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The City of Darebin has delivered a wide range of programs and initiatives over the past two years to ensure that Reservoir Leisure Centre reduces its impact on the environment and the earth's resources.

Beginning in July last year, the Centre embarked on a significant project to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions with the installation of a gas fired cogeneration system and energy efficiency works, delivering estimated annual savings of around 1,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and around $100,000 in operating costs, including energy and maintenance costs.

Backed by the Federal Government's Community Energy Efficiency Program (CEEP), the cogeneration system allows the Centre to generate most of its electricity from cleaner natural gas, reducing the amount of coal-generated electricity we need to buy out of the main power lines. The unique aspect of this project is that the waste heat from the engine is captured and used to heat the pools, which reduces the amount of natural gas consumption which would otherwise be needed.

Other initiatives at the Centre include:

• Deployment of Pool Blankets on all Pools – saving 500,000 litres of water each year and over 300 tonnes of green house gases.  
• Use of solar heating to assist with the heating of the indoor pool facilities.  
• Installation of variable speed pumps to reduce electricity use.  
• Sensor lights and timers installed throughout the facility and in the car park.  
• Retrofitting double glazing to windows in the Centre's gym to reduce demand on heating and cooling systems.  
• Optimisation of pool pump speeds.  
• Voltage Optimisation device installed to save electricity across the site.  
• Draught sealing the pool hall doors to save gas heating consumption and provide greater comfort.

Moving into the future the City of Darebin will continue to ensure that Reservoir Leisure Centre is leading the way on reducing green house emissions and addressing climate change enabling member to continue to be active and healthy in the knowledge that the place where they work out is focused on keeping the Earth healthy.

As part of Reservoir Leisure Centre's commitment to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and energy costs, the public is able to access energy usage data about the site. with the City of Darebin encouraging the public to join this initiative to gain a better understanding of energy use.

To receive weekly energy use graphs, please contact Darebin City Council’s Climate Change Action Officer on 03 8470 8514. 

26th February 2014 - SYDNEY TOWN HALL AIMS TO BE MODEL OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY

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