AMPYR Distributed Energy’s delivery partner, Eden Sustainable, is designing and delivering 7.42 MW of commercial rooftop solar across 28 clubs nationwide, reducing energy costs by an estimated £1.18m and carbon emissions by more than 1,300 tonnes each year – all delivered without any disruption to members.
Founded in 1982, David Lloyd Clubs has grown into Europe’s largest health, fitness and leisure group by revenue, operating around 130 clubs across the UK and mainland Europe and serving more than 700,000 members.
Sustainability sits at the heart of the business. David Lloyd Clubs has committed to becoming carbon net zero by 2030, with science-based emissions reduction targets approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). On-site renewable generation is a core pillar of that strategy, and Eden Sustainable’s long-term relationship with David Lloyd Clubs is helping the group meet the challenge at portfolio scale.
David Lloyd Clubs faced a demanding portfolio challenge: how to decarbonise a large, geographically dispersed estate of high-energy-use leisure sites, each operating extended hours, seven days a week and all without interrupting the member experience that defines the brand.
Clubs combine pools, spas, gyms and racquets facilities, making them energy-intensive by nature and highly sensitive to disruption. The upfront capital and project management burden of delivering solar across dozens of sites simultaneously was prohibitive. The group needed a partner able to fund, design and deliver at scale, to consistent standards, while every club carried on operating as normal.
AMPYR Distributed Energy’s delivery partner, Eden Sustainable, is designing and delivering a total of 7.42 MWp of rooftop solar photovoltaic capacity across 28 David Lloyd clubs throughout the UK.
Each system is engineered to maximise on-site consumption and long-term performance, tailored to the operational profile and roof configuration of the individual club. Innovative funding options removed the capital barrier to portfolio-wide deployment, enabling David Lloyd Clubs to make informed decisions on how best to proceed at each site while keeping investment focused on its core business.
Delivering solar across a live leisure portfolio demands meticulous planning. Across every site, electrical shutdowns are scheduled out of hours, meaning clubs continue to run day to day with no disruption to their members.
Each club presents its own constraints, and the delivery approach is adapted accordingly. At one site located on a busy industrial estate, deliveries were routed via a rear service road and coordinated with both the estate’s management and the club to ensure access was maintained at all times. At tighter sites with limited parking, delivery dates were communicated well in advance and scheduled for off-peak periods to minimise impact on members.
Attention to detail extends to the finished installation. Cable tray drops from roof level are colour-coded to match the building façade, limiting the visual impact of each system, and panels are cleaned on completion, so every installation is handed over performing at its best.
This repeatable, site-sensitive delivery model provides a proven template as the rollout continues across the wider portfolio.
Across the 28 sites, the 7.42 MW of installed capacity reduces carbon emissions by more than 1,300 tonnes annually and delivers estimated energy cost savings of £1.18m each year.
The programme makes a direct, measurable contribution to David Lloyd Clubs’ net zero by 2030 commitment, delivering carbon savings from the point of installation at every club. By generating renewable electricity on site, the installations also reduce reliance on grid electricity, strengthen resilience against energy price volatility and give the group greater visibility and control over long-term energy performance across its estate.
Beyond the immediate carbon and cost benefits, the programme demonstrates that portfolio-scale decarbonisation can be achieved without compromising the member experience, a critical consideration for a premium leisure brand.
The funded delivery model has turned what would have been a prohibitive capital programme into a strategic asset, strengthening David Lloyd Clubs’ ESG position and providing tangible, verifiable progress against its science-based targets.
The partnership continues to grow. A further 12 sites are planned, which will take the programme to 40 clubs and more than 10.5 MW of installed capacity across the David Lloyd estate. AMPYR Distributed Energy and David Lloyd Clubs also continue to explore opportunities for battery storage and optimisation technologies to further enhance resilience, flexibility and long-term energy performance.
AMPYR Distributed Energy funds, owns and operates on-site renewable and flexible energy solutions that help organisations cut carbon, reduce costs and build more resilient operations. Through solar, storage, optimisation and multi-technology systems, ADE empowers customers to take control of their energy future.
