Marlborough Leisure Centre has successfully completed the switch from gas heating to a biomass system, marking a significant step towards Wiltshire Council’s ambition to achieve net zero carbon by 2030.
The complex project was delivered without closing the leisure centre at any point, despite tight space constraints and the challenge of integrating new infrastructure into an existing gas-heated facility. A new Hargassner biomass plant room was designed and built in a room adjacent to the main existing plant room, linked to the existing system via a plate heat exchanger. The centre has been running fully on biomass since Wednesday.
Further works are continuing this week, with the removal of the old gas boilers and the installation of three bespoke accumulator tanks in the freed-up space. Final connections will be completed later in the week following a short, planned biomass boiler shutdown of a few hours, which will not impact on the leisure centre.
The project also features a carefully designed flue system and a pellet silo equipped with load cells capable of measuring pellet volumes to within 10kg. High-quality materials and detailed engineering choices throughout the build reflect the exceptional level of planning and workmanship involved.
The successful delivery of this scheme demonstrates how leisure centres can transition to low-carbon heating solutions while remaining fully operational, supporting wider county-wide sustainability goals.
