An innovative solution for leisure centers
Leisure centers have a unique energy footprint: demands are high over long hours of operation, especially at those facilities with swimming pools, making energy the leisure operator’s second highest cost. This, coupled with fluctuating utility prices caused by world and financial events, can result in a high degree of uncertainty and a significant cost pressure on the bottom line.
In the UK, the award-winning renewable energy company Leisure Energy has developed a unique, innovative and highly efficient heat pump solution for the leisure facilities sector. Its Net Zero Pods® make decarbonization affordable for leisure centers and are uniquely suited to swimming pools in particular.
Grantham Meres Leisure Centre – Net Zero Pod® Delivery
The benefits of heat pumps
Once seen as something of an outlier technology, heat pumps are becoming increasingly prevalent in a wide range of sectors. They can provide heating, cooling, and hot water in buildings and are increasingly seen as a critical technology for heat decarbonization.
Their specific benefits include:
- High efficiency. Heat pumps are exceptionally efficient, typically converting one unit of electricity into three-to-four units of heat, making them up to four times more efficient than traditional gas boilers.
- Reduced carbon footprint. They create no direct CO2 emissions at the place where they operate, because they run on electricity.
- Lower bills. While installation costs vary, heat pumps can lead to lower running costs compared to conventional systems, especially if combined with insulation improvements.
- Financial incentives. Many countries, including the UK, provide grants for heat pump installation.
A crucial component – from Güntner
Leisure Energy’s Net Zero Pods® are manufactured off-site, meaning minimal disruption at the project location. At the site, they are moved via crane onto a pre-prepared base, where they can be connected to solar electric panels.
A fan deck comprising fans and heat exchangers is a crucial part of the system. When Net Zero Pods® were installed at leisure centers in Grantham and Windsor, the fan decks utilized Güntner V-shape VARIO Dry Coolers using carbon dioxide as the refrigerant.
selected units
Güntner Products
The V-shape VARIO has a number of advantages for heat pump applications:
- Its V-shape design means it can be easily integrated into a location, offering maximum capacity with a minimal footprint.
- It is designed to withstand all weather conditions, ensuring a long product lifetime.
- Not only powerful, it is also quiet, making it ideal for places where noise may be an issue.
- It works with all refrigeration fluids but is optimized for use with natural refrigerants.
Cutting emissions – and costs
The Net Zero Pod® installed at the Grantham Meres Leisure Centre in Lincolnshire is expected to reduce carbon emissions by more than 550 tons a year, helping South Kesteven District Council to meet its target of cutting emissions by 30 per cent by 2030.
It is a similar story at the Windsor Leisure Centre in Berkshire.
It’s a real win-win for the borough. Our old gas boilers were at end of life and were going to need replacing. It’s going to save us some money, and because it’s going to be more efficient and modern it’s going to make the leisure center environment much more pleasant, less humid and a nice even temperature.
Güntner’s heat exchangers are available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, offering a solution for every heat pump application. All of them can be used with natural refrigerants, further boosting the environmental benefits. Güntner can also offer valuable advice on installation.
“We have proven technology in this area, and many years of implementing it successfully,” says Justin Scofield, Managing Director, Güntner UK. “In this case, it was very satisfying to be involved in a ground-breaking heat pump solution for the UK’s leisure centers.”
