Sustainable Pools and
Eco Swimming Pools
Our world is changing, and we hope we can contribute to that change in a good way.
A growing number of people are seeking sustainable, eco-friendly ways of living. Our business wants to play a part by offering sustainable swimming pools and eco-friendly pool options. In addition to reducing the environmental impact, eco pools help conserve energy, water, and chemicals. In this way, a pool can be both eco-friendly and economical, as water and energy costs are reduced.
We offer our customers a wide range of eco-friendly and sustainable options for pools, spas, and accessories. In fact, we have already installed a Compass Self-Cleaning Pool with an electric swimming pool cover and heat pump that is completely off-grid.
Watch our video here on how we run our business sustainably
Our entire team is committed to a sustainable business model. We try very hard to ‘walk the talk’ on sustainability issues. To fill and power the pool at our Wairarapa store, we are using solar derived electricity, with rain harvested from our roof and the pool cover.
We have begun electrifying our fleet of vehicles charging where possible from our own generated power. The approach we take is genuine and heartfelt. In June 2022, our shop featured as a coveted national award winner for the commercial installation of solar panels.
So what can you do to make your pool or spa sustainable and eco friendly? You actually have quite a few options. You can choose from the full range below or gradually add options as your budget allows. Read on to explore your options.
Sustainable
Pool Packages
Wright Pools & Spas are one of only two companies in NZ who have achieved the strict and exacting criteria to enable SPASA accredited Climate Care Certification for swimming pool installation.
Creating a sustainable pool starts with how it’s installed. This means looking for ways to conserve electricity, chemicals and water. We have been installing pools for over 40 years, so we know all the options.
Our experts will talk you through the sustainable pool options available, so you can get the most out of your eco pool without going over your budget.
Let’s start with
Filters
Choosing a high performance media for your filter can substantially reduce your need for chlorine and water.
AFM®ng is the best high-performance media for your filter as it:
- Lowers chlorine oxidation demand by up to 50%…less chlorine is used and generated
- Organic matter and microplastics are removed…cleaner pool water
- Reduces backwash demand by 50%…less water and chemical loss
- Designed to last as long as the filtration system… saves money
- Designed specifically for highly effective filtration (certified to 1 micron) and 100% bio-resistance for continuous freshwater.
For more information visit: drydenaqua.com
We always have and will continue to recommend and install media-based filters for the following reasons:
- Cartridge filters cannot filter at the same level as AFM media. Additionally, they are difficult to clean, so most people either hire a service company to do the cleaning or ignore them until they need to be replaced.
- Invariably, cartridge filters are sold by companies that install pools and walk away, offering no maintenance, so they don’t have to deal with the fallout.
- Using cartridge filters often eliminates the need for backwash lines, making it harder to retrofit a proper media filter in the future.
Vantage in-Floor Self
Cleaning System
Compass Pools has a unique patented system for keeping your pool clean and clear of debris.
- You don’t have to brush or vacuum, which is time-consuming
- Uses fewer chemicals
- Enhanced circulation from bottom to top, preventing dead and cold spots where algae and bacteria traditionally grow while using less chemicals and reducing heating costs
- All of this allows for cleaner and healthier water, with less effort from you!
For more information visit:
compasspools.com.au/vantage-in-floor-cleaning/
Sustainable Eco Pool
Pumps & Circulation Systems
Using Variable Speed Pool Pumps on Vantage and Pool Circulation Systems is another way to make the pool more sustainable and eco friendly.
Circulation and filtration are by far the two most important determining factors in keeping your pool clean and safe.
Optimal operating of a pool pump warrants a lower flow mode for circulation and filtration and a higher flow mode for backwashing.
A variable speed pump enables customisation of these parameters alongside the pump speed to suit individual pool sizes (volumes & distances from pump shed) and other user requirements.
Reducing workload with larger
Diameter Plumbing
Another technical consideration when installing an eco-friendly pool is the size of the suction pumps.
