Smart Metering Lays
the Foundation for
Decarbonisation at
Wellington’s Aquatic Centres
CLIENT
Wellington City Council (WCC)
Sites - Tawa Pool, Wellington Regional Aquatic Centre (WRAC),
Keith Spry Pool, Karori Pool and Freyberg Pool
You’re on track to meet your target!
35% Carbon Reduction by 2030
The Challenge
As part of its Te Atakura – First to Zero climate plan, Wellington City Council is targeting a 57% reduction in city-wide emissions by 2030. Its aquatic centres, which rely heavily on gas boilers for space and water heating, represent a major portion of the Council’s operational carbon footprint.
To scope the transition to heat pumps and ensure efficient energy use, WCC needed detailed, site-level energy insights — without disrupting daily pool operations or compromising community access.
The Solution
Tether turns invisible energy data into powerful, actionable insights—making buildings smarter, greener, and effortlessly efficient
Tether deployed a complete, non-invasive energy monitoring solution across five major pool facilities.
THE ROLL OUT INCLUDED:
Clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters to measure
pool water heating load
Tether VoltDrop devices with CT sensors to monitor key electrical circuits (e.g. HVAC, pumps)
Pulse-output gas meters for real-time
boiler energy tracking
LoRaWAN connectivity to integrate all data
into Tether’s cloud-based platform
System commissioning, training, and
documentation at all sites
Installations completed live, with zero
disruption to public pool access
The Results
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Energy insights unlocked
Accurately quantified seasonal thermal load to guide future heating
system upgrades
Decarbonisation planning enabled
Supported right-sizing of heat pump replacements and site-by-site upgrade sequencing
Projected efficiency gains
Identified 15%+ energy waste from system overlap and after-hours asset operation — now being addressed as part of ongoing optimisation
No disruption to community use
All works completed during open hours, with no interference to swim schools or bookings
Ongoing performance + ESG support
WCC also has Tether’s always-on service, receiving live energy data and automated regular reporting through the same platform, enabling emissions reporting, long-term optimisation, and capital planning. This ongoing service is a core part of the solution, ensuring that insights continue to flow and the impact continues to grow
Carbon reductions projected
Carbon reductions projected: WCC expects to save between 2,000–3,000 tonnes of CO₂e per year, with a projected 60,000 tonnes avoided over the 20-year project. These savings build on the ~85 tCO₂e identified from early optimisation efforts — with more to come as electrification progresses
What's Next
With live monitoring now in place, WCC has a solid foundation for smarter planning, clearer reporting, and lower emissions.
The rollout was delivered within scope and without disruption — giving Council teams the confidence to move forward backed by real data.
Early insights are promising and with monitoring now live, the next chapter is already underway. Final reporting will follow once the full seasonal picture is in place.
“This is a future-proofing project. It gave us the insights we needed to understand our gas load, plan for electrification, and do it all without interrupting community use. We’re now building from solid data, not assumptions.”
- WCC ENERGY
Have questions or want to book a demo?
Connect with us on 09 870 1801 or support@tether.co.nz.
Alternately, you can also book in a time below and we will give you a call.