The U.S. Department of Energy has developed a computer software program called Energy Smart Pools. The program is designed to give pool owners an analysis of their pool's current energy consumption and project the potential savings to be realized by implementing a variety of energy management systems that Reduce Swimming Pool Energy Costs.

ENERGY SMART POOLS

The Energy Smart Pools software is based upon recent DOE sponsored evaporation research, standard engineering principles, and accepted calculation methodologies. These studies were conducted by Colorado State University and involved both indoor and outdoor pools under active and passive conditions, yielding a new evaporation rate equation. The results of the studies were reported in ASHRAE Transactions 1998, V. 104: Research #4146, and Symposia DE-93-12-3, and, and the Solar Energy Journal, 1994, vol. 53, no. 1, p.3. The results can be used by pool designers and energy analysts to more accurately predict pool evaporation. A Summary of Results of All Pool Evaporation Rate Studies is presented in the Pool Evaporation Studies section of the web site.

The department discovered that pool owners and operators had a difficult time evaluating pool energy management measures because pool energy use is often metered through the home or facility meter. It is therefore difficult to isolate the cost of pool heating. This is complicated by the fact that pool energy use is dependent on many different variables which makes manually estimated calculations difficult.

The Energy Smart Pools software uses hourly temperature and humidity data along with solar data to provide an accurate simulation of the heat losses and gains of a pool. Over 50 U.S. weather sites are currently available in the software.

The program is intended to provide annualized:

1. Simulation of energy costs
2. Costs, savings, and payback of adding a pool cover system
3. Costs, savings, and payback of adding a solar heating system

In addition to calculating pool heating energy use, it also provides pump energy use; and for indoor pools, ventilation, heating, and motor energy use. The software can also be used to determine savings from use of energy efficient motors, or high efficiency heating systems.

SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

To be able to run the Energy Smart Pools software you need the following equipment, software, and settings:

• Energy Smart Pools software: three 3.5 high density disks
• IBM or 100% IBM compatible 386 or 486 computer with a minimum of 4MB of RAM (8 MB of RAM is recommended)
• A hard disk drive with a minimum of 15MB of free hard disk space
• Windows 3.1 running in enhanced mode
• Virtual memory set at 5-7MB (the more the better)
• Default printer in Windows Print Manager should be HP LaserJet or Epson
• No shadow RAM or cache memory in BIOS

TELL A FRIEND

If you know someone who is interested in saving money on their pool operation, please pass along a copy of this fact sheet to them. Reproduction and distribution of this fact sheet is not restricted, but strongly encouraged.

ESTIMATING COSTS / SAVINGS

The results shown in Table #1 are for several locations around the country and are based upon a set of generic pool input conditions shown in Table #2. Compare the size and conditions of your pool to the results from the Energy Smart Pools software program by choosing a location that most resembles your own.

To derive your estimate:

1. Determine your pool surface area and divide by 1000.
2. Find the location which most closely matches your climate.
3. Multiply the number(s) shown for your location in Table # 1 by the factor determined in Step # 1.
4. Adjust the results for the difference in fuel costs.

Example: A 16' x 30' indoor pool in Dallas.

• 16 x 30 = 480/1000 = .48
• .48 x $4468 = $2145 annual saving in heating costs
• .48 x $1881 = $903 annual savings with a pool cover
• .48 x $1641 = $788 annual savings with a solar system

You may also wish to compare the other conditions used in the examples to those of your pool. This will provide you with a further insight to your estimated cost.

This process will only give you an estimate. An actual analysis using the Energy Smart Pools software is strongly recommended before making any major purchasing decisions.

Table 1. Projected Pool Heating Costs / Savings

Table 2. Input Variables

* Except for Los Angeles, Phoenix and Miami which were year around.

As is the case with any computer simulation program, the base case simulation results should be compared to actual pool heating costs, if available, as actual weather and operating conditions can be highly variable.

This web site is posted here as a service by R. L. Martin & Associates, Inc.. www.rlmartin.com.  This is a former Department of Energy program that no longer has any funding so the infomration is provided here as is.  There is no one to answer any questions anymore.  The site still contains very useful information.