Future proofing aquatic facilities: Four must-attend Summit sessions

As the aquatic sector faces growing pressures around sustainability, efficiency, safety, and evolving user expectations, future proofing facilities has never been more important.

The One Swim England Summit will bring together four focused sessions that explore how innovation, technology, and guidance can help operators, designers, and developers create resilient aquatic environments fit for the future.

Each session will be joined by external speakers and experts from across the sector, bringing practical insight, real world experience, and fresh perspectives.

From emerging construction methods and retrofit technologies to the role of AI and updated national design guidance, these sessions provide practical insight and strategic direction for anyone shaping the future of aquatic facilities.

Staying afloat: Managing operational costs through smart energy design

Swimming pools are among the most energy intensive public buildings, and rising fuel costs combined with ageing infrastructure are creating significant pressure for operators.

This session will explore how the sector is moving from inefficient legacy designs to more modern, energy conscious facilities. Using national data and insight from recent investment programmes, it’s a practical look at how smarter energy design, updated guidance and emerging technologies can help pools improve performance, reduce costs and build long term resilience.

Future ready swimming pools: Innovating for sustainability, performance and value

With expectations around sustainability increasing, this session examines how new construction approaches and alternative design models are reshaping the way swimming pools are planned and delivered.

Drawing on recent work from Sport England and Swim England, it will explore how early design decisions, sustainable technologies and cost effective construction methods can improve energy performance and long term operational outcomes. It’s a forward looking session that considers how innovation can help create facilities that are both high performing and future ready from day one.

Smarter pools: How AI is shaping the future of aquatic operations

Digital innovation and artificial intelligence are creating new opportunities for swimming pools to operate more efficiently, safely and sustainably.

This session will explore the real world application of AI and data led tools, from smarter programming and predictive maintenance to improved water quality management and more energy efficient plant operation. Focusing on practical implementation rather than theory, it’s an accessible look at how digital technologies can support facility teams, enhance day to day operations and strengthen long term resilience.

10, 10, 10: Since 2010 the UK has 10% fewer pools with 10% more people – what must the next 10 years deliver?

With demand for swimming rising and the number of available pools falling, the UK now faces its lowest level of swimming provision in over a century.

This session will examine what this means for community access, public health and long term facility sustainability. Drawing on national trends and emerging delivery models, it will explore how smarter planning, flexible design and new approaches to provision can help the sector meet growing demand over the next decade. It’s a timely look at how swimming pool provision must evolve to serve communities effectively in the years ahead

Join us at The Vox, Birmingham on Thursday 19th March 2026 and be part of the conversation shaping the future of aquatic facilities.