Seizing opportunities to make outdoor living spaces energy efficient
by Dave Flaherty | June 12, 2020 11:24 am
By Mike Fowler
Thanks to the rebates offered by electrical utilities in various regions across the country (e.g. the Poolsaver program1 in Ontario), and the Department of Energy (DOE) in the U.S., there now exists a terrific opportunity for pool professionals to get on board in helping to make residential homes energy efficient—both inside and now in the backyard.
Just like air-conditioners, refrigerators, light-emitting diode (LED) lights, and home automation, the pool equipment room can also be a part of an energy-efficient home. It is important for consumers to be aware that, according to the Energy Star website, traditional single-speed pool pumps could be the second largest energy user for homes with an inground pool. With the Poolsaver rebates being offered now, and the new DOE legislation on pool pumps going into effect in 2021, pool professionals should begin to educate pool owners as well as hotel, motel, apartment, and condo (HMAC) aquatics market about how variable-speed pumps (VSPs) can save on energy usage and reduce the carbon footprint of outdoor living spaces.
Join the movement
Dan Lenz and Julie Kazdin are members of the Pool and Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) national service council and both have had the opportunity to work with, speak to, and educate service professionals throughout the country. Both agree now is the time to educate consumers about the energy-efficient equipment available for use in and around pools. These rebate programs and the incoming legislation on VSPs provides an opportunity for pool professionals, and pool owners, to join the energy-efficiency movement that has been focused primarily on the home, but is now moving into the backyard.
“This is an opportunity for our industry to elevate itself by proactively tailoring our businesses to offer energy-efficient solutions, not just in the pump room, but in all the products we offer in and around the pools—from lighting and equipment to pool covers and automation,” says Kazdin. “We have this amazing chance to embrace the movement that began inside the home.”
In fact, backyards are no longer called backyards, but more often referred to as outdoor living spaces. Now, pool pros can also move the conversation of energy-efficient products from inside the house to in and around the pool. Homeowners know about and understand the benefits of energy-efficient water heaters, air conditioners, washers, dryers, and dishwashers. So it is not a stretch to explain the same energy-efficient equipment is also available for pools.
Lenz says both the DOE legislation and the rebates available from local utilities (e.g. Ontario) validate what pool professionals are telling consumers and/or homeowner associations.
“We explain how variable-speed pumps will save them money, and they are more apt to believe us because it’s not just the pool pro telling them, but the utility company is also validating that same information.”
Depending on the region—especially in areas where pools are open year round—some service professionals say it is much harder to have the time to bring pools up to code or even just to upgrade them with energy-efficient pool equipment.
“Because of the volume of pools being serviced, pool pros tend to wait until something doesn’t work before looking to upgrade a piece of equipment,” says Kazdin. “This is very different than those markets where pools are opened and closed because we have the opportunity to proactively evaluate the pool’s equipment and make recommendations on more energy-efficient products.”
Barefoot Pools owner, Jose Garcia, says consumers understand that eventually their investment in an energy-efficient pump will pay off.
“And in the meantime, the other benefits of the pump, such as its quiet operation, make it easier to sell than I initially expected,” adds Garcia.
Erik Johnson, the service manager at Underwater Pool Masters in West Boylston, Mass., agrees. He has installed three VSPs in his retail store to demonstrate how quiet the pumps run.
“Once they see we can easily carry on a conversation while standing in front of three operating pumps, it’s much easier to sell them on the energy efficiency and electrical savings the product offers—even in regions where the pool season is only two to three months long.”
Johnson says he often hears complaints from some clients that as soon as they open their pool for the summer, their electrical bill goes up $100 a month.
“We use this complaint as a way to introduce the concept of the variable-speed pump,” he says. “When I explain the equipment can cut their electrical bill in half, they start to get interested, and then I mention the DOE legislation, which typically closes the sale.”
Michael Berggren, owner of Berggren’s Backyard Oasis Pool Construction & Service in Wenatchee, Wash., agrees.
“Consumers in our area understand the benefits of doing everything they can to make their homes energy efficient,” he says.
“Getting pool owners to agree to change their pool pump to a variable-speed pump isn’t difficult. They want to do their part to be eco-friendly and they enjoy the added benefit of the quieter operation, it makes their outdoor living space more enjoyable.”
Take on the energy-efficiency challenge
The pool industry, like the home-building and remodelling industry, can have a huge impact on reducing energy consumption to reduce the carbon footprint of each individual home. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Energy Star website, if every pool pump in the U.S. were Energy Star certified, it could save up to $770 million in energy costs every year and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equal to those of more than one million cars. Energy Star-certified inground pool pumps are also backed by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). It says VSPs use up to 65 per cent less energy, on average, than a standard model, while certified above-ground pool pumps use about 17 per cent less energy. This is information that needs to be passed along to pool owners. The Energy Star ratings on VSPs follow in the footsteps of other household appliances, by decreasing energy consumption and ultimately decreasing carbon emissions by utilities.
