Manufacturers in the spa and pool industry are increasingly emphasizing their green credentials. Some sell their products in earth-friendly packaging, others focus on reducing energy usage and saving water and still others tout energy efficiency and waste-reduction efforts on the factory floor. Here’s a look at what select advertisers are doing to reduce the industry’s environmental impact.
The V-Green variable-speed motor, from Century, is equipped with an integrated timer, and can reduce energy cost by up to 80 percent versus a standard single-speed motor. V-Green replacement pool motors offer three variable speeds ranging from 600 to 3,450 rpm, with two additional manual speeds. Other features include programmable freeze protection, battery backup, and the ability to operate an auxiliary load. The V-Green requires no additional wiring during installation, meaning less work for installers and maximum energy savings for pool owners.
Our patented Cleardeck cleverly conceals the unsightly swimming pool solar blanket and roller neatly below the deck of a swimming pool when not in use. The idea is a simple one: provide easy, one-person operation of a solar blanket roller and invisible storage for the blanket. Our blanket roller is truly a “green” product, as a pool owner will spend hundreds of dollars in heating costs that could be mitigated by consistent solar blanket use. Our roller offers convenient standing operation as the blanket can be extended or retracted in less than a minute.
Clearwater Spas is leading the world in energy-efficient spas designed with ecological solutions for everyone. Clearwater Spas helped set the bar in energy efficiency by becoming certified to California Energy Commission’s stringent Title 20 for low energy consumption. We build our spas differently than most others, and have developed the best spa system and back it up with the best warranty in the industry.
Coral Seas’ Green to Clean is specifically designed to work with all types of chlorine for fast cleanup of green algae. Green to Clean is compatible with saltwater chlorine-generation systems. The results are amazing and no brushing is required.
This year Aquabot will be adding new and improved products to its lineup that are not only “green” for the environment, but “green” for the consumer, as well. Our products have a proven track record of being extremely efficient at conserving energy and water. By using an Aquabot brand robotic pool cleaner, your customers will drastically cut their energy bills by reducing the use of their main pool filters, eliminating the need for any booster pumps and reducing the amount of chemicals needed. This will not only save users money, but it will also save them the time it takes to manually maintain their pools so they can start enjoying their pools instead of worrying about them.
Owning a spa doesn’t have to mean money down the drain and a guilty conscience. With Gecko’s in.touch app, users can control their spas from an iPhone or other iOS device. Water care options are easy to manage, and include an energy-saving setting that allows heating and filtration to take place outside of peak hours, and only when it’s really needed. There is also an “away from home” option, so that the spa is taken care of while the homeowner is on vacation, without any waste. Gecko’s commitment to the environment is evident in other products, like our in.clear bromine-based sanitization system, and our line of energy-efficient pumps for spas. At Gecko we believe people should have the comfort they deserve, without compromising care for the environment.
When it comes to cleaning water, there are no shortcuts. At Pleatco, we are driven by an innate desire to build the highest-quality products possible, and we live by the mantra of “constant improvement” in every facet of our business. All of Pleatco’s filters are engineered to maximize water cleanliness while at the same time reducing energy consumption. We use the most technologically advanced materials, which are years ahead of our competitors. Our success in bringing industry-leading products to the market is the result of years of research and product testing. To be an industry leader, our investments are in every area of our business. It’s not one thing Pleatco does, it’s everything. Pleatco’s state-of-the-art research facility exceeds the capabilities of all our competitors. In the end, we care because you care. Pleatco’s pool and spa filtration products are designed to provide homeowners with peace of mind to focus on what is most important — health and happiness.
Reducing waste, increasing our recycling efforts and generating our own power, at Merlin we are focused on reducing our company’s impact on our environment. It’s all part of our ECO initiative, which stands for Environmentally Conscious Organization. In the past five years, Merlin Industries has reduced our landfill impact by over 80 percent (based on trash-removal costs). By initiating recycling programs throughout our offices and our plant, Merlin currently recycles items such as office paper and bottles and cans as well as raw material waste such as vinyl liner scraps, safety cover material scrap, cardboard, pallets and EPS foam scraps from our spa covers. Although all of our products are made with 100 percent virgin materials for a top-quality product, our waste materials are recycled for use in other industries. We’ve also converted our headquarters to photovoltaic solar power, which handles all of the electrical needs in our office and manufacturing plant.
GLI Pool Products is proud to offer Grime Off, the latest in green cleaning power. These 100 percent biodegradable formulas are the next generation in green technology and are exclusively formulated for pool and patio environments. All Grime Off products are made from soy, and the inert gas nitrogen is used to fill the canned chemicals. Even the packaging is green — it’s made from recyclable and biodegradable materials and printed with soy ink. Grime Off is non-toxic and non-corrosive, so it is safe to use around children, pets or other animals and will not alter chlorine or salt pool chemistries. The days of sacrificing performance in favor of environmental responsibility are over. These cleaning products are armed with real penetrating power so that they aren’t just the right product for the job, but also the right product for the environment.
