Torfaen lights the way to a safer, greener future with energy efficiency project

For Torfaen County Borough Council, the drive to introduce energy-efficient upgrades to its sites was motivated by more than just sustainability. Poorly lit car parks had led to reported near-misses, and inefficient lighting of the 3G pitch nearly cost Cwmbran Stadium its partnership with a local football club.

The Council’s buildings, originally designed with the enjoyment of the community in mind, were no longer completely providing the experience they had set out to offer. To address these issues and reduce costs/carbon emissions, the Council turned to the Welsh Government’s Wales Funding Scheme, to secure funding for energy-efficient replacements. We joined the Council to see the inspiring results of these projects during a recent site visit.

The visit began with a tour of Pontypool Active Living Centre (PALC) and the nearby Ski Slope/Chalet. As one of the largest fitness and well-being centres in Torfaen, the Centre welcomes 800,000 visitors annually and offers a wide range of facilities, including swimming pools, sports halls, squash courts, conference spaces, and cafeteria. The Active Living Centre is situated within a large family-friendly park.

Julian Prosser, energy programme manager at Torfaen County Borough Council, said “The Centre is a huge hub for the community, and we’re proud to provide a space where people can get active, unwind, recharge and just enjoy the facilities.”

To reduce the carbon emissions related to import electricity the Council installed a further 50kW of solar PV on the roof of the leisure centre. The solar array produces 47,000 kilowatts of electricity per year and is estimated to result in an avoidance of 13 tonnes of carbon annually.

Alongside the solar PV, the council implemented an electric pool cover to the Centre’s main pool, which is used by a number of different swimming clubs and groups within Torfaen. A manual cover was introduced to the training pool which is smaller in size at 13m and used for swimming lessons and classes. In addition, a large majority of the lights within the PALC have been replaced with LED lighting. The Leisure provider staff emphasised the impact of these upgrades.

Hannah Jefferies, acting centre manager at Pontypool Active Living Centre, said “We’ve noticed such a difference - the poolside is a lot lighter and walking along the halls the contrast is incredible. Lighting levels have been improved consistently across the site and it has dramatically reduced the number of lighting failures it’s amazing to see the improvement.” 

In addition the project has also changed the floodlighting on the dry ski slope, which sits near to the leisure centre, to LED. 

Cwmbran Stadium 

Lighting upgrades were a significant part of the project introduced to Cwmbran Stadium, alongside updated air handling unit controls, and the addition of a further 50kW solar PV system. 

Cwmbran Stadium is a multipurpose Stadium with an athletics track, 3G Pitch, a hockey pitch, an eight-court sports hall, swimming pool and indoor bowling rink.

The Stadium’s GoPlay area, which consists of a climbing wall and a soft play area for children was the first to receive the LED upgrades, as it was at risk of major disruption to the service due to poor lighting. 

Alongside the significant carbon reduction savings, LED upgrades have provided a number of benefits to those working and using the facilities.

Owen Thomas, operations director at Cwmbran Stadium, said: “The teams as part of their daily checks would manually go around and switch off lighting where it was not required.  Whereas now most areas of the building have motion activated sensors which saves so much time and resource.

“Most importantly it has increased the safety of the site tenfold – despite our best efforts the previous lights were not illuminating the spaces as we had hoped. The new lights mean that people feel safe parking, a consideration often forgotten.”

LEDs in car parks create brightly lit spaces that give drivers and pedestrians a greater sense of security than inefficient alternatives. They can also provide more reliable and uniform lighting that could prevent accidents.

In terms of the facilities, the 3G pitch and hockey pitch floodlights were upgraded with LED lights, following some failures of its old lighting system which had resulted in the cancellation of some matches.

Upgraded LED lights also illuminate the courts inside the stadium, although the staff decided that they were so powerful that they need only turn half of the 80 lights on during the day. Teams only request the full lighting for matches or tournaments. 

Owen said: “We made sure to consult our members and key performance teams during the process as some have specific lighting requirements which were taken into consideration. The feedback has been brilliant so far with teams saying that if anything now they shine too bright!”

In addition to the practical benefits the team at Cwmbran Stadium were passionate about communicating the importance of the project to the community.   

Owen said: “It’s been a brilliant way to highlight the importance of a green initiative to customers. By seeing the project take place and running a social media campaign that delves into the specifics of it they can see the investment we’re putting into future generations so that they can enjoy the facilities for years to come – but in a sustainable way.”

These projects align with the Welsh Government's ambitious targets for net carbon zero by 2030 for public sector buildings, with all of Wales expected to reach net carbon zero by 2050.

As a whole the loan of £690,000 has enabled an energy efficiency improvement project estimated to reduce equivalent carbon emissions by 211 tonnes per year and reduce running costs by £178,000 per year based upon current energy costs.

Programme coordinator, Rhys White, who attended the visit, said: “After visiting Torfaen County Borough Council’s sites, it’s clear that these projects are more than just about reducing energy consumption, they are about creating a legacy of sustainability and safety.”

As Torfaen County Borough Council continues to make strides toward a more sustainable and safer future, these energy-efficient projects highlight the positive change that can come from thoughtful investment in local infrastructure. 

With the support of the Welsh Government’s Energy Efficiency Loan, the Council is not only reducing energy consumption but also enhancing the community’s experience. Residents can take pride in seeing the impact of these efforts in their local community, from schools to sports venues, and understand the significant role they play in helping the public sector meet its carbon reduction targets.