Over the past 8 to 10 years, the pool industry has been trending towards sustainable design. This move has been encouraged by a booming economy and a busted economy - both which seem to be adequate incentive to improve the operations of commercial aquatics facilities (and many other building types, as well).

In a good economy, money is allocated to cutting edge technologies, press-worthy improvements and forward thinking redesign. Environmental awareness and the social cost of businesses is always a hot topic around the globe these days, so focusing on improving the sustainability of your facility when you have a few extra dollars to play with is sure to have a great return.

One the other hand, when we were hit with an oppressively bad economy, sustainable design became a means to preservation. Conserve resources and save money. Reduce energy consumption, conserve water, tighten up your employee roster. Save, with whatever means possible, find a way to cut your costs.  

In either situation, "Going Green" is a winning game plan, for your business and the environment.

In order to be as environmental as possible within the context of a commercial aquatics facility - or as a residential pool owner! - energy usage required to operate a swimming pool has to be drastically reduced. Installing solar systems and wind turbines are popular options. In the case of indoor swimming pools, keeping the heat in the building, more specifically the pool water, is also a great idea.

According to one article I read titled Swimming in Sustainability, "The cheapest energy is the energy you don't need."

The first, most obvious way a swimming pool can conserve resources is to reduce the run time of your pool equipment. A pool's heater is one of the most substantial drains on energy, and if you can find a way to help it operate less frequently, you will reduce the energy consumption of your facility and therefore the environmental impact and save money while you're at it.

For indoor pools, humidity control is essential to maintain air quality and the integrity of your building and equipment. Again, this process consumes a great deal of energy, so reducing the load on your humidifier will lessen your load on the environment - and your wallet.

Finally, reducing the water wasted is also a primary concern with green-motivated facilities.
Energy efficient equipment, proper filters and natural light, are wonderful places to start, but there is really one component that will make the most substantial difference: pool covers.

Using a pool cover can help to control all three of these MAJOR issues. More to the point, using an environmentally friendly, biodegradable liquid pool cover can help reduce energy costs by up to 40% and water consumption by about 50%, all the while helping to keep your humidity in control.

Some of the highest LEED certified aquatics centers are using Heatsavr to work towards a sustainable overall design.

If you would like more information on Heatsavr, the liquid pool cover, please feel free to email me any time: Monique Nelson, [email protected]I