Using larger diameter suction pipes (65mm) rather than traditional (50mm) dramatically reduces the workload of the pump. The result is lower power consumption and better filtration quality. You’ll also get better backwash and so fewer chemicals are needed.
The motor design makes them quieter and reduces the chance of cavitation.
Cavitation is the result of improperly sized swimming pool equipment pumping water at speeds and pressures that exceed the limits, creating high and low pressures that can damage the pool pump.
So the right equipment can lower pool maintenance costs in the long run too.
Eco Pool Rainwater Harvesting
Electric Cover & Storage Tank(s)
Electric covers provide a barrier between the swimming pool and its surroundings.
When it rains, there is a large surface area on which water accumulates. Why waste this? Pumping it into a water tank is a great sustainable pool option.
Rainwater is ideal for use in a pool because the level of dissolved solids is low and there are no metals – a problem that arises during summer when bore water is available.
If you are not on a meter now, you probably will be in the next few years, so reducing your water bill is of paramount importance.
Water restrictions by local governments are on the rise, which means you are not supposed to fill your pool while restrictions are in place. The water collected from your cover can be used to top up your pool whenever necessary. You can use any excess in your garden!
Swimming pool covers also help prevent heat loss, so your heat pump doesn’t have to work as hard.
Energy Efficient Swimming
Pool Heat-Pump
Inverter heat pumps are the new generation of energy efficient pool heaters.
Using efficient inverter compressors and advanced electronics, these heat pumps provide you with swimming pool heat like no other. This results in –
- Lower annual energy costs
- Wi-Fi control capability via app enabling remote functionality
- Smaller physical size
- Super quiet operation
Eco Friendly Swimming
Pool Salt Chlorinators
The Halo Chlor salt chlorinator is a standard option for most of the pools we install because it has proven to be highly reliable.
It uses just a small amount of salt (NaCl) to form chlorine which will improve the pool’s sanitation incredibly. Chlorinated swimming pools derived from salt keep the water clean, reducing the need for chemicals.
Chlorine is maintained at an ideal level of 1-2 ppm through an automated process. This advanced system maintains the pH levels in swimming pools automatically. In the absence of this, the pH rises, requiring regular manual dosing.
We only sell and use NZ sourced salt from the Marlborough Sounds. We do not recommend Magnesium salt. In addition to being extremely expensive, it also produces chlorine using the same mechanism as traditional salt, is imported from overseas, and lacks any credible evidence to support its claims.
It is not possible to absorb magnesium through the skin, and so shouldn’t be promoted as a benefit. (Grober et al., Myth or Reality – Transdermal Magnesium? Nutrients. 2017 Aug; 9(8): 813.)
Sustainable and
Cost-Effective
We are passionate about cost-effective, sustainable pools! Our team has researched and vetted all our products and systems, and only sells and installs those we know work.
We offer free consultations in our shops or over the phone. Getting your pool off-grid and sustainable is something we’d love to help you with.
Traditional pools and conventional pools can become energy efficient with lower water consumption while ensuring healthy water.
You don’t need to design a natural pool from the ground up, nor do you need to spend tens of thousands of dollars.
We’d love to help you achieve a healthy pool that’s sustainable and eco friendly too!
Eco Friendly
Sustainable Spas
Sapphire Spas remain committed to the environment and have made further investments in solar power. The image to the right shows the manufacturing facility in Melbourne with the roof mounted solar panels.
This initiative will also help reign in their overall operating costs with another 83 Kilowatts of capacity currently being installed, this is on top of their previous roll-out of 120kw capacity. One thing is for sure – They are in this for the long run!
At our shops, we recycle/repurpose all of our spa wrapping. Once we have unwrapped a spa at the customer’s house, we always bring the wrapping back to the shop. It is then picked up by a company that specialises in fragile freight sending parcels worldwide.
This saves that company from buying packaging thereby reducing the amount of packaging being made.
