VivoAquatics Updates

Improving sustainability at your commercial pool and spa facilities should be a top priority. Sustainability is more important than ever.

Not only do consumers care more about sustainable products and services, but it’s just the right thing to do. Commercial pools and spas tend to use a lot of energy, water, and chemicals simply to operate at a safe and functional level.

That doesn’t mean that commercial pool and spa facilities can’t reduce their carbon footprint, though. There are a number of ways that pool facilities can increase their sustainability – all while saving time and money, and increasing brand reputation.

This article is going to walk you through everything you need to know about implementing sustainable measures at your commercial pool or spa.

What is Sustainability?

Sustainable practices help the environment. Though global warming and environmental issues tend to be controversial in the United States, it is clear that it is a hot topic- and for good reason.

Scientists warn that humans must make drastic changes to the way we live in order to stave off the worst effects of climate change, and sustainability has become a key word in discussing these necessary changes.

The United Nations Brundtland Commission defines sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

In other words, it’s about living in a way that doesn’t deplete resources or damage the environment beyond repair so that future generations can live comfortably too.

This definition is broad, and sustainability efforts can take many different forms depending on the focus area. The focus of this article is going to be how commercial pools and spas can reduce their carbon footprint to help the environment, attract more consumers, and save money.

Why Sustainability Matters for Commercial Pools and Spas

Sustainability for commercial pools or spas should be a priority for a number of reasons.

Consumers Care About Sustainability

Do consumers care about sustainability? It's a question that brands have been grappling with for years. Some companies have made sustainability a core part of their identity, while others have downplayed it or avoided the topic altogether.

For commercial pools and spas that are serious about finding and retaining patrons, they'll have to get serious about sustainability efforts.

A 2022 study by the IBM Business Institute found that consumers care about sustainability more than ever, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. More than half of all respondents indicated that they were more likely to choose sustainable products and services than a year ago. Additionally, 49 percent of consumers said they have paid, or would pay, a premium for services and products that were more sustainable.

Of course, not all consumers are equally concerned about sustainability. Young people are generally more engaged with the issue than older adults, and affluent consumers are more likely to seek out sustainable products than those with lower incomes.

However, overall, it seems clear that sustainability is becoming increasingly important to consumers around the world. As awareness of environmental and social issues grows, so too does the demand for sustainable products. Brands that fail to pay attention to this trend do so at their own peril.

Sustainability Helps the Environment

Sustainability is important for the environment because it helps to preserve resources, minimize pollution and waste, and prevent climate change. The statistics are dire; the world is using resources at an unsustainable rate, and this is having a devastating impact on the planet.

Sustainability is about using resources in a way that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It’s about living within our means, and making sure that we don’t leave behind a mess for others to clean up.

Sustainability is a key part of protecting the environment for future generations. At VivoAquatics, we believe that we shouldn't have to sacrifice sustainability to run a safe and effective pool, or that we have to sacrifice fitness and recreation to have a safer and healthier planet.

Both are possible, and that makes sustainability more important than ever when it comes to protecting and improving our environment.

Sustainability Saves Money

Commercial pools and spas can be expensive to operate and maintain. But there are ways to reduce costs while still providing a high level of service. One of the best ways to do this is to focus on sustainability.

There are many different aspects of sustainability, but one of the most important is water conservation. This can be achieved in a number of ways, such as using low-flow fixtures, installing rainwater harvesting systems, and using greywater for irrigation.

Another important aspect of sustainability is energy efficiency. This can be accomplished by investing in energy-efficient equipment, using solar power, and implementing other energy-saving strategies.

17 Best Practices for Improving Sustainability at Your Commercial Pool & Spa Facilities

1. Choose the Right Aquatics Operation Software

One of the best ways to save money is to choose the right aquatics operations software. Aquatics operations software is so powerful for commercial pools and spas. It helps monitor the situation at the pool or water feature around the clock. Notifications and updates are sent to your phone, making pool monitoring and management a breeze!

VivoAquatics offers a number of solutions that can help improve sustainability, all while increasing efficiency and saving money.

VivoPoint, VivoPoint Pro, and the VivoPoint Ecosystem all help pool operators and owners like you save money, increase efficiency, and improve sustainability.

VivoPoint allows you to keep track of a ton of different metrics to help you make your commercial pool or spa more sustainable. You can easily save time, money, resources, and the environment by reducing the amount of wasted chemical and water usage.

VivoPoint Pro is the most popular VivoAquatics solution. This powerful tool allows you to automate and manage operations by integrating the software with your chemical controllers. You can easily automate testing, digital tracking, readings, and data. You also get expert support and set up with notifications and alarms on usage, and water chemistry. This software is an excellent way to help make your commercial pool or spa more sustainable.

