How to Efficiently Heat and Cool a Leisure Centre — and Cut Carbon Emissions

Ever wondered how to efficiently heat and cool a leisure centre? Leisure centres are vital community assets — places where people come together to exercise, socialise, and support their wellbeing. From multi-sport halls and indoor tennis courts to gyms and paddle arenas, these facilities are essential for healthy, active communities.

But whether you’re managing an older leisure centre built decades ago or commissioning a brand-new facility, the challenge remains the same: how to deliver comfortable, energy-efficient heating and cooling while reducing carbon emissions.

The Challenge of how to efficiently heat and cool a leisure centre : Decarbonising Leisure Facilities Old and New

Across the UK, there’s a major push to decarbonise the leisure estate as part of the country’s net zero commitments. According to the Why Sports report “Decarbonising the Leisure Estate: How Sport Can Lead the Net Zero Transition”, many leisure buildings are now over 40 years old, relying on outdated fossil-fuel systems, poor insulation, and inefficient air distribution.

These older facilities present significant challenges:

• Aging infrastructure – old gas-fired warm-air systems, boilers and controls.
• Poor thermal performance – high ceilings and limited insulation lead to heat loss.
• Large, open spaces – common in sports halls, tennis centres and arenas which are difficult to heat evenly.
• Limited downtime – community facilities can’t easily close for lengthy refurbishment.

At the same time, new-build leisure centres are being designed with net zero in mind — but they still face pressure to balance capital cost, operational efficiency and carbon performance. For both types of sites, an intelligent, all-electric heating and cooling solution is key.

The Solution: Powrmatic Eeco-X

The Powrmatic Eeco-X is a high-efficiency, all-electric air-to-air heat pump system designed specifically for modern and retrofit commercial applications. It provides both heating and cooling from a single unit — ideal for large leisure environments where temperature control and air quality are critical.

Whether installed as part of a decarbonisation upgrade in an existing facility or integrated into a new-build design, the Eeco-X offers simplicity, flexibility and measurable carbon savings.

Key Features

• Dual heating and cooling – one system for year-round comfort.
• Low-GWP R32 refrigerant – lower environmental impact.
• Smart Jet airflow technology – delivers even air distribution and prevents stratification in large spaces.
• Modular design – enables fast installation with minimal disruption.
• No long refrigerant pipe-work or complex ducting – ideal for retrofits.
• Compatible with renewable power sources such as solar PV.

Applications Across the Leisure Sector

The Powrmatic Eeco-X is perfectly suited to a wide range of leisure and sports environments, including:

• Sports Halls – maintain consistent warmth across large, high-ceilinged spaces without hot or cold spots.
• Gyms and Fitness Studios – deliver precise temperature control throughout the day as occupancy levels fluctuate.
• Indoor Tennis Centres – provide year-round comfort for players and spectators, avoiding drafts and uneven air movement.
• Paddle Arenas and Multi-Sport Spaces – handle heating and cooling efficiently, even in partially open or semi‐insulated buildings.
• Community and Training Facilities – create comfortable, welcoming environments for a variety of activities.

Because the system handles both heating and cooling, it’s particularly valuable in facilities where usage changes seasonally or daily — for example, cooling gyms on warm days and heating them during colder months.

For Existing Leisure Centres: Retrofit Without Disruption

For existing leisure centres, decarbonisation can seem daunting — especially when downtime must be kept to a minimum.

The Eeco-X’s modular design allows for rapid installation without the need for extensive pipework, ducting or major building alterations. This makes it ideal for retrofit projects, where inefficient systems can be replaced or supplemented with low-carbon technology while the facility remains open.

For New-Build Facilities: Designed for Efficiency from Day One

In new leisure developments, the Powrmatic Eeco-X helps architects and engineers design fully electric, low-carbon systems that meet modern efficiency standards.

By providing heating and cooling in one unit, it simplifies the building services strategy — reducing plant-space requirements and enabling easier integration with renewable technologies such as solar PV or battery storage.

The result is a future-proofed, sustainable leisure centre designed to operate at maximum efficiency from the moment it opens.

Why the Eeco-X Leads the Way in Decarbonising Leisure Facilities

1. One System for All Seasons

The Eeco-X provides both heating and cooling, eliminating the need for separate systems and delivering reliable performance all year round.

2. Fast, Non-Disruptive Installation

Thanks to its modular, compact design, the Eeco-X can be installed quickly — a huge advantage for busy facilities that must stay operational.

3. Significant Carbon and Cost Savings

With its high efficiency and use of low-GWP R32 refrigerant, the Eeco-X drastically reduces carbon emissions and running costs compared with traditional gas-fired systems.

4. Consistent Comfort and Air Quality

The Smart Jet airflow system ensures even temperature distribution and improved air quality — essential for large sports halls and training spaces.

5. Future-Ready and Sustainable

Fully electric and compatible with renewables, the Eeco-X supports both current decarbonisation goals and future environmental compliance.

Conclusion

Whether upgrading an older community sports hall or equipping a brand-new leisure centre, the need for efficient, low-carbon heating and cooling is clear.

The Powrmatic Eeco-X provides a complete solution — a modular, all-electric system that delivers year-round comfort, minimal installation disruption, and significant carbon reduction.

For operators and developers committed to sustainable, future-ready leisure facilities, the Eeco-X represents the next step toward a net zero leisure estate — keeping communities active, comfortable and climate-conscious for generations to come.