Sports facility: what the SRI measures

What makes a sports facility different?

A sports hall or swimming pool has a different energy profile than an office or residential building. Large spaces must reach temperature quickly, often only during evening or weekend use.

Swimming pools add a substantial demand for hot water and air dehumidification. Moisture from the pool must be continuously removed, otherwise the building will sustain damage.

This combination of peak use and continuous baseline load makes smart control especially valuable. A system that adjusts heating and ventilation to occupancy saves relatively more energy in this building type.

Which domains carry the highest weight?

The Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) divides assessment across nine domains, each with its own weighting factor. For sports facilities, heating, hot water, ventilation and lighting receive the highest weight: each a factor of 3.

This reflects practice. Hot water for showers and pools requires substantial energy, and lighting controlled by presence per court or hall can directly cut consumption when a space is unoccupied.

Electricity and monitoring and control (the building management system that operates building systems) carry less weight, with factor 2. Cooling, dynamic building envelope and electric vehicle charging carry the least weight, with factor 1.

When does the SRI become relevant for this building type?

The SRI is a voluntary instrument under the European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). Building owners can already choose to have an assessment carried out.

For larger sports facilities with an installed capacity above 290 kilowatts, this may change. The European Commission must determine by 30 June 2027 whether the SRI will become mandatory for such non-residential buildings.

Many sports facilities fall near this power threshold, depending on pool size or air handling capacity. Particularly municipal sports centres should monitor this development closely now.