Taking the plunge on efficiency
Leisure Energy’s former Managing Director, Robin Roberts reveals the opportunity for making significant savings at Local Authority leisure centres in the December issue of Campbell Ticket’s CT Brief.
“Sport England says swimming is second only to walking as th nation’s most popular physical activity. This is no surprise considering 78 per cent of the UK’s population live within two miles of a public swimming pool. However, it is
estimated that to run the UK’s sports facilities, the sector spends more than £700 million on energy every year and emits 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, too.
In a typical sports centre, energy costs will be second only to staffing costs and account for as much as 30 per cent of total running costs. When these significant running costs are considered, along with an acknowledgement that public swimming facilities in England have generally suffered from underfunding and are in need of constant maintenance and repair, it is no surprise that it is a challenge for operators and local authorities to keep some pools open.
Savings opportunity Energy consumption, coupled with the strong likelihood of increasing utility prices, continue to have a significant impact on the success or failure of a leisure facility – particularly one with a swimming pool. So, what if the sector could significantly reduce its energy consumption?
The leisure operator, whether a not-for-profit organisation or a local authority, could use these energy savings to prevent a facility from closing or invest them into improving the centre to generate more funds to support community outreach work.”
Read more in CT brief December issue
Leisure Energy appoints former Places for People Business Development Director
Leisure Energy has appointed former Business Development Director for Places for People Leisure Management Ltd (PfPLM) Tim Hewett as part of a company expansion.
This new role at Leisure Energy will see Tim utilising 39 years’ experience within the leisure sector to help leisure operators to make significant savings by strategically managing energy more effectively.
As the second highest overhead for leisure operators, the bespoke installations provided by Leisure Energy maximise building performance and tackle energy wastage, which leads to significant savings, operational efficiency and environmental sustainability.
Tim moves from PfPLM, formerly DC Leisure after 20 years as Business Development Director for the leisure management company. Tim was instrumental in growing the number of local authority leisure management contracts from four centres in 1994 to over 120 when he left in July.
Tim also undertook a key role in the management buyout of DC Leisure along with two fellow directors in 2003. He became an Executive Director on the main board after acquisition.
He has sat on a number of industry boards including The Royal Institute of British Architects panel of leisure experts, as a director of the main board of ukactive in its former guise Fitness Industry Association and the Chartered Institute for the Management for Sport and Physical Activity when it was operating as the Institute of Leisure & Amenity Management.
Tim has a specific interest in assisting businesses, particularly those in early growth stages and wanting to provide services to the UK leisure market and said “I am looking forward to working with the Leisure Energy team to investigate and formulate strategies to grow their business, particularly as they have an in-depth and scientific understanding of monitoring, controlling and reducing consumption. Together we are aiming to transform the way leisure centres look at energy usage and become active energy managers. There is so much opportunity for centres to do better. Our vision is to become the leading organisation for energy reduction in the leisure industry”.
Leisure Energy wins Whole Life Value award
Leisure Energy has scooped an award at Constructing Excellence Awards 2016 London and South East. Along with sister company, Clarkson Alliance, the two organisations based in Oxford, are the only Oxfordshire based companies to win awards in the London and South East ceremony held at Lancaster London Hotel in Hyde Park on Thursday 30th June.
Leisure Energy was recognised for Whole Life category and Clarkson Alliance for Outstanding Customer Satisfaction and Leisure Energy.
Leisure Energy has utilised years of research and innovation in sustainability to deliver £70,000 of savings to a North London leisure centre.
The Whole Life Value category is awarded to organisations which consider all relevant costs when buying products such as installation and operation. This principle is used to recommend the most economical products both in cost and energy efficiency. Local authorities benefit from reduced utility bills at leisure centres through Leisure Energy’s robust processes of measuring and reducing energy. Leisure centres are able to reinvest savings to improve facilities whilst simultaneously reducing waste, lowering maintenance costs and creating a better environment for customers.
“Our customers are recognising the value of investing in their facilities in order to make real savings that improve the environment. Once you demonstrate savings can be made with a quick return on investment, it’s easy for them to see the benefit to their centres, partnerships they forge with their operators and the community that use the facilities. We’re not only delighted with the award but also that Constructing Excellence recognise the value of Whole Life Costing as it enables customers to make more informed decisions.” – Robin Roberts, Managing Director, Leisure Energy.
