Energy saving tips to help save costs on running swimming pools

Are you looking for ways to reduce energy usage and help manage the rising costs of your pool? Well, you’re in luck!

OLM Consulting has created an energy-saving plan to help you out. With the current climate and increasing pressure on the leisure industry, we understand how important it is to cut back on costs. We can’t do much about energy costs, but we can try to help you limit the amount used.

The first step in their plan is to understand the current usage of your pool. Start taking regular meter readings for electricity, gas, and water. This will help you calculate your average daily usage and track your progress.

Once you know your current usage, here are some energy-saving suggestions.

You can also download OLM Consulting’s full 31-point plan:

  1. Empty the strainer basket more often to reduce heat loss on the main circulation pumps.
  2. Ensure that the fan at the back of the pump/motor is clear from dust. Dust clogs up the fan and causes the pump/motor to use more energy. This applies to the main circulation pumps, heat exchanger boosters, and spa massage jet pumps.
  3. Install Variable Speed Drives on the main circulation pumps. A swimming pool specialist can help you with this as they need to consider the flow switch in the Automatic Dosing Unit.
  4. Plumb the sample line water back into the swimming pool system if the TDS can be controlled in line with mains water plus 1000ppm or less. This saves 1440 litres per day, which costs £1608.34 per year, not including heating.
  5. Ensure that the air temperature of the pool is plus or minus 1 degree of the pool water with a maximum limit of no more than 30 degrees Celsius. As per the PWTAG Code of Practice July 2021.
  6. Maintain humidity between 50-70%. Increasing humidity from 60 to 62% can reduce energy consumption.
  7. Purchase a plate heat exchanger insulation cover for the swimming pool or spa system.
  8. Insulate primary flow and return pipework on boilers, and cover any exposed valves with valve covers that can be purchased at a low cost.
  9. Install radiator reflectors on any radiators in the building to ensure that heat isn’t absorbed from the external wall.
  10. Upgrade pool hall lighting to LEDs, which have a quick payback period.
  11. Install a pool cover that can have a payback period of 10-24 months if controlled in line with a reduction of air temperature overnight when the swimming pool is covered.
  12. Adjust time clocks around the building and ensure that any light sensors are clean.
  13. Upgrade the air handling system. Although this can be a significant cost, the payback period from a new system to an old one can be quick. More energy-efficient systems are on the market now such as Air, Water, and Ground source heating.
  14. Retrofit a run-around coil to the current air handling system. The system works by transferring the heat from the extracted air back across to the incoming air.
  15. Consider installing Solar PV on the roof or in the car park.
  16. Older toilet systems can benefit from the use of a device called a Hippo, which reduces the amount of water used during a toilet flush.
  17. Consider the installation of waterless urinals during a refurbishment or upgrade to the centre. They require maintenance, but they are more energy-efficient.
  18. Change showerheads to more energy-efficient ones. New energy-saving showerheads can be as low as 5 litres per minute.
  19. When using air conditioning units, it’s important to ensure that all windows and doors are closed so that the system is not trying to cool the entire world, which wastes energy and increases costs.
  20. You can now use Air, Water or Ground source heating for heating the pool water. This can be retrofitted using the existing plate heat exchanger.

Looking for more energy-saving tips? Download OLM Consulting’s full 31-point Energy Saving Action Plan.