26th May 2005

Following increases in climate-damaging carbon dioxide emissions revealed this week at three City Council leisure facilities (Hinksey Pool, Temple Cowley Pool and Oxpens Ice Rink)[Environment Scrutiny Committee Monday 24th May], Oxford's Green Councillors have today outlined how emissions could and should be reduced at these sites and how reducing energy use would also save the taxpayer money.

The Labour-run Council is also set to make the same error again as the new Barton Pool construction gets under way. The Greens have had no confirmation that the pool will include the energy saving and renewable energy features that they proposed to Council. Earlier Green ideas to improve the efficiency of Hinksey Pool were also rejected.

Says Green Councillor Craig Simmons: "Many cost effective solar-based systems exist to pre-heat pool water reducing energy use and thus running costs. In the summer, such solar systems often provide all the heat that is needed. We recommended such systems when Hinksey Pool was being refurbished and the boilers were being changed but our ideas were ignored. How we see the consequences. We do not hold out much hope over the new Barton Pool."

Notes to Editor:

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the major contributor to climate change which Govt Chief Scientific Adviser David King has called a threat worse than terrorism. It is produced whenever fossil fuels (oil, gas, coal petrol, diesel etc) are burned.

Example of a solar pool heating system

http://powertech-solar.com/pages/oku.htm

Solar heated pool in Aberdeen:

http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/ACC_Data/news%20item/ppu_news_050523g.asp?uid=235200516:29:48

Estimates of savings vary by installation, but solar water heating systems typically halve fuel bills.