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SPN OCT 2011 EnergySavings
www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk
CARBON TRUST STEPS UP TO PROMOTE POOL COVERS
making a lasting upgrade to the pool environment. Jane Corwin, the bursar at Friends’ School said: “The new mechanised cover, which, although it cost £7,000, should be paid back in less than four years, just by using the money saved from the reduced energy bills.”
The Carbon Trust is now actively promoting the use of pool
covers – and grants to buy them
The Carbon Trust is to promote the benefits of a swimming pool cover in the drive to cut energy costs.
The campaign starts in October and is being stepped up as the Trust says that swimming pool halls consume more energy per unit area than almost any other building type.
“In fact, they use five times as much energy per square metre as offices. The use of pool covers out of hours reduces the evaporation rate from the pool surface and can save significant amounts of energy in swimming pools. This is a message we want to get out much more. It’s a simple solution and very effective,” says the Trust. The Friends’ School in Saffron Walden, Essex is a classic example of how the Carbon Trust provides grants to those running a swimming pool. A pool cover was purchased with a loan from the Carbon Trust and has enabled the school to make real and tangible energy savings, as well as
The Friends’ School is a 300 year old independent school in Essex. Currently the school employs 115 staff and has almost 400 pupils. One major area of energy spend was the school swimming pool, which was costing the school around £8,500 a year to keep heated. In order to find an energy efficient way to reduce this heating cost, the Friends’ School contacted the Carbon Trust. The Carbon Trust recommended that the school purchase a cover, which would greatly reduce the heat loss from the pool, as well as lead to savings of over £2,000 per year in energy bills. To purchase the pool cover, the school applied for a Carbon Trust loan, which it received in October 2004. Adds the Carbon Trust: “ Insulated pool covers are one of the most cost effective investments available. Typical savings can be 10-30% of total pool energy use, with a payback period of 18 months to three years.”
i FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
F CARBON TRUST ( 0800 085 2005 :
www.carbontrust.co.uk
JC LEISURE PUTS ENERGY SAVING PROGRAMME TOGETHER
JC Leisure Solutions, which offers a one-stop-shop for all wet-side leisure needs, now provides a schedule of energy efficient solutions. They range from how to reduce energy consumption using existing equipment to suggesting new energy efficient products such as dual speed filtration pumps, heat retention pool covers, LED lights or the installation of time clocks. JC Leisure Solutions has worked with one of its clients LA Fitness to reduce energy consumption by replacing underwater pool lights with energy efficient LED’s. This has been rolled out at its 82 sites, saving approx £10,265 a year. Not all pool operators have the capital investment to start refurbishing their equipment. The company has designed a planned maintenance, efficient operation and good housekeeping system. Director, Jamie Bewers says: “The planned preventative maintenance programme is a schedule of visits once a month, where various assessments are undertaken around the pool plant and wet-side area. Ensuring aging plant is renewed before it breaks down will cut out facility downtime. For example if pool filter pumps fail the pool will lose heat, so the reheating cost will be saved. Routine/planned preventative maintenance is always far too low on the priority list. We are still in the fix it when it breaks culture which in the long run is more costly.”
i FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
F JC LEISURE SOLUTIONS ( 01376 513246 :
www.jcleisuresolutions.com
SOLAR ENERGY – MORE GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR POOL OWNERS
The Government’s commitment to renewable energy systems will mean easier grants to install solar heating for swimming pools in 2012. A number of solar thermal systems are already supported by Government grants and business tax breaks but the Department of Energy and Climate Change has said it is aware swimming pools can be ‘vast users of energy’ and a new scheme needs to be available. It has promised more funds for solar grants in 2012.
Local authority pools and gyms with a high demand for hot water in changing rooms, showers as well as swimming pools will benefit the most from the new solar option. The Government has also promised to speed up the application process for both Government and EU grants. “The Government’s view is that solar energy is going to be
increasingly influential for the UK’s energy resources. There are few if any negatives about solar energy. Increasingly there’s public recognition that it is a very efficient and non contentious energy option,” a spokesman told SPN. He said while it was difficult to be specific about the applications of solar energy its use in leisure facilities was a significant area. “The Government wants to be able to significantly increase its renewable energy loans to the public and local authorities to take the solar energy option. Further investment in technology will see systems become more efficient and more available.”
Solar panel heating and the more efficient evacuated tube are already ideal for swimming pools and for the pool owner a sound investment. Improved technology and growing
acceptance will see the system expand into the market.
Pay back for solar energy does depend on a number of factors – it varies according to where your pool is, indoor or outdoor, is it covered
at night, do you have a swimming pool cover, etc?
Payback can be as low as 18 months. It can reduce bills by 75% and no payment terms should be more than two years
Will Government grants for swimming pools now be more widely available?
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