LOVE Withington Baths, the non-profit organisation that operates Withington Baths and co-working space Withington Works, has announced plans to significantly reduce its carbon footprint and enhance energy efficiency thanks to a £105,000 grant secured from Sport England under the Government’s Swimming Pool Support Fund.
The grant attracted 700 applications for funding, with a combined funding request of four times the available amount.
Since assuming management of the facility in 2015, Love Withington Baths has been committed to reducing its carbon footprint.
Sustainability initiatives completed to date include the recent installation of an air handling unit and the addition of double glazing to the new roof windows over the pool and both studios.
Now, with the support of this grant, Withington Baths will embark on two crucial projects aimed at further reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions.
The first project entails introducing state-of-the-art boilers to replace outdated, non-condensing models which date back to 1995. This upgrade is expected to decrease carbon emissions by approximately 30 per cent, equivalent to 24 tonnes of CO2 per year.
The second project will see the reintroduction of a pool cover to retain warmth overnight, after the original cover sustained damage before Love Withington Baths assumed control of the facility.
This reintroduction will see an anticipated reduction of an additional seven tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.