Project · Aquatic & leisure
Leichhardt Park Aquatic Centre
Stage 1 thermal plant upgrade. A multifunctional four-pipe heat pump on a natural refrigerant, installed without closing the pool.
What we did
A public aquatic centre is a demanding thermal problem. It needs space cooling and space heating, pool water heating and domestic hot water, all at once, all at different temperatures, in a building full of chlorine and humidity.
Stage 1 replaced the centre's plant with a multifunctional four-pipe heat pump system running on R290, a natural refrigerant, sized to deliver all four of those simultaneously while holding separate setpoints across the site. It is the largest application of its kind in Australia.
The result is a low-carbon thermal plant with high heat recovery and a lot more automation than what it replaced. It also demonstrates something useful for anyone running a similar facility: a fossil-fuel-based system can be taken out and replaced without giving up comfort, reliability or operational continuity.
The centre remained open and operating for the whole job.
Recognition
ARBS Industry Excellence Awards 2026
The project was named a finalist for the Minor Project Excellence Award, which recognises innovative and technically complex work. For us it lands on the two things this job was actually about: natural refrigerant technology, and doing the work without shutting the building.
A short film on the project was shown at the awards night. It will go up here once we have it.
Location
Leichhardt, NSW
Sector
Aquatic & leisure
Refrigerant
R290, natural
Scope
Stage 1 thermal plant
Completed
2026
Recognition
ARBS 2026 finalist
Get in touch
Got a plant room that needs looking at?
Tell us what the building is and what it's doing wrong. We'll come and have a look.