Sustainability at Tromsøbadet

Tromsøbadet works to reduce the climate footprint of its swimming and leisure facilities. Everyday measures can include reducing waste, recycling, saving energy, buying locally, offering more plant-based food and encouraging public transport or cycling.

Here are some of the ways we work towards more sustainable operations.

Greywater heat recovery saves energy at Tromsøbadet

A large swimming and leisure facility uses significant amounts of water and energy. Recovering heat from greywater helps Tromsøbadet reduce energy use and operate more efficiently.

Where does the water come from?

Each week, Tromsøbadet recovers heat from approximately 400,000 litres of water, mainly from showers and water used to clean pool filters. The recovered heat helps warm fresh water.

New energy from used water

Technical manager Kenneth Woie stands in front of one of the large tanks in the basement.

“Wastewater from the showers is 29°C. A heat pump uses the energy to warm fresh water to 35°C before it enters these storage tanks. On the way to the hot-water tank, district heating raises it to 60°C for use in the showers,” Woie explained. (Translated from Norwegian.)

The system reduces energy use and helps support the operation of the facility.

An example for others

The published 2025 plans included adding a second unit to the existing greywater heat-recovery system.

“We produce more wastewater than one unit can handle, so we have ordered another to recover more energy. More visits also mean more showers. Doubling the capacity will help us save more,” Woie said. (Translated from Norwegian.)

Modern heat-recovery technology can help swimming facilities reduce energy use and operating costs.

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