The Urbanism Hour: Championing Climate Innovation in the Public Sector
A lunchtime webinar to inspire climate innovation at a public sector level, looking at the Eclipse Leisure Centre case study
The Urbanism Hours are virtual lunch time events that explore a given theme within the built environment, with two speakers and a Q&A discussion. For November's Urbanism Hour we'll be joined by speakers Mark Gowdridge and Richard Mortimer.
This session will use the Eclipse Leisure Centre in Staines, the world's first passivhaus leisure centre, as a case study for championing innovative design in a public sector setting.
The journey of this project was not straightforward, but ultimately asked: how can you declare a climate emergency and not look at the single most energy hungry building that most local authorities will run as an opportunity to build better?
From a complex political journey to a high quality community asset whose usage has exceeded expectations, Eclipse serves as a good news story for anyone keen to push forward bold thinking and action in the public sector.
Speakers
Mark Gowdridge
Director, GT3 Architects
A founding partner of GT3 Architects and a recognised leader in sports and leisure design, Mark has spent over 25 years shaping the next generation of community and competition venues across the UK and beyond. He has directed the delivery of over £350 million in sports and leisure projects in the past five years alone and continues to guide an additional £150 million in development. Mark is part of a global network of specialists advancing innovation in aquatics and recreation architecture. His passion for technology, design excellence, and social value continues to inspire clients and communities alike.
Mark has been instrumental in shaping the Eclipse Leisure Centre since its inception in 2017, leading its vision from the earliest stages to create a truly community-driven and future-ready facility. Championing meaningful stakeholder engagement, he ensured that local voices and social sustainability were embedded at every step of the design process. Under his guidance, Eclipse has set new environmental and economic benchmarks through its pioneering Passivhaus approach, delivering exceptional energy performance, long-term operational savings, and an inspiring model for sustainable public leisure design.
Richard Mortimer
Founder/Director, Loumax Advisory Limited- Development & Regeneration
Richard Mortimer is a purpose-driven leader with a passion for shaping places and unlocking potential. With a career spanning major development and regeneration projects across the UK and internationally, he is known for navigating complex challenges—from political sensitivities to planning constraints—with strategic clarity and calm pragmatism.
Richard thrives on building consensus across diverse stakeholders and crafting innovative financial solutions that turn ambitious ideas into reality. Sustainability is central to his approach, and his work consistently delivers not only projected returns but lasting social and environmental value.
As the visionary behind the Eclipse Leisure Centre, Richard was custodian for its conception, design, and oversaw the delivery of the world’s first wet and dry sports facility built to Passivhaus standards—setting a new benchmark for sustainable sports and leisure development.
Thumbnail image courtesy of GT3 Architects
