Willmott Dixon has won a deal to build a Passivhaus leisure centre in London, which it claimed would be one of the most energy efficient in the world.
The new facility for Spelthorne Borough Council will be the first wet and dry leisure centre to achieve Passivhaus standard in greater London, and will be designed to consume up to 70% less energy compared with a standard new building. It will optimise natural daylight and integrate photovoltaic panels to generate energy from renewable sources.
When complete, the centre will include an eight-lane, 25m main pool, learner pool, splash pad and spa, as well as a six-court sports hall, three squash courts, 950 sq m of fitness space, two studios, one spin studio and a multi-use room.
Willmott Dixon has already built the UK’s first Passivhaus ‘Plus’ primary school, Hackbridge Primary School, and the UK’s largest Passivhaus secondary school, Harris Academy, both in Sutton. It also completed the Passivhaus George Davies Centre for University of Leicester in 2015.
Chair of Spelthorne Borough Council’s Community Wellbeing Committee, Cllr Sandra Dunn, said: “I am very excited that this important project has been given approval to proceed to the next stage. Feedback from residents has heavily influenced the location, design and facilities and we have worked hard to ensure the new building meets the gold standard for environmental credentials.”
“This is going to be a fantastic hub for all the community, offering a great range of sports facilities and activities for everyone to enjoy. I am sure it will make a huge difference in encouraging residents to maintain healthy lifestyles. I look forward to seeing the plans take shape.”
Ian Edwards, director at Willmott Dixon in the London & South region added: “We are delighted to be working with Spelthorne Borough Council, supporting their plans to create a fully inclusive community destination. This provides an exciting opportunity to put our expert knowledge in Passivhaus methodology into action again, to deliver a building that once complete will deliver substantial year-on-year cost savings, while creating a first-class sporting facility to support the health and wellbeing of the community.”
