EU funding has supported the renovation of the 25 m swimming pool at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel’s (Free University of Brussels – VUB) campus in Etterbeek. The pool now has five lanes and ranges from 1 m to 3 m in depth. A 7 m-by-12.5 m instruction pool with a moveable floor and a wide stairway for easy access has been added. Other facilities include two shower areas; male, female and disabled toilets; 30 changing booths; and four changing rooms each for groups and people with disabilities.
- 17 June 2020
The new sustainable swimming pool at the VUB’s humanities, sciences and engineering campus provides the Brussels Region with a water surface area of approximately 400 m² for swimming lessons and recreational swimming. The new iconic, compact and energy-efficient building will produce over 500 tonnes of CO2 a year less than the old building, thus contributing to the achievement of the targets formulated by the Brussels Region and the EU.
The project made the widest possible use of sustainable materials and techniques, in line with targets laid down by the Brussels-Capital Region and the EU, and with the VUB’s own sustainability vision.
To minimise energy consumption, the pool building is compact, well-insulated and fitted with LED lights and a climate control system which recovers energy and humidity. This, along with heat extracted from shower water, is used for heat and electricity cogeneration.
In addition, collection and treatment of some 70 % of the waste water from the complex and 40 % of the rainwater from its roof means the pool consumes 70 % less water than the average public swimming pool – an annual saving of 10 million litres.
Fewer chances to swim
The number of swimming pools in Brussels has been decreasing over recent decades, with old pools closing and renovations being postponed due to high costs. As a result, some schools have had to eliminate swimming from their physical education curricula. Because many children in the city lack the opportunity to learn to swim with their families, this has given rise to safety concerns.
Opened in 1989, the previous VUB pool had been in use for more than 25 years. Problems related to the building’s structure and energy performance were mounting. To rectify these issues and help meet the need for more swimming pools, it was decided to completely renovate the complex and add the instruction pool.
However, swimming pools are expensive to build and run. As the VUB did not have the funds to finance the works, support was obtained from the EU, the governments of the Brussels-Capital region and the Flemish Community, private partners and alumni. Such arrangements were in harmony with the university’s mission statement, which stresses its desire to work closely with, and for, the neighbourhood and the wider region.
The most sustainable pool in Brussels
In light of the shared concern for the planet and its climate, the partners’ ambition was to build the most sustainable swimming pool in Brussels. Compared with the old pool, the new facility uses 60 % less energy and emits 500 tonnes less CO2 annually. The cogeneration system covers 70 % of the pool’s heating needs, while 60 % of the electricity it produces is used for the pool and 40 % for the rest of the campus.
Integrated into the existing VUB sports centre, the pool is used by academics and students – who account for about 40 % of visits – as well as schools, swimming clubs and recreational swimmers. Swimming lessons and other water-based activities in the instruction pool are aimed at children, the elderly, people with disabilities and women.
By opening its pools to swimmers from outside the university, the VUB helps to create a more liveable urban environment, promotes healthy lifestyles and underlines its commitment to building strong relationships with the community. In time, visits are expected to number around 130 000 a year.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “VUB swimming pool” is EUR 7 800 000, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 2 037 450 through the “Brussels Capital Region” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Supporting the shift towards a low-carbon economy in all sectors”.