4 Ways Top Gyms Are Improving Sustainability & Preserving Capital
In the increasingly competitive fitness landscape, gyms need to do everything they can to stand out to members. A clean facility, robust class offerings, and fresh towels are no longer enough to satisfy customers. To attract and retain members, gyms also need to prove that their values align with them and that they are meeting the growing demand for eco-consciousness.
It’s no secret that sustainability has become a top concern for consumers. As the impact of rampant waste is felt globally, people are looking for ways to minimize their contribution. When a gym can show concrete ways that it is reducing their environmental footprint, consumers are more likely to feel good about purchasing a membership. In fact, 65% of current or potential gym goers say that sustainability is an important factor when choosing membership of a gym or fitness center, according to a recent YouGov Surveys poll.
However, it’s important that the way gyms enact sustainability feels authentic. Consumers are sensitive to greenwashing, i.e. the empty promises some businesses make to claim eco-friendliness without taking real action.
The good news is that going green for gyms doesn’t have to be a costly endeavor. Sustainability for the planet can lead to sustainability for business, and decreasing waste helps to fight skyrocketing operating costs. Plus, gym owners can upgrade facilities while preserving capital for other priorities. Read on to learn the top four ways gyms can become more attractive to sustainably-minded consumers—and how these practices can be implemented without upfront investment.
Prioritizing Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is the practice of using less energy to do the same work. Energy reduction can be tricky for fitness facilities, with various equipment being used by members and with long operating hours. Installing more efficient equipment such as LED lighting and new HVAC systems can significantly cut energy consumption without having to sacrifice member comfort. In fact, high efficiency equipment leads to brighter, cleaner, and healthier facilities.
Often, though, gym owners aren’t in a position to prioritize energy efficiency. The initial investment for new equipment can be tens of thousands of dollars, often even more, which most businesses don’t have on hand—or need to spend on other priorities.
Plus, the time and expertise needed to procure equipment, hire contractors, and oversee installation can be overwhelming. That’s why more and more gyms are outsourcing their energy management. An energy-as-a-service company like Budderfly handles everything from the initial investment in equipment down to the installation with our expert team. This helps gyms reap the benefits of energy efficiency, while saving their time and capital for other priorities.
See how we helped one Choice Fitness location:
Installing Solar Panels
Solar panels are a no brainer for gyms looking to boost their environmental profile. Panels can be placed on roofs or parking lot canopies to generate renewable energy from the sun’s rays, lowering the need for fossil fuel-sourced energy and reducing a gym’s carbon footprint.
Best of all, if solar panels are visible, they’ll act a free billboard that shouts sustainable practices from the literal rooftop.
Saving On Water
With bathrooms, showers, and sometimes even pools, gyms use a lot of water. Unfortunately, a lot of that water is wasted due to inefficiencies caused by outdated fixtures or leaking pipes. Eliminating waste to drive down water usage is a great way for gyms to uplift their overall sustainability.
Water conservation can be accomplished by installing efficient toilets and urinals, or simply replacing flush valves, as well as shower heads and faucets that waste less H20. And don’t worry: great strides have been made in water conservation technology, so facilities can still have powerful flows while using less water.
Gyms can also get innovative technology that helps avoid unnecessary water consumption. Artificial intelligence water meters can be attached to pipes to proactively detect any leaks that may be driving up water bills wasting a valuable resource.
Tracking Energy Savings
A common concern business owners have when they install new equipment meant to lower energy usage is: how will I know if it is actually working?
One of the benefits of working with an EaaS like Budderfly is that in addition to providing energy infrastructure updates to business locations, we also have a sophisticated smart energy monitoring platform. This innovative technology measures energy consumption across facilities for deep insights into where energy is wasted and where it can be saved. Plus, our software provides real-time alerts for things that can quickly be solved like unexpected usage spikes, non-standard temperatures, or inefficiently running equipment.
All of this data is easily accessible in the Budderfly Customer Portal, so our customers can see their energy savings in real time and get concrete data on how their facility is lowering emissions and helping the environment.
Sustainability for gyms is not just a trend: it’s a new normal. The same studies that say growing eco-consciousness among consumers and gym goers also show that these rates are even higher among younger generations. To future-proof your gym, increase member retention, and stand out among your competitors, without having to drop a large upfront investment, contact Budderfly today and see how we can help you the way we’ve helped YMCA, Crunch, Planet Fitness, Choice Fitness, Gold’s Gyms, Orange Theory Fitness locations—and over 8,000 other businesses across the U.S.