Most spa sanitizers require weekly additions of chemicals. Calculating the amount can be complicated and you run the risk of adding unnecessary and potentially damaging products to balance the levels. With Gecko’s in.clear system you add one product, one time, when changing your water. Once the generator is set, the product levels will be just right for the spa, which means your spa isn’t damaged with high levels and you don’t have to worry about the recreational water illnesses that can come with inefficient sanitizers. The in.clear system uses BromiCharge, which is 99 percent sodium bromide (the only sodium bromide approved by the EPA). With this, there are no nasty byproducts being dumped with the spa water. Bromine is also gentler on the skin and eyes. It’s a sanitization system that is easier on you, your spa and the earth.
Growing up in the pool business, Jerry Hodak observed pool owners draining thousands of gallons of water from their pools every winter, only to pay to refill their pools again in the spring. Wanting to create a solution, Jerry invented the first snap-on lid for winterizing skimmers in 1989. Many years later, he created a better method of winterizing the skimmer utilizing a smaller, better-fitting lid and was awarded U.S. and Canadian patents in 2006. JEDCO Products, named after Jerry’s three sons, Jerry, Dillan and Coltyn, introduced the SkimSaver LID’L Seal providing many improvements over his original patent, including accessibility to hardware for tightening and ease of installation and a lid that uses 40 percent less plastic, greatly reducing landfill waste. Winterize responsibly and profitably with the SkimSaver LID’L Seal.
GAME is a leader in passive solar heating technology for swimming pools. Our SolarPRO heaters are developed from a European design that has been proven over many years of use as a highly efficient method for heating water. Essentially, water travels through coiled tubes, absorbing energy from the sun. The coiled dome design of our SolarPRO XD1 and XD2 (pictured) heaters maximizes the energy harnessed in a small area. SolarPRO heaters are easy to install. Different sizes and styles of heaters are available for aboveground and inground pools ranging in retail price from $50 to $400. The full line fits nearly any need for solar pool water heating. GAME is committed to this environmentally friendly product category and has prioritized future product development to expand and enhance our existing line of solar pool heaters.
Every Hayward product is designed with the pool owner and poolside experience in mind. Improving the comfort, convenience and ambiance of the pool and its environment — all while dramatically improving energy efficiency — are paramount to our effort. Hayward’s environmental mission led to the development of our Energy Solutions line of products, which reduce energy, water and chemical use. We offer breathtaking, energy-efficient color LED lighting that lets you set the theme for perfect poolside events. Salt chlorination delivers the ultimate swimming experience that is as easy on the wallet as it is on eyes and skin. Automatic pool cleaners and controls save money and reduce pool maintenance time. But the biggest energy saver is with our variable-speed pump — up to a 90 percent energy savings.
Mateflex has been manufacturing interlocking modular floor tiles since 1974. Over the years, we have made many advances in providing more environmentally friendly products. Originally made from polyethylene, we have switched to special polypropylene blends that are cleaner to produce, manufacture and recycle. Bulk storage eliminates the need for hardboard containers. We use energy-efficient, computer-controlled, all-electric molding machines. All good, clean scrap in the factory is reused. New tile designs are more efficient in material weight and manufacturing time, resulting in optimum material and energy usage. In addition, all colorants are organic – no heavy metals. The biggest advantage of our products is that they are 100 percent recyclable. No post-consumer product or toxic materials need go to a landfill.
Jack’s Magic’s Green Stuff products and programs combine high performance with environmentally friendly features and benefits. The Filter Fiber Stuff is biodegradable and non-toxic, making handling and backwashing safe for the environment and easy for the pool operator. The Filter Fiber Stuff filters to 2 microns, extending filter runs and reducing the need for excessive pool chemicals. Additionally, Jack’s Magic estimates that The Jack’s Magic Stain Program saves over 200 million gallons of pool water annually that would otherwise be lost to draining and acid washing. Additionally, our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility uses recycled rinse water, eliminating any discharge.
Natural Chemistry is constantly developing thoughtful, sensible solutions that focus both on the environment and the best interest of the consumer. We have developed an elite blend of all-natural enzymes that eliminate and permanently prevent organic contaminant buildup that we call “SmartZymesm” technology. Pool Perfect + PhosFree combines SmartZymesm technology with our patented phosphate removal to form the perfect pool maintenance product. A small weekly dosage easily treats a large amount of water, due to our enzyme’s ability to bind to organic contaminants and reduce them to smaller and smaller parts until they are oxidized by the sanitizer.
