South Kesteven District Council is moving towards more sustainable leisure facilities in the UK with the launch of a Net Zero Pod at Grantham Meres Leisure Centre.
Delivered in partnership with leisure development specialists Alliance Leisure and renewable energy specialist Leisure Energy, the £4 million project utilises air source heat pump technology to dramatically reduce operational costs, boost efficiency and cut carbon emissions.
Replacing the leisure centre’s gas boilers, the Net Zero Pod is a sector leading example of a pioneering application of Air Source Heat Pump Technology within a stand-alone external acoustic packaged plant room.
The air-to-water NZP has been uniquely designed for use within a leisure and swimming pool environment and is installed as a complete unit ready to be connected to the existing system. Alongside the pod there is an evaporator fan deck housing fan units. The pod will be built off-site to the required specifications at Leisure Energy’s Technology Centre in Kidderminster and transported to the leisure centre.
Unique benefits of the net zero pod include ease of installation and commissioning at the leisure centre, the use of a natural refrigerant, CO2, with a low global warming potential of 1and the ability to deliver a Seasonal Co-efficient of Performance (sCOP) of above 4 or 400%. This means that in terms of efficiency for every one unit of energy the heat pumps use, it can produce at least 4 units of heat. As a comparison gas boilers run at only 70 to 94% efficiency levels, whilst also producing greater carbon emissions.
Sensors and energy valves are installed in the leisure centre and within the NZP; these communicate with the NZP controls platform which allows for accurate system monitoring and management. The benefits include a rapid response to changes in site demand and weather conditions. Furthermore, the increased visibility of the health and performance of the system means that preventative maintenance can be performed if required.
The innovative solution is expected to reduce the centre’s carbon emissions by more than 550 tonnes a year, helping the council to meet its target of cutting emissions by 30 per cent by 2030.
South Kesteven District Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Waste, Cllr Rhys Baker, says: 'Heating and electricity costs for Grantham Meres Leisure Centre are substantial. And just like household bills, they have gone up significantly since 2021.
'This low-carbon heating system has been a major project for us. We wanted to design and install a modern, efficient, and cost-effective system to replace gas boilers that were well past their best. They needed regular repair and were getting more and more expensive to run.
'Installing this heating system will dramatically lower the centre’s energy bills, reduce its carbon footprint and help meet the council’s target of reducing emissions by 30% by 2030.
'It is another significant investment in the district’s leisure facilities in general, and in Grantham Meres leisure centre in particular. By acting early and looking to the future, we are helping secure Grantham Mere’s sustainability, and committing to high-quality, affordable leisure facilities for residents.'
The project is part-funded through the government’s Salix Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) Phase 3c, with investment from South Kesteven District Council.
Alliance delivery manager, Seb Rowe, said: 'This project is a shining example of how public-private partnerships can drive innovation to address climate change and improve community infrastructure. South Kesteven District Council is demonstrating that leisure facilities can not only serve public health and wellbeing but also fight climate change.'
Mike Worsnop, strategic director at Leisure Energy commented: 'Leisure Energy are extremely proud to working with South Kesteven District Council on the installation of energy saving technology at Grantham Meres Leisure Centre. Our Net Zero Pod will assist the facility to lower utility bills and it’s carbon footprint, whilst providing a centre for generations to use.
Work starts on site at the end of June 2025, with the project due to complete in the spring of 2026.
The scheme follows the installation of 574 solar panels at Grantham Meres Leisure Centre after South Kesteven District Council secured a £399,000 grant from Sport England’s Swimming Pool Support Fund. The fund was created to help local authorities address the rising costs of operating public swimming facilities. Leisure Energy acted as principal contractor and designer for the installation of the panels.
