Largest leisure centre designed to passivhaus standards in the UK

Eclipse Leisure Centre in Staines-upon-Thames

published in sb magazine 3/2025 

The largest of its kind and the first 50:50 wet & dry leisure centre to be designed by GT3 to Passivhaus standards in the UK, Eclipse exemplifies excellence in sustainable, community-­orientated design. The centre, which officially opened in October 2024, has raised the bar for low-carbon sport and leisure facilities, blending a people architecture approach with industry-leading Passivhaus design techniques.

In 2020, it became apparent that Eclipse could play a leading role in meeting Spelthorne Borough Council’s net zero ambitions. In collaboration with fellow architects Gale & Snowden, GT3 revised the original design for Eclipse to meet the rigorous standards required for Passivhaus certification. Bringing Passivhaus specialists Gale & Snowden into the design team at this stage was imperative, and they brought a level of expertise and lessons-learned that supported both the final design, and technical delivery team.

Currently awaiting certification from the Passivhaus Institute, Eclipse is expected to save up to 50 to 60 % in typical operational energy usage, and up to 40 % in comparable water usage.