It is the same for the commercial pool industry. Energy costs are skyrocketing, and the need for efficient equipment is now. As many in the industry know, commercial facilities have annual inspections. Prior to this taking place, however, a thorough review of all the equipment involved in operating the aquatics portion of the facility should be checked. When doing so, techs should look to replace those parts that are worn or not working efficiently. For example, many aquatic facilities that have old pumps that are not working efficiently can now replace their pumps with more efficient, and quieter totally enclosed fan cooled (TEFC) motors. Heaters are also now built to withstand most of the harsh punishment that chemical imbalances in pools can cause, while, at the same time, are designed with more efficient heat exchanger systems to provide the best in heating efficiency at the lowest operating cost.
By methodically reviewing the equipment that uses the most energy, pool professionals can help facilities determine which equipment should be replaced to ensure aquatic facilities use fewer resources, run more efficiently and, most importantly, give pool operators peace of mind that the pool runs smoothly.
Further, homeowner associations with pools as well as HMAC pools, or large commercial aquatic facilities, can all become more ‘green’ and lower their operating costs by investing in energy-efficient equipment. To do so, however, pool professionals need to take the time to educate their clients/customers.
Selling energy efficiency sets a business apart
Today, pool professionals find selling energy-efficient products much easier than they expected. Even in areas where energy costs are quite low, consumers understand the inherent benefits of purchasing energy-saving equipment. Kazdin says consumers want to feel they are doing their part to lower their carbon footprint. Berggren agrees and explains their company is already changing out a lot of single-speed pumps for VSPs among the base of clients they service.
“Now that the DOE legislation has been officially announced, we are telling all of our customers this is the time to make the change,” says Berggren. “Even though our electricity is cheap, why be wasteful and use more electricity than is needed? Why waste power? Most people are open to this idea. It’s that ‘green-clean’ energy sales discussion.”
This season, Lenz and Kazdin have been sending out proactive emails and quotes that target the clients they service who have single-speed pool pumps. Lenz says his emails are informational as opposed to being a hard sell and use subject lines like ‘Save money running your pool’ and content like ‘Did you know a variable-speed pool pump could save you hundreds of dollars on your electrical bill?’
“In addition to making money, we are making pools as energy efficient as possible, which is the right thing to do,” says Lenz.
Similarly, Kazdin has sent upgrade quotes to their clients explaining the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) legislation and how energy-efficient pool pumps will eventually be the only type of pump manufactured for pools.
“We will then direct our customers to the manufacturer’s online cost-calculator and explain how the significant rebates make the investment less sizable,” says Kazdin, who feels good about doing their part to help reduce the energy needed to run the pools they build and maintain.
Over the last few years, the commercial market has seen its share of required product changes—from Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (VGBA) on drains to required accessibility design and equipment. These changes came at great costs to commercial aquatic facilities, homeowners’ associations (HOAs), and HMAC pools. However, unlike those previous regulation changes, by upgrading pool pump room equipment to more energy-efficient products, commercial and semi-commercial pools will actually reduce daily operating costs (e.g. energy use as well as water and chemical consumption. As a result, the out-of-pocket costs may appear to be high initially, but the return on investment (ROI) is fairly quick. These savings can then be put back into facility programming. For example, if an aquatic facility is open year round and has its pool lights on for 10 hours a day and are paying an electrical rate of $.12/kWh, by simply changing five older incandescent lights to all-white LEDs, the facility will save approximately $1000 a year.
Be smart, sell smart
This is the year for pool professionals to proactively educate pool owners and aggressively make pools energy efficient using VSPs. Therefore, it is important for pool professionals to be educated about all the codes, laws, rebates, and opportunities available to help make their client’s backyard living space as energy efficient as possible.
“My advice to pool professionals is to seek education—not only from manufacturers and distributors in their area—which are great resources—but also from local PHTA [and Pool & Hot Tub Council of Canada (PHTCC)] chapters, local Rotary,
Lions, Kiwanis Clubs, and other local business organizations,” says Kazdin.
Lenz agrees and stresses the need to avoid disinformation.
“Our entire industry needs to get out there on the pool Facebook groups to direct pool professionals to valid resources explaining the various rebates that are available,” says Lenz. “The entire industry needs to collaborate to ensure the information available to homeowners is valid and helpful.”
Professionals in the pool industry have been given the opportunity to be a part of the larger move toward energy efficiency in homes. Now is the time to seize the opportunity to be a part of this national ‘green’ movement.
1 Ontario’s Save on Energy Poolsaver Program is currently being offered through 11 Ontario electric utilities. For more information, visit poolsaver.ca.
Mike Fowler is a commercial sales manager for Pentair in Sanford, N.C. He has been with the company since 1992, starting his career in the technical services department at Purex Pool Products. Fowler has held many managerial roles within the company, including marketing, accounting, and products. He can be reached via email at mike.fowler@pentair.com.
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