The University of Portsmouth's Ravelin Sports Centre has won Project of the Year - Leisure at the CIBSE Building Performance Awards 2024, which celebrates engineering excellence in the building industry.
Organised by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), the annual award focuses on actual, measured performance outcomes, and not just design intent or performance specifications.
Ravelin Sports Centre sets a new benchmark for ultra-low energy sports facilities in the UK. Judges were impressed with its careful, low-carbon design and application of technology to achieve a low-impact leisure centre with sports and swimming facilities.
Paul Tilley, Director of Sport and Recreation, said: "It's another brilliant achievement for Ravelin Sports Centre and the University of Portsmouth that this project has been recognised for its ultra-low energy performance and ongoing operation excellence. This solidifies our original aspirations of building a facility of the highest levels of sustainability and user experience.
"I'm delighted for all the team involved in this project and the impact their efforts are having on all our students, staff and local community who get to enjoy Ravelin day in and out."
It's another brilliant achievement for Ravelin Sports Centre and the University of Portsmouth that this project has been recognised for its ultra-low energy performance and ongoing operation excellence. This solidifies our original aspirations of building a facility of the highest levels of sustainability and user experience.
I'm delighted for all the team involved in this project and the impact their efforts are having on all our students, staff and local community who get to enjoy Ravelin day in and out.
Paul Tilley, Director of Sport and Recreation
The award-winning centre, which opened in 2022, has now won a series of accolades for its innovative design, with three international awards in the past six months. In October 2023, it was the only facility in the United Kingdom to be awarded the 2023 IOC IPC IAKS Architecture Prize, which is presented jointly by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), and the International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities (IAKS). It then won Best Leisure Project at the AJ Architecture Awards 2023 the following month.
Ravelin Sports Centre has also won the Public Sector Project: Design Stage Award at the BREEAM Awards 2020, and received a top rating of 'Outstanding' from BREEAM UK, the world's leading sustainability assessment for building.
One of the UK's most sustainable sports facilities, Ravelin's features include creating renewable energy from roof solar panels and internal heat recovery systems, grey water recycling methods by reusing wastewater from showers, hand basins and pools for flushing toilets, waste water drainage by creating an urban orchard, and having a biodiverse grassed roof. It has been graded A, the most efficient rating for energy use in buildings, in its most Display Energy Certificate (DEC) assessment.
The University is committed to sustainability with this outstanding sports centre setting the standard for all new future developments.
