North Northamptonshire Council

Installation of Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs), buffer vessels, Solar PV generation and associated heating, hot water and building services upgrades.
3.825 kW

Air Source Heat Pumps

437 kWp

Solar PV

Location:

Northamptonshire

Project Value:

£4,000,000

Sector:

Commercial

Project Status:

Complete


Scope

Decarbonisation of Corby Pool, Corby Cube and Desborough Leisure Centre - (ASHP) Air Source Heat Pumps and Solar PV


Project Overview

Alternative Heat was appointed by North Northamptonshire Council as Principal Contractor to deliver a major decarbonisation programme across three public facilities: Corby Pool, Corby Cube and Desborough Leisure Centre.

Supported by funding secured through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS), delivered by Salix Finance on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), the project represents a significant step towards reducing carbon emissions, improving energy efficiency and supporting the Council’s long-term sustainability objectives.

Alternative Heat designed and delivered a comprehensive low-carbon energy solution across all three sites, including the installation of 3.825MW of Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs) and 437kWp of Solar PV generation. In addition to the renewable energy installations, the project involved significant improvements to the heating, hot water and associated energy infrastructure, enhancing the overall performance and long-term sustainability of each site. All works were carefully planned and executed while the buildings remained fully operational, ensuring that essential public services and leisure facilities continued to operate with minimal disruption throughout the delivery of the project.

Scope of Works

Corby Pool is a two-storey leisure facility featuring a 50m competition pool, a 20m teaching pool, diving boards and an Aqua Tube body ride. The project involved the installation of five 475kW high-temperature Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs) to serve the existing heating system, together with two 105kW high-temperature ASHPs dedicated to the domestic hot water (DHW) system. Additional works included the replacement of pool plate heat exchangers, new pressurisation and expansion systems, buffer vessels, upgrades to existing air handling units and control panels, the installation of a 304kWp roof-mounted Solar PV system, and energy-efficient lighting upgrades, delivering a modern, low-carbon energy solution.

Corby Cube is a modern civic and cultural building accommodating office space, a theatre, library and customer service facilities. The project involved the installation of two 275kW low-temperature Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs) on the rooftop to serve the existing LTHW heating system, together with three 30kW high-temperature Panasonic ASHPs for the domestic hot water (DHW) system. Additional works included the installation of 3,000-litre and 800-litre buffer vessels within the existing fifth-floor plantroom, an 18kWp roof-mounted Solar PV system, and a new Building Management System (BMS) to control the ASHP and DHW systems, enhancing the building’s overall energy performance and operational efficiency.

Desborough Leisure Centre is a community leisure facility providing swimming, fitness and sports amenities. The project involved the installation of four 25kW low-temperature Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs) to serve the existing LTHW heating system. Additional works included an 800-litre buffer vessel, new DHW storage vessels with 9kW backup immersion heaters, new pressurisation and expansion systems for the LTHW and DHW systems, a 115kWp roof-mounted Solar PV installation, and a new Building Management System (BMS) to control the ASHP and DHW systems, providing a reliable, low-carbon heating solution for the leisure centre.