PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The Tauranga Aquatic Centre, completed and built by the Tauranga District Council, includes a state of the art pool and fitness areas, and was highly commended by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority NZ for its energy efficient features and use of local geothermal hot water bores.
WSP provided an integrated service to the project, which included pool water treatment, mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, communication and fire protection services.
CLIENT BRIEF/PROJECT CHALLENGES
The centre has 5 separate indoor heated pools comprising the following:
- 25m FINA compliant Lap Pool;
- 30m Wave/Leisure Pool incorporating 4 chamber wave machine and various water features;
- 15m Learn to Swim Pool;
- Splash pool incorporating various water features;
- a Spa Pool; and
- Hydro-slide.
A large gym and fitness facility are also included in the complex, together with sauna,steam rooms and cafeteria.
OUR SOLUTION
WSP used Vacuum DE filtration for the larger pools and pressure DE filtration for the smaller pools. The choice of pool water filtration was a key design issue and was chosen after considering existing Council-owned facilities and the operators’ preferred filtration systems. Another feature of the building services systems is that the pool hall ventilation supply air is introduced at low level around the perimeter zones of the pool wall.
This air is supplied via concrete plenums, located below the pool concourse and ensures excellent air distribution and control of condensation, while providing an improved indoor environment for occupants.
OUTCOME/CLIENT BENEFITS
The pool’s mechanical ventilation and domestic hot water systems use heating provided from the geothermal hot water bore system, which provides ‘free’ heating to the complex all year round.