The VivoAquatics Ecosystem helps you to keep facilities operating sustainably with support from auditing, experts, and resources. You get CPO certification, procurement solutions, energy audits, facility audits, and knowledge base resources. It's not just an aquatics operations software, but an entire ecosystem to run your commercial pool and spa- and help reach your sustainability goals.

No matter which solution you choose, you will be better equipped to save time, money, and resources for your comercial pool or spa. This will help both the environment and your bottom line, which is a win-win for everyone.

2. Conduct Regular Pool and Spa Audits

One of the best ways to increase sustainability for your commercial pool or spa is to regularly conduct audits. This will help ensure that your facility is running as efficiently as possible.

VivoPoint provides many data points so you can see what your commercial pool and/or spa is doing well in, and what areas can be improved.

This helps to create a continuous improvement loop and is an essential part of making your facility more sustainable.

3. Use Advanced Sensing to Increase Sustainability

VivoPoint Pro allows you to easily integrate sensors so you can track and log a variety of parameters including:

• Total Chlorine
• Temperature
• Free Chlorine
• Flow
• Flow Rate
• Chemical tank levels, and more

By monitoring this data historically and currently, commercial pool and spa operators can look for areas of improvement to help increase sustainability and reduce the pool’s carbon footprint.

4. Reduce Chemical Waste

Maintaining accurate and consistent chemical levels helps reduce chemical and water waste. Additionally, it can help increase the life of your commercial pool and spa systems and equipment.

When you use online monitoring, such as VivoPoint, you can determine if you're using the correct amount of chemicals to keep your pool safe, healthy, and compliant- without wasting chemicals.

VivoPoint and VivoPoint Pro help you automatically monitor pool sanitizing and pH levels to deliver exactly what you need. This can help you save money while increasing sustainability at your commercial pool or spa.

Get Automated Notifications to Increase Sustainability

Your commercial pool or spa aquatics operations software should give you automated notifications.

This will help keep your commercial pool or spa operational through automated notifications and alerts that can alert you of:

• Water imbalance
• Chemical supply issues
• Equipment malfunctions
• Potential leaks.

Getting automated notifications means your aquatics operations software is working hard- even when you're sleeping- to ensure that chemicals and water are not wasted. This helps improve your bottom line, reduces guest impact, and increases sustainability.

6. Test Water and Get Water Safety Scoring

Using an aquatics operations software like VivoPoint or VivoPoint Pro, allows you to receive a water safety score for each facility or body of water.

This can be across an entire portfolio or one property. This allows you to easily spot areas that need work.

By isolating the places that need increased attention, you can save on time, chemicals, and money- all while increasing safety and sustainability.

7. Use LED Lighting

Using LED lighting is one of the best ways to improve sustainability at your commercial pool and spa facilities. LEDs use less energy than traditional incandescent or halogen bulbs, and they last much longer, which means fewer replacement bulbs and less waste.

Switching to LED lighting can also help you save money on your energy bills. In fact, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that LEDs use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs and last 25 times longer.

This means a significant reduction in your facility’s energy consumption and costs over time. Not only will you help improve sustainability at your commercial pool or spa, you’ll also enjoy cost savings.

8. Educate staff and customers on Sustainability Initiatives

Educating your staff and customers about your sustainability initiatives is an important part of making them successful.

It can be difficult to implement sustainability measures and interventions if you don’t have everyone on board. To make real change, it’s necessary to teach others why it's’ important, and why your commercial pool or spa is engaged in sustainable practices.

You can do this by:

• Making announcements
• Posting signage
• Writing about it on social media
• Reminding patrons that sustainability is a core value
• Dedicating some of your web page to sustainability practices and initiatives

By spreading the word about your efforts, you can ensure that everyone is on board with making your commercial pool or spa more sustainable.

9. Be a Leader/Advocate for Sustainable Policies

Being a leader in sustainability means setting an example for others to follow. You can do this by promoting sustainability within your own business, and by sharing your knowledge with others.

You can do this in a number of ways that can help you get the word out about sustainability practices, as well as let customers and patrons know what you’re doing.

Consider the following ways to be a leader in sustainability:

• Practice what you preach. Make sure you’re engaging in sustainable measures
• Be proactive. Look for ways that you can continuously improve. Don’t wait for problems to occur before addressing sustainability concerns
• Engage with community partners. You can work with the municipality or township where your commercial pool is located. Partnering with the community can help you make an even bigger sustainable impact, as well as help you gain customers. Win-win.
• Get the word out. You can send out press releases, post a blog, and engage in content marketing and guest posting so others know that commercial pools and spas can become greener. And that benefits everyone- commercial pool and spa owners, customers, and the environment.

