Energy efficiency case studies
Read our case studies to see how our Energy Conservation Measures have lowered consumption and made energy savings at leisure facilities.
Fareham Leisure Centre Solar & Battery Storage
As Fareham Leisure Centre is one of the borough’s largest energy consumers, Fareham Borough Council and Everyone Active were keen to reduce reliance on the grid by installing solar panels and complementary battery storage through Sport England funding.
K2 Crawley – Solar Car Port Project
Crawley Borough Council and Everyone Active were keen to reduce reliance on the grid for powering the K2 leisure centre. The Sport England Swimming Pool Support fund enabled the installation of the Solar Car Ports.
Sport England Swimming Pool Support Fund Solar Projects
Leisure Energy has delivered 17 solar projects (16 roof solar, 1 car port and 1 battery storage) funded via the Sport England Swimming Pool Support Fund working in partnership with 14 local authorities. The funding was granted to combat rising energy prices and lower facility carbon emissions. Council funding was also provided at some sites to achieve the best capacity.
Cotgrave Leisure Centre – Rushcliffe
Rushcliffe Borough Council received £1.2m of funding from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (Phase 3c), £170,000 from the Sport England Swimming Pool Support Fund and £3.1m from Rushcliffe BC for the installation of a Net Zero Pod and solar panels and an internal refurbishment at Cotgrave Leisure Centre.
Biddulph Valley Leisure Centre – Staffordshire
Staffordshire Moorlands District Council received £1.91m of funding from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme for the implementation of a decarbonisation project at Biddulph Valley Leisure Centre. The total project value was £2,360,890 as the money was additionally supplemented from the Council.
Torbay Leisure Centre – Torbay Council
Torbay Council received funding of £1,849,899 from Phase 1 of the PSDS grant for the implementation of a decarbonisation project at Torbay Leisure Centre. This facility is Parkwood Leisure’s first zero fossil fuel building with a 100% reduction in gas consumption and annual carbon saving of 318 tonnes.
Ashbourne Leisure Centre – Derbyshire Dales District Council
Derbyshire Dales District Council received funding of £734,006 from Phase 3a of the PSDS grant for a decarbonisation project at Ashbourne Leisure Cetnre. Fossil fuel boilers were replaced with Air Source Heat Pumps and solar PV was installed resulting in a 95% reduction in gas. Carbon emission savings of approx 121 tonnes.
Darlaston Swimming & Fitness Centre – Walsall Council
Walsall Council received funding of £2.6m from Phase 3a of the PSDS grant for a decarbonisation project at Darlaston Swimming & Fitness Cetnre. Ageing boilers were replaced with Air Source Heat Pumps and solar PV was installed resulting in a 100% reduction in gas. Carbon emission savings of approx 360 tonnes.
Teignmouth Lido – Teignbridge District Council
Teignbridge Council received funding of £733,568 from Phase 1 of the PSDS grant for the implementation of a decarbonisation project at Teignbridge Lido. Ageing boilers were replaced with an Air Source Heat Pump resulting in a 100% reduction in gas. Project carbon emission savings of approx 62 tonnes.
Burntwood Leisure Centre – Lichfield District Council
Lichfield District Council received funding of £1,062,575 from the PSDS grant for the implementation of a decarbonisation project at the Burntwood Leisure Centre with carbon savings of 260 tonnes and a 55% reduction in gas consumption.
Broadmeadow Sports Centre – Teignbridge District Council
Teignbridge Council received funding of £250,512 from Phase 1 of the PSDS grant for the implementation of a decarbonisation project at Broadmeadow Sports Centre. Solar PV has reduced electricity consumption by 36.7% and carbon emission savings of approximately 13 tonnes.
Stour Centre – Ashford District Council
The Stour Centre received £1,740,000 in funding from the PSDS grant to install new carbon saving technologies. Approximately 600 tonnes of CO2 will be saved annually.
Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme Grant – Phase 1
Leisure Energy has assisted 9 Local Authorities with securing grant funding worth over £17m during Phase 1 of the scheme, achieving carbon savings of approximately 3,457 tonnes.
Bakewell Swimming Pool
Leisure Energy have helped Bakewell Swimming Pool save £8,000 a year in electricity costs through the installation of a new air handling system.
Summerfields Leisure Centre
Leisure Energy has helped Summerfields LC reduce their carbon emissions by 10 tonnes with the installation of thermal solar panels.
