Work is due to start on Monday on a 17-week project to install more solar panels on a Cumbrian sports centre’s roof.
The work at Penrith Leisure Centre is part of a £1 million decarbonisation scheme of it and Appleby Leisure Centre.
Both have already had triple glazing installed.
Penrith Leisure Centre will also have the panels fitted, maintenance work carried out, plus extra insulation installed.
It is hoped by Westmorland and Furness Council that the work will make both centres more energy efficient and save on running costs.
The new solar panels on the Penrith centre will double the size of the array.
The new panels will be fitted to the sports hall and bowls hall roofs and it is expected to take 17 weeks.
Scaffolding will be installed externally around the building so alternative access may be needed for some areas while this work takes place, but all affected users will be contacted prior to the work starting, the council said.
Although there will be no scaffolding internally, contractors are working closely with leisure centre operators GLL to plan the work around current activity timetables to reduce any impact as much as possible, it added.
Westmorland and Furness Council said it had also contributed extra funding to increase roofing insulation if both buildings and add an automatic door closer at Appleby Leisure Centre, where solar PV panels will also be fitted later this year.
Appleby Leisure Centre will be receiving further building decarbonisation upgrades thanks to the recently announced Public Sector Decarbonisation funding from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. An air source heat pump will replace their gas boiler and plant room pipes will be insulated this year.
The council said that on completion of the project, the combined energy saving measures will bring estimated lifetime carbon savings of 1,625 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent – the equivalent of taking over 460 flights from London to Hong Kong.
Westmorland and Furness Council received funding from Phase 2 of Sport England’s Swimming Pool Support Fund for the scheme.
