More than 90 solar panels are being installed at BH Live Active Littledown in Bournemouth, promoting sustainable energy and reducing the leisure centre’s carbon footprint.
BH Live, the registered charity and social enterprise that operates the centre has funded this investment in conjunction with Empower, to boost the centre’s green credentials. It is expected to offset around 23 tonnes of carbon every year and generate more than 41,000 kWh of energy – enough to power more than 15 UK homes for one year*.
Other recent energy saving initiatives funded by BH Live include the installation of EV charging points at Sir David English Sports Centre to meet demand for greener travel, and replacing plant equipment with more sustainable processes at BH Live Active, Pelhams. Since the installation of EV chargers at Sir David English Sports Centre last summer, the stations are estimated to have saved 500kg in CO2 emissions.
As of October 2024, all leisure centres managed by BH Live across Bournemouth and East Dorset have achieved Green Mark Level 2 accreditation as part of the organisation’s commitment to reducing energy waste and improving sustainability. This includes BH Live Active, Corfe Mullen; BH Live Active, Queen’s Park; Sir David English Sports Centre, Littledown, Pelhams, and Stokewood.
Green Mark has become a cornerstone of business operations across the UK as they move towards being environmentally sustainable for the long term. Green Mark reviews organisations’ sustainability performances, identifying steps on how businesses can save energy, reduce waste, and become more environmentally responsible in their everyday processes.
Littledown is operated by BH Live in partnership with BCP Council.
On behalf of BH Live, Roy Clarke, Director of Technical Operations said: “Last year, we made great strides in becoming a more energy-efficient organisation through continued investment into sustainable measures. We are delighted to continue this mission into 2025, kicking off with the installation of brand-new solar panels at Littledown.
“As well as reducing our carbon footprint, this project will see us make significant savings not just in our energy usage, but financially as well, creating more opportunities to invest and improve our facilities and services.”
Ryan McShea, Managing Director at Empower Energy, said: “At Empower Energy, we are proud to continue our partnership with BH Live in their sustainability journey. The installation of over 90 high-performance solar panels at Littledown is another step forward in reducing carbon emissions and promoting renewable energy within the local community.
“This system will produce over 41,000 kWh of clean electricity annually, significantly offsetting carbon emissions while delivering long-term cost savings. It builds on our previous successful solar installations for BH Live, including at Stokewood and The BIC.
“With every project, our goal is to help organisations like BH Live take meaningful steps towards energy independence and sustainability. We’re delighted to be part of this initiative and look forward to supporting more renewable energy projects in the future.”
Cllr Andy Hadley, Portfolio Holder for Climate Response, Environment and Energy at BCP Council, said: “I am really pleased to see this investment from BH Live which builds on their successful foundations from last year.
“We all know the importance of reducing our carbon emissions and the impact this has on supporting a sustainable future. These solar panels are a fantastic step towards reducing the leisure centre’s carbon emissions.
“As a Council, we have committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030 and this investment by partners supports progress towards ensuring we meet this obligation, and our commitment to working with others to achieve the area-wide target by 2045.”
For more information about Littledown, visit bhliveactive.org.uk/littledown.
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