Lincolnshire leisure centre to cut energy bills thanks to £4 million decarbonisation project

Major clean energy upgrade backed by the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme will save £170,000 a year and cut emissions by over 550 tonnes, setting a new benchmark for low-carbon leisure facilities in county

A multi-million-pound clean energy upgrade set to cut a leisure centre’s energy bills by £170,000 a year has been unveiled in Lincolnshire, backed by a mix of Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme funding and local investment.

As well as the £170,000 estimated bill saving, the South Kesteven District Council project at Grantham Meres Leisure Centre is set to cut carbon emissions by more than 550 tonnes a year.

Our Salix team went along on the day to celebrate the £4 million project and to look at the new air source heat pump technology at the centre.

Assistant director Simon Pettett said: “It’s been a privilege to work alongside South Kesteven District Council on a project of this scale and impact. 

“This multi-million-pound collaboration shows what can be achieved when expertise and ambition come together with a shared commitment to sustainability. 

“Seeing the transformation at The Meres is incredibly rewarding, and we’re proud to have supported a scheme that sets a strong example for low-carbon heating across the public sector.”

Funding came through Phase 3c of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme which is delivered by our teams at Salix and run by the Department for Energy Security and Net zero.

During the celebratory event we were able to meet the partners behind the project and have a look at the Net Zero Pod at the centre of operations.

A benchmark project

The carbon emissions from the district’s three South Kesteven District Council-operated leisure centres made up 41% of the council’s operational emissions due to the energy used for heating and hot water, as well as electricity to power the centres.

The council says that installing the new heating system will dramatically lower the leisure centre’s energy bills, reduce its carbon footprint and help meet the council’s target of reducing emissions by 30% by 2030.

Cabinet member for environment and Waste, Cllr Rhys Baker, said: “Grantham Meres Leisure Centre is now the benchmark for net zero leisure facilities, with the installation of a Net Zero Pod to reduce operational costs, boost efficiency and cut carbon emissions.

“When we formulated this project in 2023, the motivation behind our plans was not only to reduce carbon emissions, but also to respond to hugely increased energy costs for the centre. 

“Our new low-carbon heating system dovetails neatly with the existing infrastructure of the centre to deliver all the heat it needs to operate properly for the comfort of users and to benefit the environment.”

The Net Zero Pod replaces The Meres’ gas boilers within a stand-alone external plant room designed specifically for use within a leisure and swimming pool environment. Alongside the pod is an evaporator fan deck housing fan units. Benefits include a rapid response to changes in site demand and weather conditions.

The pod works in partnership with 574 solar panels secured through a £399,000 grant from Sport England’s Swimming Pool Support Fund.

The council was awarded £3,587,500 of grant funding from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, supported by funding from its own budgets to bring the total investment to just over £4m.

The council has worked with Alliance Leisure and renewable energy specialist Leisure Energy throughout the work.

Thank you to South Kesteven District Council for hosting us on the day and inviting us to celebrate the new technology.