Client Testimonials
“After identifying Cotgrave Leisure Centre as one of our biggest carbon emitting buildings within Rushcliffe Borough Council’s portfolio, we needed to act on this imminently. We worked with Leisure Energy to come up with a solution to decarbonise the site and wrote a successful Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme 1b bid to help fund this.
Thanks to the carefully designed, installed and now running Eco Pod, we are already seeing savings in running costs on site along with not burning natural gas anymore which is set to save 100s of tonnes of CO2 a year’s worth of emissions. Not only this, the site remains lovely and warm, the pool great to swim in and the public continuing to enjoy the centre as a hub.
The Council also is supplied by a renewable energy guarantee of origin tariff (REGO) and also managed to install 120kWh worth of solar electricity panels on the roof, making the site effectively carbon neutral. This has secured the long term future of the centre by futureproofing it and decarbonising the whole operation at the same time.”
Edward Leddy-Owen, Team Manager – Environment, Rushcliffe Borough Council
“The Council’s journey with Leisure Energy started back in 2023 in the undertaking of Energy and Sustainability Surveys across each of the leisure facilities. This highlighted the art of possible at each facility with anticipated costs and associated carbon savings. Since then the Council have worked closely with Leisure Energy developing trusted relationships supporting funding applications and delivering efficiency improvements to not only benefit the Council and its leisure operator, but also improve the experience of the customers using its facilities. The team at Leisure Energy are always on hand to answer any questions or queries with nothing ever being too much trouble.
Installation of the new Net Zero Pod in early 2026 alongside supporting upgrades to air handling units and other infrastructure will transform GMLC’s energy performance, carbon footprint and financial resilience, with a projected energy cost reduction of £170k and over 500 tonnes of carbon annually. During the construction phase of the project, additional efficiencies were also identified to reduce the baseload consumption of GMLC by upgrading the six pool circulation pumps. Our project has reshaped how SKDC approaches energy and asset management: by addressing energy use alongside decarbonisation, SKDC has created a pathway to lower operating costs and cut carbon emissions.”
Michael Chester, Team Leader – Leisure, Parks and Open Spaces, South Kesteven District Council
“I first became of Leisure Energy from a former colleague who recommended them having worked with them elsewhere. I approached them to survey one of our sites as preparation for a funding application to the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. The data and level of detail that they produced was instrumental in helping us be successful in the bid, which secured £2.6m to install a range of energy efficiency measures including Air Source Heat Pumps and solar at Darlaston Swimming & Fitness Centre. We then also procured Leisure Energy to deliver the installation project in full, and again we were not disappointed. It was a first project of its kind for Walsall Council and far more technical than any other that I had worked on previously, but Leisure Energy held our hand from start to finish. The communication and responsiveness of the whole team was fantastic, and the workmanship of all contractors to a high standard. Even now, post completion, I feel fully supported by Leisure Energy and have no doubts that they will assist with any issues which arise. Huge thanks goes to Neil, Ash, Holly and Mike, and I look forward to working with them again on future projects.“
Stuart Webb, Group Manager for Leisure, Bereavement & Commercial Services, Walsall Council
“Leisure Energy have provided an excellent service in delivering the energy saving projects at Burntwood Leisure Centre. From the outset when assisting with the application for the Public Sector Decarbonisation Grant, throughout the development phase and during installation, they have worked professionally with the Council and our leisure partner, Freedom Leisure. Additionally, Leisure Energy staff and their installation team understand the demands of delivering projects within a live customer facing environment which enabled the facility to remain open during the installation.“
John Smith, Business Development Manager, Lichfield District Council
“We have been really impressed with the extent of the works and how quickly the packages of work were implemented.”
Paul McKenner
Head of Corporate Property and Projects, Ashford BC
“Leisure Energy have undertaken several Energy Savings Audits for us to date and their reports are always professionally presented with clear, sensible, intelligent solutions that perfectly meet our brief. The ability to undertake detailed analysis and background research into complex, high energy-consuming facilities adds further quality to their overall proposals.”
Rob Mitchell, Business Development Technical Manager, Everyone Active
“Leisure Energy have been working in partnership with Freedom Leisure for several years providing energy surveys and energy equipment installations at our leisure contracts across the country. They provide a professional service with good levels of communication and efficient delivery of carbon reduction projects at our leisure centres. I would not hesitate to recommend them.”
Ian Morey, Business Development Director, Freedom Leisure
