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ST SIDWELL'S POINT St Sidwell’s Point sets new standards for energy performance and reflects Exeter City Council’s no-compromise approach to quality, sustainability and community

The UK’s first Passivhaus standard, ultra-low operatioinal carbon leisure centre

Timescale:

Construction from January 2019 to spring 2022.

Outcomes:

The highest quality health and leisure facilities for residents.

Passivhaus buildings have a very low heating requirement. This is achieved through using high levels of insulation, triple glazed windows, creating airtight spaces, eradicating thermal bridges, ventilation with heat recovery. The heat from one area is used to cool another using heat pumps.

The budget was created mostly through money the authority had saved and ring-fenced, income from New Homes Bonus fund, Community Infrastructure Levy, Section 106 agreements, capital receipts and some limited long term borrowing.

St Sidwell’s Point will play a major role in achieving two of the city’s key corporate priorities:

  • Create a Healthy and Active City
  • Assist moving the authority towards Net Zero
Cost to Exeter City Council: £42m

What is St Sidwells Point?

  • 25-metre, Eight-lane competition pool, 20-metre learner pool (both of which have moveable floors allowing for a range of depth to suit different activities, as well as pool drowning detection technology) and also a confidence splash pool.
  • 100 seat spectator area
  • Premium spa
  • Top-of-the range gym
  • Two group exercise studios
  • Indoor spin studio
  • Café
  • Soft Play
  • Children’s area

Accessibility

  • Submersible wheelchair lift into each pool
  • Easy entry steps
  • Dedicated ‘changing places’ room featuring a ceiling hoist,changing bed, shower facilities and toilet
  • Room mate box installed in all accessible toilets. This provides audio description of toilet layout for visually impaired users
  • Accessible toilets on every floor
  • Lift access to all areas
  • WelcoMe app for customers with special access requirements
  • Membership is designed to be accessible to all
  • Exeter is committed to becoming the most active city in the UK. St Sidwell’s Point will support this

Healthy

The high quality ventilation system warms and filters fresh air, reducing indoor contamination. All the materials used in construction contain no volatile organic compounds, further reducing contamination, giving us a fresh, healthy environment.

High levels of comfort and water quality will increase user satisfaction and is expected to increase customer numbers.

The NHS spends around £1billion a year treating and caring for people with asthma.

Minimal chlorine content at St Sidwell’s Point reduces the risk of asthma and prevents red eye after swimming.

First public leisure centre in England to use a process called ‘microfiltration’, where pool water is forced through a semi- permeable ceramic membrane which filters to a finer grade than conventional pool filter systems, removing more unwanted particles and bacteria.

Air is extracted from the pool halls at both high and low level to promote the collection of potentially harmful gasses from close to the pool surface.

Water treatment using ultraviolet (UV) light kills waterborne micro organisms and bacteria. Without reproduction, they become far less dangerous.

The innovative filtration process and UV water treatment combine to provide exceptional water quality using a minimal amount of chlorine disinfection. This makes the pools healthier for all, particularly those with respiratory problems and will greatly improve the experience for all swimmer.

Climate Resilient

Modelled to withstand predicted changes in climate conditions up to 2080.

Air filtration maintains air quality and protects from increase in contaminates from particulates and pollen under future climate scenarios.

The building is designed to be comfortable to use in future years when climate change impacts. The building is also designed to accommodate greater rainfall and more severe storms as well as temperature difference.

Economy

St Sidwell’s Point will employ 40 people, which includes 25 new FTE positions.

Over 2,500 people have helped to design, construct and deliver St Sidwell’s Point.

St Sidwell’s Point is a prestigious anchor building for the wider redevelopment of the rest of the site, known as CityPoint.

All staff will be paid the Living Wage and there will be no Zero Hours contracts throughout.

It will replace existing life-expired facilities.

It will protect city centre investment and create footfall for local retail.

Energy and environmental savings

By building to super energy efficient standard (as opposed to a standard pool), the local authority is making annual carbon savings equivalent to 105 hectares (or 250 football pitches) of managed woodland, and preventing annual emissions from 750 average UK cars (commuting 40 miles a day).

Designed to be ‘climate ready’ using 2080 forecast data from University of Exeter.

Water reduction of 50% - higher humidity in the pool halls reduce evaporation rates which is enabled by the high-performance building envelope which in turn reduces heat loss and water loss.

Grey water harvesting from excess pool waste water – used to flush WCs.

Expected to attract over 500,000 visitors per year

Significantly reduced running costs:

Predicted annual energy saving of up to 70% which will help offset the extra build costs associated with Passivhaus in a relatively short period.

Use of simultaneous heating and cooling air-source heat pumps means that heat rejected from the gym and studios can be used to offset heat loss in the pool area which is a major source of expense.

Creating an airtight building:

Achieved 0.3 m3/hr/m2 at the 50 Pacals test pressure.

Standard Passivhaus 0.6 m3/hr/m2 at 50 Pa.

Building Regs compliant at 8 m3/hr/m2.

Reduced electrical energy demand for ventilation:

Demand controlled systems, meaning that fans slow down when there are fewer people in the centre.

Larger ducts to enable air to circulate with less resistance.

High levels of insulation:

Very high levels compared to a standard building.

Triple glazed windows.

No thermal bridges:

Avoiding risk of condensation.

Extensive south-facing glazing:

Maximises daylight/solar gain.

Use of higher quality materials:

Resulting in lower maintenance costs.

www.liveandmove.co.uk

Communities

St Sidwell’s Point and Exeter Leisure are key partners of Live and Move, the Sport England Local Delivery Pilot for Exeter and Cranbrook.

We will ensure St Sidwell’s Point is a centre for wellbeing and community, belonging to everyone in the city, not just those who would conventionally visit a leisure centre or buy a membership.

We’re tackling physical inactivity in communities to make us the UKs most active area, with a focus on St Sidwell’s Point by:

  • Working together, bringing communities closer to the leisure offer, by creating opportunities in and around leisure centres for all residents in the city to be active
  • Developing a partnership with Wellbeing Exeter and a 12 week wellbeing programme, enabling people to improve and promote their own health and wellbeing through accessing the facilities and activities of St Sidwell’s Point
  • Focusing on engaging and supporting the least active residents in the city, who currently experience the poorest health outcomes and might not think St Sidwell’s Point is for them
  • Drawing on the knowledge of Wellbeing Exeter Community Builders and Community Connectors, providing referral pathways (GPs, workplaces, schools) to being more active and accessing St Sidwell’s Point
  • Building stronger communities & neighbourhoods around leisure and physical activity facilities, through training and local community walking, running and activity groups
  • Delivering behaviour change, health & wellbeing and mental health fi rst aid training for all staff

With the Exeter Leisure app your leisure centre is just a click away. Book your gym, swim or class sessions, access all our latest news and offers. Plus manage your account and explore what your membership has to offer, all whilst on the move. Don't forget; if you’re not already a member, you can join with just a click of a button.

Credits:

Exeter City Council