61-63 CARBON FOOTPRINT:SPN Master pages 19/11/08 02:24 Page 2
spnfeature
Over 40 new solar products were ready silent in operation, pollution free, offer an Government /EU grant regimes.
to be seen at Piscine in Lyons. environmentally friendly alternative to “In the longer term the cost benefits of
In the United States the use of solar other forms of heating and can provide solar thermal heating are considerable and
power for pools tripled in three years from pool temperatures in the mid to high 20°C will vastly reduce heating and
1999 to 2004. throughout an extended summer season. maintenance costs.“
Said Nicky Weistein from ASPF, the US The Government’s commitment to make He said that with utility bills for gas and
pool trade organisation: “The use of solar grants available to public bodies, electricity likely to increase it was clear
power in the trade will grow dramatically community and not-for-profit organisations there had to be an alternative.
over the next few years throughout the as well as private pool owners will dictate Riomay’s solar thermal system, the
United States. In 2008 rising fuel costs the expansion over the next two years. Ecotube, is supported by Government
have hit all pools owners and the specialist Defra says there will be a significant grants and business tax breaks.
solar companies now can’t train installers increase in grants but the credit crunch Local authority pools and gyms with a
fast enough. The only problem and might slow down funds available. high demand for hot water in changing
downside we can see is the length of the Local authorities, health authorities have rooms, showers as well as swimming
queues waiting for conversions.” led the way by reducing their carbon pools will benefit the most in the next
Solar energy is already making a slow footprint by installing solar panels in few years from the solar option.
but considerable impact on the specialist hospitals and swimming pools with the Businesses are able to write off the whole
trade in Britain. Looking ahead the trade help of grants under their Low Carbon cost of investments against taxable
might even believe that in 10 years time Building Programme – previously known as profits in the period when they make
no new pool will be built without some the Energy Saving Trust. their investment.
aspect of solar technology being used. Tony Book, Managing Director from Says Defra: “The pace of change to solar
Solar panel heating and the more efficient Riomay one of the UK’s leading solar systems to heat water supplies and provide
evacuated tube are already ideal for installation experts said that in terms of heating is difficult to predict. The more
swimming pools and for the pool owner a applying for grants timing to fit in with pressure fossil fuels come under the more
sound investment. Improved technology funding rounds was important. the pressure will be on to find new energy
and growing acceptance will see the “The application process is no slower or sources. It is about cost but it’s also about
system expand into the market. more cumbersome than any other the environment.”
The source of energy is free. The capital
cost of equipment can be recovered
against fuel savings, making a highly
What is the payback?
effective heating solution. If you heat your pool by oil or gas, there is no payback. It’s all an expense. Pay back for
Solar panels will collect heat on bright solar energy does depend on a number of factors, according to where your pool is,
overcast days – not just when the sun is indoor or outdoor, is it covered at night, do you have a swimming pool cover etc?
shining. They do not burn fossil fuels, so Payback can be as low as 18 months. It can reduce bills by 75% and no payment
there are no greenhouse gases. They are should be more than two years. spn
BUSINESSES NOW CAN
ASSESS THEIR OWN CARBON
Government should make all
FOOTPRINT
Businesses can now assess the carbon
pools solar heated - by law
footprint of their goods and services
and play a greater part in fighting The Government and local councils need aware of the degree their carbon
climate change, thanks to a new to require all new pools to be solar- footprint can be slashed by using solar
standard launched by BSI British heated immediately. hot-water panels.
Standards, the Carbon Trust and Defra. That’s the view of eco architect Peter “The panels have to be situated close
The standard – called PAS 2050 – is a Hillderbrand. “It is now climatically to the pool. But do not despair if you do
way of counting the greenhouse gas irresponsible to be building non- solar- not have a large south-facing roof
emissions embedded in goods and heated swimming pools. adjacent to it, as the panels can even be
services throughout their entire life “It was only after I started eco- mounted at ground level on frames,
cycle – from sourcing raw materials, auditing private homes that I realised the which can make a nice screening feature
through to manufacture, distribution, gap between the carbon emissions of for the pool, as long as it is not
use and disposal. those who owned a swimming pool. completely overshadowed by trees or
The aim of the new standard is to When I visited a client in Oxfordshire, we other buildings.
help businesses move beyond managing found that the energy carbon footprint “The standard guidance is that you
the emissions their own processes of the house was 45 tonnes – the UK need to have an area of panelling that
create and to look at the opportunities average is six tonnes,” said Peter from is between a third and half the size of
for reducing emissions in the design, Horsham in Sussex. the pool. Kevin Knapp from Cel-f-Solar
making and supplying of products. This Heating this 50-square-metre in Kent says that the payback period
will then help businesses make goods or swimming pool takes a hell of a lot of for solar heating for swimming pools is
services which are less carbon intensive energy. very good: less than 10 years being
and ultimately develop new products The average outdoor pool uses about easily achievable in most
with lower carbon footprints. 14,000 kWh of energy over a summer circumstances, unlike many other
Environment Secretary Hilary Benn season. This represents about £1,400 renewables. However, he argues that
said: “Companies have said they want to worth of electricity. Even worse, this the environmental reasons are even
be able to count their carbon emissions in equates to about six tonnes of carbon more important than the payback.
a better way, so we have responded. By dioxide or about two and a half tonnes if An average-sized system costs about
looking at where the emissions are being gas is used to heat the pool. £10,000, with a grant of £400 available
created and reducing them, businesses “I really don’t believe enough through the Low Carbon Building
can also save themselves money.“ people who own swimming pools are Programme.
62 swimming pool news DECEMBER 08 Digital edition available at
www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk
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