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News | Outstanding Initiative | Previous Outstanding Initiatives | Jun–Jul 2008

JUNE–JULY 2008

City of Whitehorse, Victoria – Solar Hot Water at Aqualink

Background

The City of Whitehorse has installed a gas boosted solar hot water service at its principle recreational centre, Aqualink Nunawading.

Driven by 15 solar panels on the roof of the centre, the system now reliably supplies hot water to the 24 showers and 12 hand basins in the centre's change rooms.

The project is predicted to save 30% of gas required to heat water and 10 tonnes of CO₂e each year.

In addition to being a practical success, this intiative is an important demonstration of solar technology's ability to fulfill domestic hot water needs to the 500,000 community members using the centre each year.

Implementation and approach

: Solar flat-plate copper panels on the roof of Aqualink Nunawading

The project was driven by strong support at all levels of council based on tangible greenhouse gas reduction benefits and the visibility of the project to the public.

Whitehorse is similar to the majority of councils where recreation centres are among the highest emitters of greenhouse gases. The Aqualink centre at Nunawading was therefore a priority target for implementing actions to reduce emissions.

The system, comprising of solar flat-plate copper panels and six 315 litre steel storage tanks and boosted by four instantaneous gas heaters replaces five 275-litre conventional hot water services.

The project was funded as part of councils 2007/08 capital works program. The successful implementation of the project has been largely dependent on both strong support from council and the ecovision and capital works teams working very closely together.

Benefits

The project is predicted save 30% of gas required to heat water and 10 tonnes of Co₂e each year.

The Aqualink solar project also provides a visible example of the fact that council is actively working to combat climate change and acting as a leader in the community. It is a practical example of how installation of renewable energy infrastructure on community facilities can both practically reduce emissions and raise awareness within the community of alternative energy sources.

Additionally, a strong working relationship between the ecovision and capital works teams is an unforeseen but major outcome of the project, which acted to break down some of the silos within council. There is now renewed confidence in the success of future joint projects.

Lessons learnt

: The four instantaneous gas heaters supply reliable constant hot water

Being one of the first to attempt a solar hot water system of this capacity there was a lot of learning as we go, in terms of fitting it to the existing plumbing system.

Problems with the mixing valves due to the reduced pressure of the system were discovered and rectified. The system is now working properly and data is been collected on its energy usage and output.

It is hoped this data will provide tangible evidence of the benefits of this project for the community and for other councils considering something similar in the future.

Future directions

Council is currently working with the company that designed the system, Going Solar, to prepare communication information for the centres users. This communication will will include details on how the system is designed, how it functions, and statistics on energy savings as a result of the project.

Contact details for further information

Gareth Phillips
Project Manager
City of Whitehorse
Ph: +61 (0)3 9262 6283

City of Whitehorse website

Cities for Climate Protection® (CCP®) Australia: implementing greenhouse action through a collaboration between the Australian Government and ICLEI Oceania. The CCP® Australia Program is funded by the Australian Government.