Increasing demand, limited supplies, a shortage of storage space and the conflict in Ukraine mean high energy prices are still a big concern for businesses across the UK. However, the relatively mild winter so far, and less reliance on Russian gas across Europe has meant that prices have been on the way down recently.
Although wholesale prices are at their lowest levels since May 2022, prices are still nevertheless exceptionally high with a knock-on effect to service charge costs.
Educated Body manages health, wellbeing, and fitness facilities for multiple clients in the residential sector. Most of our facilities have pools, spa pools, sauna, and steam cabins. These types of facility demand lots of energy and over the last year running costs have risen sharply.
To assist our clients to limit energy consumption in this specialist area, we conducted a high-level review to outline potential saving. The start point was the highest energy user, the swimming pool.
Swimming pools
A comfortable temperature for a residential swimming pool is 29°C and the air temperature in the pool hall should be one degree higher so 30°C. The temperatures across our pool estate ranged from 29°C to 31°C so there was an immediate opportunity to standardise to the lower level.
For vitality pools and spa pools, operating at 35°C is comfortable for residents so avoid the temptation to turn these up to 37°C or 38°C.
When pools are not in use, applying pool covers is a simple yet effective way of reducing operating costs by saving energy. The problem is that pool covers rarely suit the luxury aesthetic. However, using a pool cover in a well-insulated building could save 525 kWh. For a typically sized residential pool measuring 17m x 5m, operators could save approximately £9,500 in energy costs per annum.
If you are at the design phase, then carefully consider the savings that can be achieved over time with a more efficiently designed scheme. The extra capital outlay may be recovered quickly through ongoing efficiency. Designing a pool to include high-efficiency circulation pumps can save up to 50% on energy use. Using regenerative media filters provide a significant water and energy saving when compared to sand filtration using 70% less water.
In the UK chlorine is in short supply, which is inflating the cost of obtaining the chemical. However, there is a cheaper, safer, cleaner, and more environmentally friendly way to create a solution to treat swimming pools. Using salt, water, and electricity to produce sodium hypochlorite is a method that can be used to disinfect swimming pools and spas. Using salt to produce sodium hypochlorite instead of purchasing chlorine is beneficial in several ways both practically and economically. Salt is safe, and employees do not have to handle hazardous chemicals. It is also cheap, easy to store and has an infinite shelf life. Although more expensive at the design phase, there are cost and safety advantages to investing in this system.
Sauna & Steam Cabins
One of the most effective ways to lower costs is to simply reduce the operating hours for these high energy consuming areas. Opening these services from 10.30 in the morning, rather than 06.30 saves four hours energy for each facility per day. Patterns of usage show these types of facility to have low usage in the early morning.
Gym & Studio
Ensure all electrical gym equipment is turned off at the socket every night. Even on standby these items consume energy. Carry out the same checks for any other electrical items that do not need to be switched on overnight. Often air handling systems run through the night when it might not be essential.
Sense check operating hours. Is 22.00 an acceptable time to close rather than 23.00? Some residential gyms are open 24-hours. Consider demand and whether it is essential to do this.
Restrict the number of cardiovascular pieces of equipment that are switched on during off peak/low usage hours.
Turn off studio lights, monitors and screens when not being used. Installing sensors can make this automatic.
Simple, straightforward operating adjustments can lead to significant savings relieving the pressure on service charge budgets for residents.
Andy Kay is a Director of Educated Body, a trading name of Raw Corporate Health Ltd