Periodic Products was founded by Joseph Laurino, inventor of Chelok, the company’s patented polymer technology. Our signature pool product is CuLator Metal Eliminator and Stain Preventer, an easy-to-use, non-toxic and biodegradable product that adsorbs metals from the water directly onto the polymer, resulting in the permanent removal and elimination of metals. Periodic Products is committed to advancing a cleaner and safer global environment through the application of responsible science and breakthrough chemical technologies. Periodic Products utilizes recycled materials and waste-reducing packaging in all production. Our sustainability culture includes reducing water and energy usage and resource consumption throughout the company.
Water conservation is paramount to owning an eco-friendly pool. By simply using a Skimmer Plug to seal off and winterize aboveground and inground pool skimmers, pool owners can collectively save billions of gallons of water each year, says SimPoolTec. The Skimmer Plug can also be used to service pool equipment and plumbing and perform leak detection without water loss and without the need to install a new faceplate. Requiring no tools, the Skimmer Plug fits “like a cork in a bottle” into existing skimmer faceplates, with models to fit most every skimmer and specialty faceplate.
Latham Pool Products, the largest manufacturer of swimming pool components in North America, is committed to reducing the environmental impact of its operations. The company recently announced a major capital project to retrofit its 85,000-square-foot headquarters and manufacturing facility in Latham, N.Y., with state-of-the-art low-energy lighting. This will result in a 35 to 40 percent savings in electricity costs for lighting the facility. In addition, Latham recycles 100 percent of the plastic used in the manufacture of its thermoformed steps and polymer pool panels at its Latham facility, as well as at its six pool-liner manufacturing facilities in North America — a total of over 3.9 million pounds of raw materials per year. “No materials that we use in the manufacturing process in our Latham plant are released back into the environment,” President and CEO Mark Laven said. “And we are continuing to explore ways to reduce our carbon footprint throughout our facilities.”
Eco Select brand products from Pentair save energy, conserve water and/or reduce noise, contributing to a more environmentally responsible pool equipment system. IntelliFlo and IntelliPro variable-speed pumps lead the offerings. These revolutionary pumps have permanent magnet motors that can save up to 90 percent in energy costs over traditional pumps. They produce far less heat and vibration than induction motors, reducing noise and wear on the pump. Among the newest Eco Select products are IntelliChem and IntellipH chemistry controllers. Pentair also recently introduced new Prowler robotic pool cleaners, which also receive Eco Select designation by virtue of their independence from the pool’s circulation system. The Eco Select brand also encompasses energy-efficient heaters, UltraTemp heat pumps, hydraulically efficient filters, long-lasting IntelliBrite 5g LED lights, IntelliChlor chlorine generators, and SolarTouch, SunTouch, EasyTouch and IntelliTouch automation controls, which optimize energy use and equipment performance by automating and synchronizing equipment scheduling.
Freudenberg Filtration Technologies is highlighting Viledon Hydrotexx ECO green filtration media. Made from post-consumer recycled polyester, Hydrotexx ECO is an environmentally responsible solution for pool and spa water filtration. In the United States, about 23 percent of polyester bottles are recovered through recycling. Freudenberg’s innovative reprocessing technologies convert this material into Hydrotexx ECO filtration media. Incorporation of repurposed polyester into filtration cartridges results in clear water with less material waste. One fifty-square-foot pool-and- spa cartridge filter using Hydrotexx ECO media keeps about forty 16 ounce plastic bottles out of the landfill. The development of Hydrotexx ECO demonstrates Freudenberg’s continued commitment to sustainable solutions for filtration. This eco-friendly material meets or exceeds industry standards for performance, so consumers can be confident in their choice.
The ThomsonTec copper silver ionization system uses ancient knowledge combined with modern technology to purify and sanitize pool and spa water. Customers experience better results with fewer chemicals and less maintenance.
International swimming pool and water treatment specialist Waterco U.S.A. has unveiled its new EnviroPro range, designed to help environmentally minded and budget-conscious pool owners save water and energy and also reduce the time required to maintain their pools. “Pool owners are increasingly looking for ways to save time, water and energy when it comes to selecting the right pool equipment — and with that in mind we have put together the EnviroPro range,” says Bryan Goh, Waterco’s group marketing director. “This is a holistic solution and is designed to address three key areas: energy efficiency, water conservation and convenience.” The new EnviroPro range consists of a select number of Waterco’s high-quality, energy- efficient and award-winning water saving products, from the latest energy efficient pool pump, MultiCyclone pre-filter, cartridge and granular filters, to the latest LED lights, solar pool heaters and robotic pool cleaners.
