Kew Recreation Centre Presentation

Presentation of Petition to the City of Boroondara

Deputations

Also at the Council meeting on Monday 26 August, Lighter Footprints Committee Members Ray Peck and David Strang presented deputations to council arguing for electric heatpumps and calling for an independent review of the heating and cooling systems. Ray focussed on emissions while David focussed on cost.

Emissions

Thank you for the opportunity to make this deputation regarding the Kew Recreation Centre and thank you for the work you have done for Boroondara residents over the term of your time on Council.

My name is Ray Peck. I have lived in Boroondara for 22 years. I also have other family members living in Boroondara, including a son and two grandchildren.

I have a background in science and mathematics and take an interest in climate change and greenhouse gas emissions.
So, I was pleased when the Council declared a Climate Emergency in 2021 and subsequently developed Climate Action and Implementation Plans. Thank you.

One goal of the Climate Action Plan is “to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from Council-run buildings and services” and I am aware that significant reductions in corporate emissions have been made through the Power Purchase Agreement of 100% renewable energy. This is good news.

The Council’s Climate Plans set targets of carbon neutrality (by 2022) and a 90% reduction in emissions by 2030.
Corporate Action 1.3 is (quote) “Progressively transition Council buildings off natural gas”

In alignment with the Climate Action Plan and its emissions goals, it appears to me that the Kew Recreational Centre should be heated by electric heat pumps powered by 100% renewable energy rather than by gas.

Heat pumps are 3-5 times more efficient than gas boilers and using heat pumps in new aquatic centres instead of gas is the trend around the nation as I am sure you know.

By electrifying the Kardinia pool, for example, the Geelong City Council was able to reduce emissions from the pool by 90%.

The Clean Energy Regulator’s website suggests that saving emissions at the Kew Rec Centre (because it is a new project) would likely be eligible to earn Australian Carbon Credit units, which could then be sold.

The Australian Alliance for Energy Efficiency (A2EP) has considerable experience, resources and personnel with expertise in the electrification of aquatic centres and would be able to advise on this matter.

A2EP members Mr Brendan Vos and Mr Alan Pears have been most responsive in answering my questions. I commend them to you.

Before proceeding with gas heating at the Kew Recreation Centre, I ask Council to at least obtain a second opinion from aquatic centre energy experts at the Australian Alliance for Energy Efficiency (A2EP) on how to minimise corporate greenhouse gas emissions from the Kew Recreation Centre, and to make that report publicly available.

In this way, the community can have confidence that Boroondara Council is enacting its Climate Plan while providing state-of-the-art facilities and services to its residents.

Thank you again for your time.

Cost

My name is David Strang. I am a long-time resident and ratepayer of Boroondara and a Lighter Footprints Committee member.

I am also an experienced accountant with experience as CFO of businesses with capex greater than $100 million per annum.

I share the pain resulting from the unfortunate events of October 2022 at the Kew Recreation Centre site and I understand the types of issues facing the Council.

I believe that it would be prudent for the Council to re-assess the fuel to be used at the centre given the extensive delays and, in the interest of transparency, for the Council to provide ratepayers with their findings and decisions together with reasons for these decisions.

I recommend this limited review based on my considerable experience. My recommendation would be different if this was an in-flight project where scope changes should be avoided. However, this project has experienced such a delay that it cannot be considered an in-flight project, and the external environment has changed so much since the project was approved.

My reasons for this recommendation are:
Firstly
The significant delay to the project should result in the development of new plans to complete the project. In these circumstances this discreet review will not cause delays.

Secondly
The economics of recreation centres have changes since the original approval, and it is likely that a revised financial analysis will conclude that the Council (and ratepayers) will be better off if heat pump technology is used. The following items are likely to impact the revised financial analysis:
a. Hot water heat-pumps have become cheaper and more efficient
b. Gas prices have risen (and are projected to continue rising)
c. The council may have to cover increasing abatement costs if it continues with gas
d. The need for the financial analysis to take into account a limited life for gas fuelled heating given Victoria’s moves off gas
e. The value of carbon credit units if these are available.

Thirdly
External factors have changed
f. The Victorian Government is providing incentives for Councils to transition recreation centres away from gas.
I believe that the savings in running costs over time will repay the initial outlay sometime in the next decade. But this needs to be confirmed by expert analysis.

For the reasons outlined, I request that the Council commissions an independent expert report into the fuel to be used at the Kew recreation centre and makes the expert’s report available to ratepayers.

Lighter Footprints hopes Council will listen to these community concerns and revisit the heating and cooling of the Kew Recreation Centre.

Resources

For a good overview of best practice for heat pumps in aquatic centres, Lighter Footprints recommends this A2EP webinar.

The following information and training videos on the A2EP websites are also available here.