Decarbonising the Leisure Estate: How Sport Can Lead the Net Zero Transition.
- Why Sports
- Oct 27
- 4 min read
As the UK leisure and sport sector looks ahead to the 2026 Green Goals Conference, one theme will dominate the conversation: how can we decarbonise our ageing leisure estates while protecting the health, well-being, and social value these facilities deliver?
ukactive will share insights from a significant new publication: Decarbonising the Leisure Sector: A Practical Guide to Accelerating the Path to Net Zero, developed by the Midlands Net Zero Hub in collaboration with local authorities and sector specialists. The guide provides one of the most comprehensive roadmaps yet for transforming leisure centres from some of the UK’s most energy-intensive public buildings into models of sustainable community infrastructure.
The Net Zero Imperative
Leisure centres, particularly those with swimming pools, occupy a unique position in the UK’s carbon landscape. They are vital hubs of community health and wellbeing, yet they are among the most energy-hungry public buildings. The report reveals that a single wet-side leisure centre can emit up to five times more carbon per square metre than a typical civic office or museum.
Many of these facilities were built during the 1970s and 1980s, long before modern energy standards were introduced. Their average age—over fifty years—means inefficient heating systems, poor insulation, and outdated plant equipment are commonplace. At the same time, operators are under pressure from rising energy costs and tightening carbon targets.
In this context, decarbonisation is not just a climate obligation but a matter of survival. As the report states;
“Decarbonising leisure centres is no longer optional. It is essential to retain core community facilities and deliver national net zero commitments.”
A Practical Roadmap for Change
What sets this guide apart is its pragmatism. Drawing on detailed audits of six Midlands leisure centres, it distils the lessons into a four-phase, ten-step roadmap—moving from baseline analysis through to funding, implementation, and ongoing optimisation.
The process begins with data. The authors stress that before any investment decisions are made, operators must understand their current energy performance. Gathering at least two years of utility data, benchmarking usage, and conducting detailed technical audits form the foundation of a credible decarbonisation plan. Without this evidence base, decisions risk being driven by guesswork rather than return on investment.
Once the baseline is clear, the next step is prioritisation. The report advises focusing first on efficiency—reducing waste before introducing new technologies. Simple interventions such as installing pool covers, upgrading to LED lighting, and improving insulation often deliver rapid returns, with some measures paying back in under five years. These “quick wins” create early momentum, demonstrate impact, and lay the groundwork for more ambitious projects.
Longer-term investments—solar photovoltaics, air-source heat pumps, advanced building management systems, and major fabric upgrades—follow in later phases. These interventions require robust business cases, careful procurement, and committed leadership. The report’s inclusion of real cost-benefit examples makes it a practical tool for both operators and finance teams seeking to justify investment.
Funding the Transition
Financing decarbonisation remains one of the greatest challenges for the sector, and the guide tackles this head-on. It outlines a clear six-step framework for developing business cases and securing funding, from aligning projects with strategic priorities to tracking post-delivery performance.
Crucially, the guide acknowledges that national grant schemes alone will not meet the scale of need. Instead, it encourages local authorities and operators to explore blended finance models—combining reserves, prudential borrowing, regional net zero funds, community energy schemes, and private finance mechanisms.
This diversified approach mirrors the wider shift in public estate management, where the sustainability agenda is increasingly linked to financial resilience. Decarbonisation, the guide argues, should not be seen as an additional burden but as a route to lower operating costs, improved building performance, and enhanced community value.
Beyond Technology: Embedding Culture and Behaviour
One of the most insightful aspects of the guide is its recognition that technology alone will not deliver net zero. Even the most advanced systems fail if controls are poorly configured or staff lack the knowledge to operate them effectively.
The document calls for a cultural shift across the leisure workforce. Training, monitoring, and ongoing optimisation are integral to the roadmap. Energy dashboards, staff engagement campaigns, and “energy champions” within facilities can all play a role in sustaining behavioural change and maintaining performance over time.
In essence, decarbonisation must evolve from being a technical project to becoming part of the operational DNA of every leisure centre.
Scaling Up and Sharing Success
The final phase of the roadmap focuses on optimisation and knowledge sharing. Decarbonisation is framed as a continuous journey rather than a single capital project. As sites begin to deliver measurable carbon and cost savings, the report encourages operators to reinvest those savings into further improvements, while sharing lessons across networks such as ukactive, Sport England, and regional net zero hubs.
This collective approach will be critical if the sector is to scale impact nationally. Collaboration—between local authorities, operators, funders, and technical partners—can accelerate progress, reduce duplication, and strengthen the sector’s voice in national climate policy.
Looking Ahead to the Green Goals Conference 2026
When ukactive takes the stage at the Green Goals Conference next year, it will do so with a clear message: the sport and leisure sector has both the responsibility and the opportunity to lead Britain’s transition to net zero.
The new guide demonstrates that the pathway is achievable. It combines the technical rigour of energy engineering with the practical realities of managing complex, multi-use public facilities. And it reinforces that sustainability is not just about carbon—it is about resilience, health, inclusion, and long-term community wellbeing.
The decarbonisation of leisure and sport estates is no longer a distant ambition. It is a necessity—both for the planet and for the communities these facilities serve.
Delegates at the conference can expect ukactive to challenge the sector to act now: to start with data, prioritise quick wins, build credible business cases, and make decarbonisation part of every estate management conversation.
The Midlands Net Zero Hub and ukactive have provided the tools. The next step is collective delivery. As the report makes clear, the path to net zero is not a technical impossibility but a leadership challenge.
For more information and to download the report, visit:
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