Willich, 14 May 2025: How green is training in Germany? How sustainable is the sports and fitness industry? To find out, the NEW LIFE initiative teamed up with Koelnmesse in March and April 2025 to survey operators of fitness studios and sports facilities across Germany. For more than 80 per cent of respondents, sustainability, climate and environmental protection are "important" or "very important". A good half of gym and sports facility operators have already used sustainable products made from recycled materials - primarily sports and fitness flooring (41%), but also impact sound insulation and fall protection surfaces. The industry is therefore on the right track - but there is still room for improvement.
Sustainability, climate and environmental protection have gained in importance from the perspective of the clear majority of respondents. On a scale of 0 (not sustainable) to 10 (very sustainable), operators' self-assessment of sustainability averages 5.5. More than 80 % of fitness studio and sports centre operators rate sustainability, climate and environmental protection as "important" or "very important". The focus is particularly on:
- Resource protection
- Waste avoidance
- Energy efficiency
- Health and safety
Two thirds of sports/fitness studio operators are already focussing on sustainability
The majority of customers and members of studios and sports facilities are also paying increasing attention to the sustainability of the sports and fitness programme from the operator's perspective. Particularly important to customers/members are measures to reduce energy and water consumption (for example through LED lighting), the reduction of waste (for example through the use of reusable systems or the abolition of paper towels) and the use of sustainable training equipment made from natural and recycled materials.
Around two thirds of gym and sports centre operators have already implemented specific measures to improve sustainability. The measures include converting to LED lighting (68.25% of respondents), intelligent ventilation, the use of green electricity, waste avoidance or the introduction of reusable cups and microfibre cloths, as well as the increased use of electricity-free training equipment (made of wood or recycled material) or the conversion of an ice rink to synthetic ice. Parking spaces for bicycles are offered by 80% of the survey participants.
Increasing use of high-quality products made from recycled materials
A good half of those surveyed already use sustainable products made from recycled materials in the sports and fitness sector, and a fifth of those surveyed can imagine doing so in the future. Sustainable sports and fitness flooring is used most frequently, as well as elastic impact protection surfaces and impact sound insulation, handles made from recycled materials on equipment, fitness equipment made from wood and recycled materials and balls made from cork.
Products made from recycled tyre rubber granules for the sports and fitness sector are known to 66 percent of those surveyed. One in five studio or facility operators already use them - primarily as durable, resistant and joint-friendly sports and fitness flooring, but also as elastic fall protection, impact sound insulation or as robust flooring in the service area. An overview of sustainable products made of tyre rubber granules for the sports and fitness sector can be found here: https://initiative-new-life.de/loesungen/fitness/
According to NEW LIFE Network Coordinator Christina Guth, "the results of the survey clearly show that the fitness industry is ready for more sustainability. Many studios are already focussing on environmentally friendly solutions - and the potential is far from exhausted."
For Bettina Frias, Director of FSB, the survey results also show that "sustainability is a key topic for the future - also in the sports and leisure sector. As an international platform, FSB 2025 is exactly the right place to showcase innovative solutions and lead the industry into the future."
The full survey results will be published on 28 October 2025 at the FSB 2025 in Cologne the leading international trade fair for open space, sports and exercise facilities.
