SERIES INTRODUCTION

Architects, the wizards of the building world, are always juggling skills and dealing with loads of stress. But when it comes to designing swimming pools, even these wizards can find themselves in a bit of a maze. There’s a lot of info out there, but it’s not always easy to find or understand. This can turn a cool project into a bit of a headache for everyone involved – clients, architects, and the folks who build the pools.

In this blog series, we’re honing in on specific aspects architects might miss when designing swimming pools. Each article will spotlight a key element, unravelling the mysteries and offering practical insights. We are going to look at five key areas of swimming pool design that are sometimes overlooked and lower the overall quality and longevity of the swimming pool installation as a whole.

Throughout this series we will be looking into the following KEY AREAS:

KEY AREA 1. The Heart of the Pool – Plant Room, Size, and Where to Put It.

KEY AREA 2. Size Matters – Picking the Right Equipment

KEY AREA 3. Keeping It Fresh – Air Systems, Ducts, and the Environment

KEY AREA 4. Quiet Please – Managing Pool Noise

KEY AREA 5. Teamwork and Making Pools Awesome – Together

We’re kicking things off with the heart of the pool – the plant room. We’ll chat about how big it should be and where it’s best to put it to make sure everything works smoothly.

The Heart of the Pool – Plant Room, Size, and Where to Put It.

The significance of a well-designed plant room often slips under the radar. I’ve been a part of numerous swimming pool projects where the plant room was an afterthought, discovered only when the pool engineer entered the scene. The frantic scramble to fit the plant equipment into an unsuitable space is a familiar tale. The lesson? The plant room deserves consideration early in the design phase. Imagine trying to service a swimming pool when the plant room is the size of a shoebox – not the most pleasant scenario!

Now, let’s delve into SIX KEY ISSUES architects often overlook when contemplating the plant room.

ISSUE 1. Don’t forget the plant room.

One crucial point often missed is ensuring there’s a designated plant room. In my previous roles, I’ve been contracted to install swimming pool equipment, only to discover, after an awkward pause, that the plant room has been forgotten. This often results in a mad rush to find, or should I say “steal” some room from an adjoining space. It may sound ridiculous, but it has happened countless times.

Key Takeaway: Never forget about the plant room.

ISSUE 2. Location Matters

Back when I worked for a domestic pool servicing company, I visited numerous properties where the plant room and pool were located at opposing ends of the house. Not only did this make servicing difficult, but it also impacted the hydraulics of the system. Every meter of pipework, every bend installed, and every meter of vertical displacement forces the hydraulic system to work harder, decreasing filtration efficiency, requiring more energy, which inevitably costs the operator money.

Key Takeaway: The plant room should be as close to the pool as possible to provide the best possible system hydraulics.

ISSUE 3. Space is key.

Whilst the plant room may be located directly next to the pool, if it is the size of a shoe box, fittings all the equipment in, especially for an indoor pool with additional environment control units and ducting, becomes a challenge. According to the Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group (PWTAG), the plant room should be between 15% and 30% of the overall pool water surface area. This figure is more aimed at commercial installations; however, the same principle should also be applied to domestic installation. This will ensure all the plant room has adequate space for all the necessary equipment.

Key Takeaway: Make sure the plant room is large enough.

ISSUE 4. Access is everything.

One thing that every swimming pool is going to need throughout its lifecycle is servicing, whether this be a media change, a chemical injection point cleaning, an air handling unit filter change, or a balance tank cleaning. Unfortunately, this isn’t always considered when designing plant rooms. Access hatches hidden by ducting or pipework make a pool engineer’s job frustrating. This can be avoided by considering future maintenance. Additionally, equipment will eventually fail and will need replacing. No one wants to start removing walls to replace a broken filter tank.

Key Takeaway: Leave plenty of room for access to equipment, access in and out of the plant room, delivery of chemicals, storage of maintenance equipment, and removal of larger equipment.

ISSUE 5. Segregation for Safety

Plant rooms are dangerous rooms, requiring specialised training. Respect needs to be given to the equipment, chemicals, and most importantly – pool plant operators – to operate safely and without unnecessary risk. Unfortunately, this consideration often takes a back seat. I’ve seen chemical bunds (containing liquid chlorine and acid) situated directly next to each other. Cross contamination from this alone can cause serious risk to the operator’s health. Another common issue is locating water top up header tank directly above electrical control panels. If the header tank overflows – there goes the electrics.

Key Takeaway: Safety is critical – keep the risk off cross-contamination low.

ISSUE 6. Environment

Plant rooms aren’t known for their pleasant working environments; they are often hot and uncomfortable. Plant equipment requires a specific environment, whether that be temperature or relative humidity. There are also important requirements, due to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) for ventilations Ozone systems, salt chlorine systems, and chlorine dioxide generators (though the last system is far less common). Moreover, for commercial applications, employers have a responsibility to make sure the room is inline with the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992. Make sure when designing a plant room adequate ventilation is incorporated.

Key Takeaway: Equipment and people don’t work well in extreme environments.

Designing a plant room involves more than meets the eye. This blog is just the beginning of a series aimed at helping architects deliver exceptional pool projects. If you’ve encountered other challenges or have insights into plant room design, share them with us. We’re all ears and eager to explore more in our upcoming posts. Get in touch with Pool Logic at [email protected].

Stay tuned for the next instalment as we unravel the complexities of designing extraordinary swimming pools!