Matt Dillon
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has allocated up to $1.53 million in funding for Brimbank City Council’s mooted zero emissions indoor leisure and aquatic centre.
To be located in Melbourne’s west and making use of an $8.1 million integrated energy system, the facility will be an Australian first.
The aquatic centre is part of the new $60 million-plus Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre, which Brimbank is building in Keilor Downs to replace the former St Albans Leisure Centre.
It will be a newly constructed, highly efficient building.
“Leisure and aquatic centres have traditionally been some of the most energy-intensive buildings for local councils to manage,” says ARENA CEO Darren Miller. “Brimbank City Council’s project offers us the opportunity to demonstrate a pathway to using commercially viable renewable energy and energy-efficiency technologies to achieve a carbon-neutral facility that other localities throughout Australia can learn from and adopt.”
The key renewable energy and enabling technologies include a four-pipe heat pump system that can provide simultaneous heating and cooling. The system will boast water-to-water heat recovery that will provide a whole-of-facility heating for all spaces including pools and showers.
Moving away from the gas boilers traditionally used at aquatic facilities, the centre will also install a 88 kilolitre above-ground thermal energy storage system, 500kW of solar PV, a heat-recovery system, and direct digital control systems.
Any excess electricity the facility requires will be provided by a 100 per cent renewable energy power purchase agreement.
The Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre will be designed to achieve a 6 Star Green Star rating. This is “world leadership” status. The efficient building shell and high-efficiency energy system is expected to deliver an energy reduction of more than 80 per cent compared to traditional aquatic centres.
“We’re aiming for this project to demonstrate the first all-electric aquatic centre in Australia,” says Brimbank Mayor Cr Ranka Rasic. “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.”
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