Following on from Leckahmpton Rovers Football Club (LRFC) installing an Air Source Heat Pump with funding from
a Cheltenham Zero Community grant, the wider refit of the building has accelerated. The
original building was not knocked down, but instead had a rebuild to address the sustainability and
accessibility of the site at the Burrows Playing Field, Moored Road. Whilst low carbon technology is
at the core of the project, the site has developed much further to be fit for the future. As well as
providing complete changing facilities for the football groups, there’s also been a new café and meeting
area created.
Lessons Learned:
The combination of solar power and an air source heat pump are a more cost efficient and
renewable way to heat water for the site. However, when the energy usage is high, for example on a
match day, a backup gas boiler is needed as the renewable energy does not meet the spike in
demand.
It is recommended that a heat pump should not be switched off during summer months, as you
would a gas boiler. Heat pumps operate most effectively when retaining a steady temperature, it
takes a lot of energy and time to reach that level temperature if turned off. Whilst heat pumps
provide warmth in the winter, they also cool spaces in the summer and therefore are a year-round
device. Some models even have a summer mode!
Further work:
The ambitions of LRFC go further than building refits, with aims to:
- Improve the biodiversity in the surrounding green space and develop a nature trail.
- Considerations of how to effectively manage waste for anything sold from the café, to keep
sustainability at the core of the redevelopment. - New murals of favourite footballer’s shirts are being painted in the changing rooms to bring
colour and inspiration to the players.