Keeping the community moving while cutting carbon: a leisure centre decarbonisation success story
How our client used smart procurement to modernise a key community asset:
When public sector organisations consider decarbonisation, leisure centres can be among the hardest buildings to retrofit. They’re energy-intensive, complex in layout, and they usually serve the community seven days a week. Downtime is a technical inconvenience, but it also means fewer people are getting the physical and mental health support they rely on.
The client faced this challenge at their leisure centre. They needed a partner who could help them modernise the building, install renewable energy systems, and stay fully operational during the process. And, like many local authorities, they needed to do it in line with the strict requirements of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS).
Carbon3 was appointed through a competitive tender process to deliver the project as principal contractor.
The project: decarbonising without disruption
Carbon3 designed and installed a 40.89 kWp solar PV system, complete with inverters and tailored controls. Our in-house teams took full responsibility for:
- Assistance with PSDS funding
- Site surveys and system design
- Health & safety compliance and site audits (100% safety audit scores)
- Scheduling and delivery across a live, operational leisure site
The installation was completed on time, with zero health and safety incidents, and with no disruption to local residents using the centre.
Procurement that delivers more than compliance:
The project delivered on wider social and environmental aims:
- Local contractors were sourced where possible, supporting the council’s economic development goals.
- The use of Carbon3’s EV fleet for site visits reduced construction-related emissions.
- An in-house operations & maintenance (O&M) contract was agreed for three years, ensuring the system runs at peak performance and any issues are swiftly resolved.
Carbon3 also provided training to the council’s in-house teams, empowering them to monitor system performance and extract useful insights to support their broader sustainability reporting.
What this could mean for other councils:
This project is a template for low-disruption, big results decarbonisation in community spaces. By integrating the right design, scheduling, and compliance expertise early on, Carbon3 helped the council achieve its carbon goals while keeping vital public facilities accessible.
The project also shows that solar can be seamlessly integrated into even the most sensitive buildings with long-term O&M cover built in. And it highlights the power of partnering with turnkey providers who can deliver funding consultation, design, build, compliance, and aftercare without the risk of managing multiple subcontractors or misaligned warranties.
The Carbon3 advantage:
At Carbon3, we’re committed to helping public sector organisations hit their decarbonisation targets without disrupting day-to-day services. Whether it’s a leisure centre, council office, or housing estate, we bring sector understanding, in-house engineering, and long-term support to every project.
