5 Ways Your Sports Centre Can Cut Energy Bills This Summer

June 4, 2024 by Admin

Summer is finally here, and the country is preparing itself for some sun. Beer gardens are steadily filling up, people are flocking to beaches and gardens to sunbathe, and sports centres are gearing up for what is without a doubt their busiest time of the year.

Whether it’s school kids careening into pools on their summer holidays, football and tennis players making the most of the sun, or gymgoers working toward their summer bodies, sports centres will see increased custom over the warmer months. Alongside this, they’ll likely see an uptick in energy bills, which could strain finances and cause significant consumption problems.

Sports centres are demanding, with swimming pools, exercise machines, dance studios, and indoor sports halls all being highly energy intensive. Part of this is the lack of efficiency, with lots of lighting required to brighten up large indoor courts for only a few people participating in a game, whereas heating and cooling can prove equally expensive. To limit usage and stay afloat over the summer, sports centres will need to rethink the way they use their energy.

In Tariff’s latest blog, we’ll explore five useful methods for sports centres to save money on their energy bills. We’ll see how gym equipment, heating, cooling, and lighting can all be optimised to reduce consumption and unlock a new source of hidden savings. Finally, we’ll discuss how Tariff can help you search, switch, and save on your energy supplier.

 

5 Important Facts To Know About Sports Centre Energy Bills

• Improving energy efficiency by 10% can reduce energy bills by 70%.
• Only 18 Months to recoup money spent on energy-efficient investments.
• Exercise equipment accounts for 30% of a sports centre’s energy usage.
• Air conditioning accounts for 40%, heating for 17%.
• Overheating by just 1 degree increases energy consumption by a whopping 10%.

 

5 Ways For Sports Centres To Cut Energy Bills

The following methods offer easy and affordable techniques to reduce your energy bills.

1. Use Energy-Efficient Exercise Machines

With almost 5000 gyms and fitness centres across the UK, exercise machines are among the most used facilities in sports centres. Many, including treadmills, exercise bikes, rowing machines, stair machines, and ellipticals, are also the most energy demanding.

Even on standby, many machines use a sizable amount of electricity, so it’s pivotal to switch off any unnecessary equipment. This is particularly important for 24-hour gyms, as the energy wasted on keeping lines of empty machines on standby will build up quickly. To conserve energy, keep a couple of machines online and unplug the rest overnight or during quieter periods – some models may even allow you to set operation times to turn on and off automatically.

Of course, investing in newer and more energy efficient models is ideal in the long run. While the upfront price is high, the money saved from energy bills will stack higher and higher over the following years. There are even some machines on the market that generate their own energy, or are entirely user-powered, such as self-propelled treadmills and air bikes.

Whether you have older or newer models, careful cleaning and maintenance are vital to keep equipment operating at their prime. Without this, machines may quickly fall into disrepair, collecting dust in crevices which increases friction and resistance, therefore lowering their energy-efficiency. Implementing a maintenance schedule and ensuring your staff stick to it will help avoid this as much as possible.

 

2. Optimise Heating & Cooling

With scorching summer days just on the horizon, efficiently controlling the temperature of your sports centre is critical. Some areas will need cooling on the warmest days, while at the same time, other areas like pools or saunas need to be kept heated. It becomes even more complex when taking into account the recent weather volatility, with one day searing hot and the next day pouring in rain.

Therefore, overheating or overcooling your premises is all too easy, and with research finding that overheating by just one degree can increase consumption by 8-10%, such a mistake could be a costly one. To prevent this, it’s essential to heat each area according to its needs and timeframe, and to set different heating settings for individual rooms.

Sports halls, studios, and gyms only need to be kept around 15°C to 18°C, as people will naturally heat up when exercising and working out. The next step up is reception areas and hallways, which should be kept around 18°C to 20°C, while changing rooms and showers are best placed somewhere in the 20°C to 25°C range. Pool halls should be kept anywhere from 25°C to 30°C, but the most important metric to stay on top of is keeping the room 1°C warmer than the water, as this prevents evaporation and the loss of heat unnecessarily.

