New Brimbank facility to be Australia’s first zero emissions aquatic centre

Brimbank City Council has revealed its new Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre will be the first facility of its type in Australia to use heat pumps powered by solar energy.

Set to be Australia's first zero emissions aquatic centre, the new Centre will use the renewable technology in place of gas boilers with an expected 80% reduction in energy costs when compared to comparable facilities.

Located in Melbourne’s western suburbs, the $60 million Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre development will receive up to $1.53 million in funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s (ARENA) Advancing Renewables Program to add renewable energy technologies to efficient building designs.

The innovation will see a state-of-the-art heat pump (used to heat water for pools, showers and regulate air temperatures), paired with a heat recovery system, an 88,000 litre above ground thermal storage ‘battery’ and digital control system to provide an entirely electric alternative to the gas boilers commonly been used in the past.

A rooftop 500kW solar system will power the heat pump system while any additional electricity needed will be purchased through a 100% renewable energy power purchase agreement, helping the new facility achieve a six star ‘Green Star’ energy rating.

Announcing the innovation, Brimbank Mayor, Ranka Rasic advised “we’re aiming for this project to demonstrate the first all-electric aquatic centre in Australia.

“This $1.43 million investment means the Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre will use 100% renewable energy for heating and cooling across the whole centre.

“This is an important step towards reaching Council’s Climate Emergency Plan 2020-2025 (Plan) target of net zero emissions for Council operations by 2030.”

The new facility, located in the suburb of Keilor Downs, is being built on the site of the former St Albans Leisure Centre that was demolished in mid-2020.

On track for completion in mid-2022, the new Centre will feature a 50 metre, 10 lane swimming pool, two massive water slides, wellness centre, 24 hour gym, community program room and more.

Mayor Rasic added “we are thrilled that this state-of-the-art centre will showcase best practice in sustainable design - while delivering first class aquatic facilities and preventative health, education and social services, all under the one roof.

“We’ve designed this centre to be a place where community can exercise, be healthy and have fun while also accessing health and wellbeing support through co-located services.

“Once completed, the Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre will be strategically positioned to become a COVID-19 Support and Recovery Centre for Melbourne’s West.”

Council successfully applied for funding from the ARENA Program to fund a sustainable, all-electric heat pump option, rather than conventional gas heat pumps for the project.

Energy consumption in aquatic centres
The nature of aquatic and recreation centres means these sites use large amounts of energy.

Water heaters often run for long periods to maintain stable temperatures, while energy intensive electric pumps are used to keep water clean and hygienic. Regulating air temperatures can also be a challenge in the damp, humid environments, while gyms and other parts of the complex have their own specific energy needs.

Heat pumps are well-suited to these low temperature applications, recovering energy from the atmosphere or other processes that produce heat as a byproduct.

The technology is highly efficient, with strong uptake in Scandinavia and other regions where cold climates create high demand for heating.

Commenting on the Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre development, ARENA Chief Executive, Darren Miller said Brimbank’s work will help to build a case for heat pumps to be used more widely, advising “leisure and aquatic centres have traditionally been some of the most energy intensive buildings for local councils to manage.”

Images: Artists impression of the future Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre. Credit: Brimbank City Council.