Step2Sport, a project co-funded by the European Commission, aims to support the refurbishment of existing sport buildings through step by step renovation towards Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB).

27 pilot sports facilities from 7 EU countries (Sweden, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece and Bulgaria) have participated in the project.

The pilot sport buildings will represent the following three types of sport facilities in different climatic conditions:

• Swimming pools: focused on indoor swimming pools, because these facilities have higher energy consumption

• Indoor sport facilities: include multi-function sports centres, community centres, gymnasiums (school sports halls), integrated sport facilities, indoor ice rinks, etc.

• Outdoor sport facilities: outdoor ice hockey rinks, football fields, athletics and tennis fields, etc. can be selected depending on the country.

During the project duration, pilot sport buildings have initiated the step-by-step energy renovation process by implementing a wide variety of energy efficiency measures and renewable energies. The step-by-step renovation approach is an effective strategy for achieving Nearly Zero Energy Sport Buildings in cases when there is a shortage of financial resources.

Action Plans for the energy renovation of the pilots have been defined, indicating the energy improvement opportunities to be implemented within the next 10 years for achieving NZEBs, as well as the expected savings year by year.

From the experience obtained and the information compiled, a roadmap has been elaborated with the aim to promote the refurbishment of existing EU sport buildings towards NZEB levels. A Replication Plan has been conducted to transfer the results of the project and trigger the replication of renovations in other EU sport buildings.

Pich architects have taken in lead in the renovation of the CEM La Bordeta project, a municipal sport facility located in the city of Barcelona, built in 2006. The owner of the building is Barcelona City Council (Institut Barcelona Esports). The facility, with a total gross floor area 5018m2, is composed by one swimming pool for adults (25 x 10 m), one swimming pool for kids (8,5 x 5 m), indoor sports court and several multiactivity rooms. The total energy consumption before renovation was 1.552.087 kWh/year.

Varios Energy efficiency measures such as a stratified buffer tank for improving the heat storage, energy-efficient circulation pumps, replacement of metal halides for LED lighting in the swimming pool area and installation of time, condensing boiler, replacement of fluorescent lamps for LED lighting, lighting sensors in locker rooms and corridors and hydraulic balancing of the existing solar thermal plant, were implemented.

With a total investment of 104.173 €, savings of 354.595 kWh/year (24%)/ 21.966 €/year were achieved.

With additional steps to achieve the NZEB standard, total expected savings would be 714.224 kWh/year (46%) or 77.021 €/year.