The Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre Integrated Energy System project will include a carbon neutral, renewable energy powered aquatic centre in western Melbourne.

Municipal aquatic centres are the highest energy consuming and greenhouse gas emitting facilities managed by councils. Heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) is typically the largest component of energy use at these sites, which have historically relied upon both electricity and natural gas as fuel sources. HVAC systems account for up to 50% of a commercial building’s energy use and dominate peak electricity demand. Capital and maintenance costs for these systems also comprise a high portion of overall building costs. A holistic HVAC strategy relies on an integrated approach to reduce demand, optimise existing systems and upgrade to more efficient systems. Advances in electrically powered HVAC systems, such as heat pumps, can result in significant energy savings and emission reductions.

The project to develop an all-electric, net-zero greenhouse emissions HVAC system for the Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre. The project includes a central heat pump for heating and cooling with 1200 KWth of heating capacity (at 4 degrees Celsius), an 88 KL thermal energy storage system, 500 KW of rooftop solar PV and a renewable electricity power purchasing agreement.