A New Approach to Swimming Pool Renovation – Shorter Closure Times Through Prefabrication
The renovation of public swimming pools is one of the greatest challenges facing many municipalities today. Facilities built in the 1960s and 1970s, in particular, show significant damage to the pool walls – at the same time, pressure is mounting to keep closing times as short as possible. Schools, clubs, and public swimming facilities rely on fully functional pools. The Ronneburg Youth and Recreation Center demonstrates how modern prefabrication can resolve this conflict of objectives.
Using the CarboCeram pool coping solution from AGROB BUCHTAL, the indoor pool—which is more than 50 years old—was sustainably renovated and returned to operation within a short period of time. Today, approximately 26,000 swimmers use the modernized facility each year.
Parallel Processes Instead of Downtime
The key advantage of CarboCeram lies in the construction process. Whilst the old pool heads are being dismantled and waterproofing work carried out on site, the new pool head elements are being manufactured in parallel at the factory. There, they are produced under controlled conditions, fitted with ceramic cladding and prepared ready for installation. This eliminates numerous time-consuming steps on site. Formwork, concreting and long drying times are a thing of the past, as is the need to coordinate numerous individual trades. The result is a significantly shorter construction process – and thus a considerably reduced closure period for the swimming pool. Particularly in the case of public swimming pools, the operation of which is of central importance to schools, clubs and local authorities, this time saving becomes a crucial planning factor.
Carbon concrete opens up new possibilities
At the heart of CarboCeram is a precast component made of carbon-reinforced concrete with a ceramic surface. The carbon reinforcement enables particularly slender structures while still offering exceptionally high strength. As a result, the elements are comparatively lightweight, which significantly simplifies transportation and installation.
Another key advantage is its durability. Unlike steel, carbon cannot corrode – a decisive criterion for structures permanently exposed to water, such as pool supports. This not only speeds up the renovation process but also enhances long-term operational safety.
Sustainability starts with the material
The use of carbon concrete significantly reduces the amount of material required. Slimmer cross-sections require less concrete and therefore considerably less cement – one of the biggest contributors to CO₂ emissions in the construction industry. At the same time, the demand for construction sand – a resource that is becoming increasingly scarce worldwide – is reduced.
Industrial prefabrication also contributes to sustainability. Production under controlled workshop conditions enables efficient use of materials, minimizes waste, and ensures a level of manufacturing quality that is virtually unattainable under on-site conditions. Project-specific details, such as the location of existing gutter downspouts, are taken into account as early as the production phase, which further simplifies on-site installation.
