30-31 ENERGY SAVINGS:SPN Master pages 19/11/2009 18:28 Page 31
spnfeature
£12m Birmingham
Major solar panel systems are now starting to become
widespread as local authorities look at long term
pools must be ‘super
efficient ways of heating swimming pools
energy efficient’
Architects are being called on to make
Birmingham’s first new swimming pool
for more than 20 years the most energy
efficient in the country.
The £12m replacement for Harborne
Swimming Baths is expected to be open
for business in spring 2012 following 22
months of construction work.
The baths are being seen as an ideal
opportunity to lead the way for energy
efficiency including solar energy, bio
mass boilers and as many CO
2
reduction systems possible.
Councillor Deirdre Alden, who
lobbied for the rebuild, said: “Our
current pool is in very poor condition
and its days were clearly numbered so
it’s brilliant that it will now be replaced.”
Facilities in the two-storey leisure
centre will include a 25-metre pool and
a teaching pool.
SOLAR POWER BONANZA
The council’s planning committee was
unanimous in its support meaning that,
with funding already agreed, the last FOR STACKPOLE POOL
hurdle to construction is cleared.
Mike Sharpe, Labour councillor called A swimming pool that is part of a for the Trust but another important small
on architects to look at including solar multipurpose centre on the Stackpole step towards lowering environmental
power or other green energy measures Estate in Pembrokeshire has been impact and reducing climate changing
in the pool. He said that the building of installed with enough renewable carbon emissions
a new pool such as this should be technology to make it the largest The project, which cost £18,000, will
leading the way in terms of the highest collection of solar thermal panels across enable the pool’s water to be heated by
possible degree of energy efficiently. the National Trust. the power of the sun; supplemented for
“With this amount of expenditure Funding from npower – as part of the now with a gas system but with plans to
committed to the project I think it’s National Trust Green Energy Fund – move to a biomass heating system in the
reasonable to expect us to make use of enabled a total of 19 flat-plate solar panels near future. The system works by water
every energy saving measure we can. It to be installed on the roof of the pool at continually being pumped from the pool
is expected of us and we should be the Stackpole Centre by local contractor into a storage tank where it is heated up
setting an example of what is possible West Wales Solar Heating. The Green by energy created from the solar panels.
with a swimming pool.” Energy Fund project invests in small scale Keith Jones, Environmental Practices
Harborne is part of a £70m package of renewable energy generation and other Advisor for the National Trust in Wales,
swimming improvements approved by the carbon saving projects at Trust sites across said: “The National Trust is committed to
council. These include a new 50-metre Wales and England. reducing our own energy footprint and in
Olympic pool and leisure centre in the city The Welsh produced solar panels now developing projects that can enable
centre and improving Sparkhill, Stechford’s provide free heat to a pool that used to people to learn about adaptation and
Cascades and Moseley Road pools. cost thousands of pounds a year to heat. efficient resource use and saving money.
The result is not only lower running costs This is the largest solar panel system of its
kind within the National Trust, and it is
estimated it will produce 58,400kW every
year or the equivalent of almost 160
electric heaters left on for an hour every
day of the year (saving over a third of its
previous energy consumption).
“As far as we were concerned this was a
very simple calculation – an investment
equivalent to 18 months’ worth of gas
costs to heat the pool and it will have paid
for itself in six years. In summer and the
warmer days this system will provide most
if not all the heat for the pool.”
The solar panels also have a digital
display, which will enable members of the
public and resident guests using the pool
at Stackpole Centre, to see exactly how
much energy is being produced by the
solar panels during their visit. spn
Visit our website at www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk December 09 Swimming Pool News 31
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