Phase One Gym has been offering an independent fitness facility for the last 23 years. Based in an old warehouse building near the city centre of Bath, they pride themselves on offering affordable prices, high quality equipment and approachable staff.
Maintaining a cool, airy, and bright workout space is essential for maximising performance and comfort for gym members. For this reason, Ed felt the most pressing challenge was achieving good ventilation and more consistent temperatures in a building over 100 years old. Getting fresh air into the basement gym area was particularly difficult due to the small windows, some of which were sealed shut. They were also single-glazed, causing a lot of heat to be lost during colder days and gained during hotter days. This was leading to frequent use of air conditioning to try and keep people comfortable, at the expense of increasing energy consumption.
Phase One’s Carbon Survey also identified lighting improvements as one of the biggest opportunities to reduce their carbon footprint. The gym’s lighting consisted of fluorescent tubes and halogen spotlights that commonly use up to 10 times more electricity than modern LEDs.
Phase One were awarded a £14,375 Green Business Grant from the Combined Authority to install LED lighting and double glazed UPVC windows throughout the building. The estimated impact of the work was:
Over 40% reduction in electricity use 
£2,800 annual savings to energy bills 
9 tCO2e annual reduction in greenhouse gas emissions 
Having already felt the benefit from newly installed lights and windows, Phase One are looking for ways to further reduce their electricity bills, save carbon and improve customer experience. Plans include investigating shower upgrades to reduce water and gas use.
Phase One encourage other SMEs, who are “hugely important to the economy”, to seek advice and energy saving solutions to their business operations and buildings.
"Definitely get the Carbon Report. You have nothing to lose by doing this, even if it is just to gain some advice. … there maybe something … that could make a huge difference to your building or business." Ed Yarker, Managing Director.
CO2e savings calculated using BEIS Conversion Factors 2017. Energy costs calculated from BEIS Energy and Emissions Projections 2018, using 2020 retail prices.
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