Decarbonisation is now an important aspect of every construction project, but with the average UK leisure centre emitting enough CO2 to fill a hot air balloon every single day, there’s a growing need to take quick action.
This poses a particular challenge for the public sector due to funding constraints, with local authorities often left wondering how to bring their estates up to modern standards to meet the need of their local communities and government targets. Add on that local authority portfolios often feature the aging stock most in need of decarbonisation – there’s a lot to navigate. For the latest episode of Pagabo Live, we invited experts from across the industry to share their knowledge and experience on the topic. Regular host Tom Snee of Cartwright Communications was joined by Leesa Messett, associate director and LSE sport and leisure sector lead at AtkinsRéalis, Keith Ashton, CEO of SPACE & PLACE, Daniel Armes, technical director at ASHE Construction and Guido Furgieri, structural engineer at Myrtha Pools.
When polled at the beginning of the webinar, more than half of the attendees were not very aware of ways to decarbonise a leisure facility – showing a clear need to share insights on this specific area of public sector estates transformation.
Yet after an hour of insights and discussions from our experts, this jumped to 83% at the end stating they had more awareness on how to tackle the challenge – here are some of the key takeaways that helped.
Retrofit projects are the preferable route – but it pays to understand unique needs
The diving in point focused on the benefits and drawbacks of taking on a retrofit project or investing in a totally new build. An audience poll found that 70% of people preferred retrofit, and with fewer capital costs, quicker timescales and an inherently lower carbon footprint from reusing the existing structure, that’s no surprise.
However, it’s not always the right solution– taking on a retrofit build will cause significant service disruptions to the existing building. And, if an asset is already at the end of its lifetime, choosing to retrofit could be the equivalent of putting a sticky plaster on something that’s just not able to be fixed.
If you do choose the retrofit route, Dan shared how improving the building fabric of older stock is an important first step, as everything else will then follow. Leesa and Guido also stated how it’s essential to assess all the data available to you, considering the full lifecycle of a building and its ongoing costs, as well as lessons learned from previous similar projects before making a decision.
In some instances, starting from scratch to create the perfect building is key – and while it’s no secret that local authority finances are stretched, there are funding options available to support, including:
- Sports England
- Levelling Up funds – though this is being reviewed under the new government
- Section 106 contributions
- Support from partners like the NHS to incorporate healthcare features into the leisure centres
- Brownfield site funding
- Local Net Zero Accelerator pots
- Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme
- Salix Funding
Understanding the different certifications and aspiring towards a circular energy economy
A number of different certifications and standards are used in decarbonisation projects. Our audience favoured net zero (57%), followed by BREEAM (33%), Passivhaus (7%) and EnerPHit (3%).
Each of the approaches and certifications have their own features and benefits but as Keith explained, there are some discrepancies. While net zero was the most popular, standardised certification around its targets are still being established. BREEAM and Passivhaus are both moving towards new versions that look to create more alignment. Even so, there are still differences, so it pays to research thoroughly to identify the one most suited to your needs. Hiring a chief carbon officer could help, said Keith, especially in such a relatively new area that requires a deep, specific knowledge to get right.
Among our panelists, Passivhaus was referenced multiple times when sharing experiences of past schemes. While substantial investment, government backing and education is needed to implement it fully, the highest level of Passivhaus certification – Passivhaus Premium – offers local authorities the chance to build a space with the full potential of generating and using energy in smarter ways to reach the goal of a circular energy economy.
Where to start when decarbonising a public sector leisure facility?
Every project will be different, depending on factors such as the needs of each local authority’s community and the state of its own finances. Overwhelmingly, our panelists agreed that it’s crucial to think deeply about these needs, using data to gain insights, before embarking on any structural intervention.
When you do, it pays to work with experts that can help – and our Decarbonisation Solutions Framework and Professional Services Framework are also here to help compliantly procure these schemes.
To listen to the full episode of Pagabo Live, find the recording on YouTube or Spotify now.
Our next Pagabo Live instalment will be taking place on Wednesday 16th October, with the session focusing on the future of technology in the construction sector. Register for this webinar here.
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