Green credentials

The centre's most innovative and exciting sustainability program is the cogeneration system.  The system incorporates a gas engine and turbine which generates electricity for the centre and heat which is used to heat shower and pool water.

When operating at full capacity, the system is capable of generating up to 175kW of energy per day, supplying more than 50 percent of the centre's total energy.

Weight Loss:  The system can generate enough heat to make over 90,000 cups of tea every day and save over 700 tonnes of CO₂ per annum.

Supported by the NSW Government’s Climate Change Fund

The lighting in the main pool hall has been retrofitted to reduce the centre's daily energy use.

The old 36 watt (T8) flourescent tubes have been replaced with more efficient 28 watt (T5) tubes.

Not only will this reduce the centre's electricity use but it will also lower the centre's electricity costs.

Weight Loss: The replacement of the 96 fittings offer a CO₂ saving of 7.1 tonnes per annum.

A new water filtration system for Willoughby Leisure Centre, the first of its kind in Australia, is saving more than $14,000 and 1 million litres of water per year.

Supplied by Astral Pool and installed by engineering contractors Roejen NSW in August 2017, the European plastic filtration system, OC-1, uses settlement rather than the traditional entrapment method to more efficiently remove micro particles from water.

In addition to keeping the heated spa and pool water clean and fresh for users, the new system provides savings in water, chemicals, heat loss and electricity, resulting in less downtime and an overall improved experience for patrons.

Facts

• OC-1 can remove particles as small as one micron - one 50th the size of a human hair
• Water quality has improved through a 25% increase in turnover of the pool water, or about 18 extra turnovers each day
• Pump speeds were able to be reduced from 50Hz to 42Hz, saving 70,000 kW/hour per annum or about $14,000 a year

This project was supported and funded by Willoughby City Council's Sustainability Team from the Environmental Levy.

The centre has five, 22,000 litre rain water tanks that capture and reuse rain water from the centre's roof.

This water is used throughout the centre in the toilets. 

Following a thorough filteration process using leading technology, the water is also used to top up the pool.

Weight Loss: The centre has the capacity to store more than 100,000 litres of rainwater.

Solar power is an effective way to supply warm water for the pool and has been integrated into the centre's operations.

More than 320 square meters of solar hot water heating panels have been installed on the centre's roof which use the heat from the sun to heat the pool water.

Weight Loss: The system saves approximately 40 tonnes of CO₂ per year.

The old energy-hungry water treatment equipment, which required extensive capital upgrades to keep it operational, has been upgraded to a new ultra violet system.

Willoughby Council undertook extensive research to find the most effective and efficient system.  The U.V. system pumps water into special chambers housing large U.V. lamps.  The lamps treat the water to maintain high quality clean water.

Weight Loss: The system's reduced energy consumption saves around 90 tonnes of CO₂ per annum.  It also uses considerably less water than the old system and lowers the centre energy costs.

Supported by the NSW Government’s Climate Change Fund