One good side effect of the awareness of climate change is a trend to improve the energy efficiency of all kinds of appliances and tools.  In the case of pools, the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals, in coordination with ANSI, has recently issued newly updated energy efficiency standards for residential pools and inground spas, focusing on the pool filtration system, and especially the pump.

ANSI/APSP/ICC-15 2011

The title is a mouthful:  American National Standard for Residential Swimming Pool and Spa Energy Efficiency.  So is the price, if you buy it from APSP:  $65 for members and a whopping $350 for others. There is very little description of these standards available from the typical online sources.

A press release by the APSP (find a link to it on this page) says the standards will provide “uniform testing and reporting” specifications for manufacturers, plus installation specifications for pool professionals.  These standards will become more common and more binding as states adopt them as part of their own building codes.  Florida has already adopted this new standard, making it effective March 15, 2012.

Consumers Get the Benefits

The good news for consumers is that the standards will make it easier to find energy efficient pool pumps and other equipment.  Manufacturers who begin to match the new standards and want to promote it will have access to an online page provided by the APSP beginning sometime in the winter of 2011-2012.  This source will allow consumers to view and compare manufacturers and pump performance data.

Energy Efficiency and DEL Ozone

DEL Ozone was the first ozone disinfection system manufacturer to make an ozone injection system that would run with more energy efficient variable speed pumps.  Most other ozone systems work only on the high-speed pump cycle, reducing their effectiveness in sanitizing the water.  With the DEL variable speed injector, ozone is being dissolved in pool water at all pump speeds, greatly increasing the contact time between ozone and potential contaminants.

With DEL Ozone systems, you will get highly effective disinfection that is green in terms of energy efficiency as well as chemical use reduction and elimination of harmful byproducts.