On the warmest days, air conditioning can be a lifesaver. However, it can be tempting to open windows at the same time to allow natural ventilation and fresh, circulated air to work its way around the building. This is a critical mistake, as the air conditioning and outside air will fight over temperature, wasting lots of energy. When it comes to cooling your building, choose one or the other – open windows and doors for a spring breeze, or keep them closed and use air conditioning for hot summer days.

Whatever the case, extensive monitoring and some trial and error may be needed to keep your premises temperature in line. Listen to staff and customers when they report back on temperatures, and be sure to make adjustments. Turn down air conditioning and heating overnight – contrary to popular belief, it’s more energy-efficient to stop and start these systems than to keep them running 24/7. Many thermostats come with options to turn on and off automatically when a particular temperature is reached, so make use of this utility wherever your can.

 

3. Optimise Lighting

With expansive sports halls and smaller changing rooms having varied lighting requirements, and dim lighting creating health and safety risks (especially with weight racks and heavy exercise machinery), getting the brightness right in your sports centre can be a challenge. Natural light sources such as windows and skylights will help, but most premises cannot rely on this alone.

One of the best ways to tackle this is by using motion sensor lighting in hallways and rooms that are used intermittently. This will drastically reduce your energy usage, especially for 24-hour gyms that might go for long periods without full use. Alternatively, label your light switches to make it easier for staff to turn off lights when not in use. Small changes like these can result in major savings over time, so managing your lighting carefully is essential to cutting down on electricity.

The type of lighting in your premises can also make a difference. According to the US Department of Energy, LEDs (light emitting diodes) use up to 90% less energy, and can last 25 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs. Low-energy lighting is also a great option, with CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs) using 25% less energy and lasting up to 8 times longer than a regular bulb. While there may be an upfront cost associated with installing new lighting, the long-term benefits should not be ignored.

 

4. Utilise Green Energy

With the sun shining bright every day, there is no better time to install solar panels than the summer. It is estimated that on average, solar panels can save 50-70% on your energy bills, which is already a game changer. When combined with a battery storage system (which will store energy for use at night), that figure can rise up to 90%, allowing you to benefit from sunlight round the clock and even sell back any excess to the grid.

Don’t worry about weather or seasons too much, either – solar panels work when it’s cloudy and rainy, although the power output may be reduced compared to a sunny day. Regardless, solar panels will continue to save you money across the rest of the year, and not just over the summer months. While the initial price of solar panel installation may be expensive, it comes with long-term savings that more than justify the investment.

 

5. Hold Events Outside

While it may seem like common sense, you might be surprised by the amount of summer events that are held inside. This could be for any number of reasons, from practicality and convenience to the requirements of the event e.g. pool inflatables.

Wherever possible, sports centres should take advantage of the good weather and try to hold events outside, therefore reducing their reliance on air conditioning and lighting. In some cases, this may not be possible, but depending on the type and size of the event, it may provide your energy usage with a well-needed break.

 

How Tariff Can Help You Search, Switch, & Save

Whatever your energy requirements might be, choosing the right supplier for your sports centre can make a massive difference to your bills. Not only will certain suppliers offer cheaper rates and packages, but different providers source their energy through more ethical and sustainable means, allowing you to work alongside organisations who align with your company’s values and aims. To explore your options, and find the supplier who will work the best for you, you may need to enlist the help of an energy consultancy agency like Tariff.

Tariff.com will help you Search, Switch, & Save on your business utilities, finding the best bargains on the market with the best perks and customer service. Our market analysis is comprehensive and detailed, with dedicated account management and solutions tailored to your premises. Additionally, as net-zero consultants, we help businesses reduce and optimise their carbon emissions, setting them on the path for net-zero for a greener, brighter world.

To receive a free and quick quote from our professional energy consultants, reach out today.