowering operating costs, and cutting carbon emissions. This replaces ageing and inefficient gas boilers with an energy-efficient, low-carbon heating system.
Cllr Rhys Baker, Cabinet Member for Environment, stated: “The award celebrates our commitment to reducing carbon emissions and investing in sustainable public infrastructure. The improvements have substantially reduced energy demand and costs, eliminated fossil fuel heating and support our wider ambitions to achieve net zero carbon emissions.”
The installation of an innovative Net Zero Pod, alongside other energy-efficiency technologies, is projected to reduce annual energy operating costs by more than £170,000 and cut carbon emissions by over 550 tonnes a year. Project partners involved include Mike Warsnop of Leisure Energy, Cllr Rhys Baker, Seb Rowe of Alliance Leisure, and Simon Pettett of Salix Finance.
The project received £3.587m in funding from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero through the Government's Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. Funding was channelled through Phase 3c of the scheme, delivered by Salix Finance.
Carbon emissions from the district’s three SKDC-operated leisure centres previously accounted for 41% of the council’s operational emissions. The new heating system is expected to help meet the council’s target of reducing emissions by 30% by 2030.
