The Hague, 24 July 2026 — Deerns supported the transformation of Glanerbrook Sports Park, helping the Municipality of Sittard-Geleen create a gas-free, integrated sports complex.
The renovated Glanerbrook Sports Park in Sittard-Geleen was officially opened by King Willem-Alexander on June 25, 2026. The opening marked the completion of a phased redevelopment of one of the region’s largest sports facilities. The complex brings together a 50-metre competition pool, recreational pools, sports halls, a new ice arena, an indoor ice rink with a cycling track, hospitality facilities, and a renovated park at a single location.
Eric Scholten, Senior Advisor at Deerns, says, “The success lies in the integration. Swimming pools, ice rinks, sports halls and public areas all place different demands on technical systems. The biggest challenge was to create a single, smart, gas-free design for the entire complex.”
Deerns provided the MEP design and advised on fire safety, building physics and acoustics. Additionally, Deerns was involved in construction management, supervision and commissioning.
During the design and construction phases, Deerns collaborated with:
- NOAHH Architecten
- Pieters Bouwtechniek
- Poelmans Reesink Landschapsarchitectuur
- Sublym (refrigeration engineering consultancy)
- BBP (water treatment consultancy)
- Spie (mechanical and electrical installer)
- TBH (swimming pool systems installer)
- Equans (cooling systems installer)
- Mertens (construction company)
- Bouwtechnisch bureau Nijsten (structural engineering consultancy)
Waste heat as the basis for a gas-free design
For the municipality of Sittard-Geleen, a gas-free and sustainable sports complex was a key ambition from the outset. Deerns translated this ambition into an a new power design that connects the complex’s various energy needs.
For example, the ice rinks require cooling while the swimming pools, pool halls and showers require heating. These complementary energy demands are integrated through a central heating and cooling system. Heat recovered from the ice rink cooling process is reused to heat the pool water, pool halls, domestic hot water and even the water used to resurface the ice. This integrated approach enables the facility to produce heating and cooling simultaneously, maximising energy efficiency and reducing overall energy consumption.
Comfort and quality in daily use
Sportpark Glanerbrook brings together sports clubs, visitors, and staff. Consequently, the design focuses not only on energy performance but also on creating an environment that is comfortable, safe, and reliable for daily use.
4 design choices that ensure a comfortable sports complex:
- Healthy indoor climate: Heat recovery, demand-controlled ventilation and efficient space cooling contribute to a comfortable indoor climate in areas such as the pool halls, ice rink, sports halls, hospitality areas as well as public spaces.
- Reliable swimming environment: Air and water quality are paramount in the swimming pools, with systems ensuring clean water, comfortable temperature and humidity levels.
- Stable and safe ice conditions: The covered ice rink minimizes the impact of rain, sun, and wind, thereby improving ice quality and user comfort. Furthermore, the ice rinks have been upgraded to CO₂ cooling systems, significantly reducing the amount of ammonia within the complex.
- Appropriate lighting: Energy-efficient LED lighting and dimmable light levels support various sporting activities and respond to times of use within the complex.
Smart control for sustainable performance
The gas-free design is supported by a combination of heat pump technology, solar energy, battery storage, and smart energy management. The roof covering the ice rink improves ice quality while also providing space for solar panels. Combined with the other roof areas, this space accommodates approximately 5,200 solar panels.
Two stationary battery units handle peak loads and help relieve the strain on the electricity grid. The Energy Management System predicts energy demand and the availability of renewable energy generated, efficiently controlling the systems and storage based on these forecasts.
Deerns will be involved from the initial design sketches through to commissioning. This transition is crucial for a sports complex with so many interconnected systems; only in actual operation does it become clear whether all systems are working together correctly. In this way, Deerns helps ensure that the sustainable performance envisioned in the design is realised during actual use.
Ready for sustainable sports performance
With the renovated Sportpark Glanerbrook, Sittard-Geleen now has a sports complex ready for intensive use and sustainable operation. Thanks to the gas-free design, ice rinks, swimming pools and sports halls can operate energy-efficiently within a single complex.
