Leisure Centre Utility & Energy Deals
Get the best gas, electricity water and telecoms prices for your leisure Centre.
Getting your leisure centre in energy saving shape has never been easier
If you manage a leisure centre you will be well aware of the high costs associated with energy. Perhaps not surprisingly, energy costs in this sector are among the highest – yet making just a few small improvements in how you manage your energy costs, could see bottom line savings of hundreds, possibly thousands of pounds a year – as well as a reduction in carbon emissions.
Review your leisure centre energy supplier
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Saved on 3 year contract.One of the easiest ways to reduce the cost of your leisure centre’s gas and electricity bill is to review your energy provider. If you simply roll over your leisure centre’s utility provider year on year, chances are, you will be paying for too much for your energy supplies. That’s what the energy providers hope you do – here at our award-winning energy HQ that’s just what we DON’T want you to do.
We know that the very thought of changing energy suppliers to find a more competitive price for your leisure centre gas and electricity will fill you with dread. However, when you realise how simple it is to make the change – you will wonder why you didn’t do it years ago.
- Contact Utility Bidder by phone or email
- Provide us with a letter of authority (we give you a template to sign)
- Provide us with as many old bills as you can
- Relax in the sauna or have a swim – that’s your bit done.
Once we have your letter of authority your personal energy account manager will search 27 gas and electricity suppliers on your behalf to find a provider that will give your leisure centre a better price that your current provider is offering.
Lighting your leisure centre
It is particularly important to take control of your leisure centre’s lighting which can represent up to 20% of total energy costs and we would advise doing a lighting audit to consider where and what lighting is needed and at what times.
While your reception area should be bright and welcoming, you don’t need as much lighting in areas such as storerooms or staff corridors. Similarly, a changing room may only need bright lights above mirrors. In all toilets, consider occupancy sensors which can achieve savings of up to 30%.
It’s important to have light switches clearly labelled so that staff can ensure they switch lights on and off as needed and don’t forget to remind staff and customers to turn off lights by investing in signs and posters.
Frequently Asked Leisure Centre Utility Questions
Electricity can be five times more expensive than gas which is why it is so important to review costs. The annual electricity costs of a leisure centre represent up to two thirds of total energy costs and so you need to ensure your leisure centre is paying the best price for its electricity.
Utility Bidder will ensure the move from one provider to the other goes swimmingly and if you do have any queries or question we are by your side throughout the process. It really is that simple.
We are confident we will save you money – how much, depends on numerous factors but one useful tip – the earlier you get in touch the better, even if you have a year to run on your existing contract.
Many swimming pool areas have been designed to let in lots of natural light and so encourage staff to get into the habit of not switching lights on if there is plenty of daylight available. If you do have quiet zones or relaxation zones, keep lighting to a minimum.
Replacing your lighting with more efficient versions will also save your leisure centre a lot of money, for example, tungsten bulbs could be swapped to compact fluorescent light bulbs which last a lot longer. If, after carrying out a lighting audit, you decide to replace or upgrade your lighting significantly, your leisure centre could be eligible for an interest free loan from The Carbon Trust.
It’s time to stop treading water
Another area where you could make significant energy savings is reviewing the heating and ventilation system of your leisure centre’s swimming pool. This will be a considerable energy user and by being aware of simple things such as optimum water temperatures could make a big difference. If the pool water is over heated it can cause the pool water to evaporate. This means you will have to continually run a high ventilation rate and this will, over time, also cause condensation which is damaging to the fabric of your building.
A training pool temperature should be around 26ºC while a leisure pool should be around 29ºC – and remember the pool hall itself should usually be heated to 1ºC above the pool water temperature.
Investing in and using a whole pool cover will also help reduce the utility costs of your leisure centre’s swimming pool and while it may seem like a costly capital outlay, in terms of energy savings made, it should have paid for itself within a couple of years.
So, stop treading water when it comes to reducing your swimming pool’s energy consumption and ensure all staff are trained on the correct temperature for the pool as well as using the correct lighting.
Clients of your leisure centre want to be ensure they feel comfortable at all times – however, there is not a one size fits all, when it comes to optimum temperatures. In an area where people are enjoying sport activities you won’t want as much heat and can even try 12ºC – certainly anything warmer than 18ºC will be far too warm. Meanwhile, clients may start to feel the cold after a session in the gym or in the pool and so keep changing areas around the 20-25ºC mark.
And remember, just like at home, even turning a thermostat down by 1ºC will see significant savings.
In order to get the best possible contract for your energy, it’s important you can identify where your leisure centre's energy is being used – and when. Choosing the best gas and electricity provider will depend not just on the consumption amount but also on the consumption times.
Conduct an energy audit. Write down where you are using the most and see if you can monitor consumption over a week.
Where can energy savings be made? - Most leisure centre staff find areas they can improve the very first time they do this.
Once you have identified areas where you can make savings, involve as many staff as you can – giving staff ownership of energy saving responsibilities will make them feel included.
Devise your own checklist for every area of the site. Start outside with external signage and lighting and then move indoors – reception heating and lighting, sports hall, pool, café, changing room, staff areas, gym, etc.
Let your clients work up a sweat in a gym, while you can take it easy with some simple ways to save on energy. In the gym, much of that energy intensive equipment is left on – even when not in use. Again, it’s back to your staff to ensure that equipment is powered down when not in use – this will also extend the life of the equipment.
You don’t have to be out of your depth when it comes to saving energy in your leisure centre. The Utility Bidder energy team will work with you to find an electricity supplier that could potentially save up to 20% on your current providers’ renewal quote. That’s a lot of money.
So, dive in to Utility Bidder’s pool of energy switching knowledge and you’ll find yourself saving £££s on your energy prices. Call us today on : 0800 007 4001. Or see more about our services here: business energy, business gas, business electricity
