Australia’s aging pools need $8B in upgrades; a new modular design cuts costs by 10%-30% and construction time to 8 months.

Australia's aging public pools, many nearly 60 years old, face a crisis with estimated upgrades needing up to $8 billion. To address this, Royal Life Saving NSW and Cox Architecture have created a pattern book of modular, prefabricated pool designs that cut costs by 10% to 30% and reduce construction time to about eight months. These offsite-built pools cost around $5.5 million—significantly less than traditional $10 million pools—and allow customization in size, depth, and amenities, with future expansion possible. The model aims to help rural and low-income councils overcome barriers like limited skilled labor and lack of funds for planning, offering a scalable solution to improve access to safe aquatic facilities. Advocates are pushing for state government support to launch a trial ahead of the next election.