Bespoke air handling system for the ambitious Woolwich Leisure Centre

In Greenwich, London, the Woolwich Leisure Centre (WLC), is set to be one of the UK's largest urban leisure facilities when it opens in 2025. At 12,800 m², this centre will provide an array of amenities for its visitors:

• A 25 m eight-lane swimming pool
• A full depth-changing training pool
• Leisure water with waterslides
• A health suite and spa with sauna and steam room
• Fitness suites
• Multi-purpose exercise studios and squash courts
• A six-court sports hall and a five-a-side hall
• Flexible and accessible community spaces

In addition to that, WLC also aspires to be a flagship of regeneration and energy efficiency in the UK, meeting strict carbon reduction and sustainability goals. A core part of this ambition is the inclusion of a high-efficiency, bespoke air handling system delivered and installed through a collaboration between building services consulting engineers VZDV, construction firm Morgan Sindall Construction, and climate control specialists Dantherm Group.

Stringent energy efficiency demands on top of high-performance

The Royal Borough of Greenwich specified a stringent delivery plan to its suppliers for the WLC project in terms of sustainability and long-term viability. The building needed to be:

• Durable, with minimal maintenance requirements
• Energy-efficient, to align with the London Plan’s net-zero objectives
• Certified under BREEAM, the UK’s leading sustainability assessment method
• And, not least, ensure a delightful user experience

Swimming pool environments present unique HVAC challenges due to the combination of heat, moisture, and chlorinated air. Without highly specialised air handling systems, such conditions quickly lead to humid atmospheres, corrosion, and uncomfortable conditions for users.

Furthermore, due to several constraints, rooftop plant space was limited, requiring compact yet powerful solutions.

Bespoke air handling supporting net-zero targets

The particularly challenging requirements meant that only a few climate-solution manufacturers were considered. Eventually, Dantherm Group was selected to deliver a bespoke air handling solution capable of meeting the project’s technical, spatial, and environmental requirements. Each pool system ventilates its pool hall, dehumidifies the air, automatically adds fresh air, and recovers the heat from the exhaust air to reduce the overall energy costs. Systems serving general areas deliver demand-based ventilation in response to varying occupancy levels to further reduce energy consumption.

After working closely with VZDV through the design process, Dantherm Group supplied in total nine ultra-efficient packaged air handling units:

• 4 dedicated pool units
• 1 for wet changing areas
• 4 general units for dry areas (café, gym, changing rooms)

These units were meticulously tailored using Dantherm Group’s modular air handling unit platform, allowing sizing adjustments down to 1 mm increments. Each unit was optimised for performance and energy efficiency, including:

• High-performance heat exchangers with low pressure drops
• Heat recovery efficiency of ~80% (dry)
• The best fan wall configuration to attain lowest power input
• Extremely low specific fan power (SFP) of 1.4-1.5 W/L/s
• Optimised filter and coil geometries

This solution not only ensures climate comfort and durability but also delivers long-term energy savings and reduced carbon taxation, helping the borough reach its net-zero targets.

Woolwich Leisure Centre has been awarded BREEAM Outstanding for the design stage assessment, scoring an overall rating of 89.7%. This is only the second leisure centre in the UK to achieve this accolade.

Dantherm Group’s tailored air handling solution was one of the key elements that contributed towards this remarkable achievement.

A compelling track record of leisure centre projects

The Woolwich Leisure Centre project is a testament to the value of trusted, long-term partnerships between VZDV, Morgan Sindall Construction, and Dantherm Group. VZDV Consulting Engineers and Dantherm Group have been working together since 2008 on approximately 30 leisure projects.

“Together, VZDV and Dantherm have a great track record of successful projects of which the Woolwich Leisure Centre is the biggest so far. Our shared history means that we understand each other well and can collaborate more effectively; and, furthermore, that history is the result of mutual trust in the fact that the other delivers a high-quality solution.”

• Paul Vorster, Director, VZDV Consulting Engineers

Morgan Sindall Construction was chosen to build the centre and co-ordinate the sub-contractors to install equipment and HVAC services, a company that also has worked together with Dantherm Group on many swimming pool hall projects in recent years, including Britannia, Great Yarmouth, Kingsland & Eversley Leisure Centres.

“Dantherm are always willing to support the Morgan Sindall team, and this is a testament to our long-standing relationships created over several years of delivering successful leisure schemes throughout London and the home counties. Dantherm are a trusted supply chain partner of Morgan Sindall offering in-house design expertise and a product of the highest quality.”

• Phil Cook, Senior Technical Engineering Manager, Morgan Sindall Construction

From planning to product delivery, the three companies worked closely to balance technical performance, carbon efficiency, and user experience, resulting in a building that meets BREEAM standards, is fit for future climate goals, and provides a lasting community benefit.

For more information about our selection of air handling units, please get in touch using the contact form below.