10. Use Greener Products

If you operate a commercial pool or spa, it's important to use products that are non-toxic and biodegradable. By doing so, you'll help protect the environment and keep your customers safe.

There are a number of non-toxic and biodegradable products on the market today. You can find these products at most pool and spa supply stores. Be sure to read the labels carefully to make sure the product is safe for use in your pool or spa.

Using non-toxic and biodegradable products is good for the environment and it's also good for business. Your customers will appreciate your commitment to safety and will be more likely to return in the future.

11. Reduce Light Pollution

Light pollution is a growing problem in many parts of the world. It can cause a number of problems, including disrupting wildlife habitats and interfering with astronomical research. But you can help reduce light pollution by taking some simple steps at your commercial pool or spa.

If you operate a commercial pool or spa, you can help reduce light pollution by taking some simple steps.

First, make sure that your facility is using energy-efficient lighting fixtures. Second, use only as much lighting as necessary to maintain safety and visibility. Finally, aim your lights downward whenever possible to minimize light trespass onto neighboring properties. By taking these measures, you can help reduce light pollution while still providing a safe and enjoyable experience for your guests.

12. Install Motion Sensor Lighting

Installing motion sensor lighting at your commercial pool or spa can help save energy and be more sustainable. This type of lighting is activated by movement, so it will only come on when someone is present.

It can be difficult to implement sustainability measures and interventions if you don’t have everyone on board. To make real change, it’s necessary to teach others why it's’ important, and why your commercial pool or spa is engaged in sustainable practices.

There are numerous benefits of installing motion sensor lighting at your commercial pool or spa.

Motion sensor lighting:

• Reduces energy usage and costs
• Lowers carbon footprint
• Increases safety
• May deter crime

If you are interested in sustainability or reducing your energy consumption, motion sensor lighting is a great option to consider. This type of lighting can help save money and resources, while also providing a safer environment for your guests.

13. Use Drought Tolerant Landscaping

There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing drought-resistant plants for your commercial pool or spa. First, consider the climate in your area. If you live in an arid climate, it's important to select plants that can withstand long periods of drought. If you live in a semi-arid climate, it's important to choose plants that can tolerate occasional droughts.

Next, think about the amount of sun and shade your pool or spa will receive. Plants that require full sun may not be the best choice for a shady pool area. Conversely, plants that thrive in shady areas may not do well in a sunny pool area.

Finally, consider the soil type in your area. Some plants do better in sandy soils, while others do better in clay soils. Choosing the right plant for the right soil type will help ensure that your plants are able to withstand the rigors of your climate.

Once you've considered these factors, it's time to start looking at drought-resistant plants for your commercial pool or spa. succulents are a great choice for arid climates, as they are able to store water in their leaves. Cacti are another great choice for arid climates, as they have shallow roots that help them to resist drought.

For semi-arid climates, consider plants such as aloe vera, which is known for its ability to retain water. Other good choices for semi-arid climates include agave, yucca, and cactus.

Finally, for clay soils, consider plants such as Sedum and Sempervivum. These plants have deep roots that help them to access water even in the driest conditions.

When selecting drought-resistant plants for your commercial pool or spa, it's important to remember that not all plants will do well in all climates. It's important to select plants that are appropriate for the climate in which you live. By doing so, you'll ensure that your plants are able to withstand the rigors of your climate and still provide a beautiful and inviting space for your customers- all while easily increasing sustainability at your commercial pool or spa.

14. Serve Locally Sourced Food and Drink

As a business owner, it is important to think about the quality of food and drink that you are offering to your customers. One way to ensure that you are providing high-quality options is to focus on locally sourced food and drink.

There are a few reasons why locally sourced food and drink is so important. First, it helps to support local businesses. When you purchase from local vendors, you are investing in your community and helping to create jobs.

Second, locally sourced food and drink is often fresher and of higher quality than options that are shipped in from elsewhere. This is because the food hasn’t had to travel as far and it is typically harvested at peak ripeness.

Finally, by offering locally sourced food and drink, you can show your customers that you care about sustainability. This is becoming increasingly important to consumers and it can help you attract new business.

If you are looking to add more locally sourced food and drink to your menu, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, you’ll want to make sure that you are working with vendors who you can trust.

Do some research to find out where their products come from and how they are produced. You should also ask about their food safety practices to ensure that you are providing high-quality options to your customers.

Second, it is important to think about how you are going to promote the locally sourced food and drink that you are offering. Make sure that your customers know that you have these options available so they can make informed choices when they visit your business.

Finally, don’t forget to price the products competitively. Locally sourced food and drink can be more expensive than mass-produced options, but it is important to remember that your customers are willing to pay a premium for quality.

By keeping these tips in mind, you can make sure that you are offering the best possible food and drink options to your customers. Locally sourced options will help you attract new business while also showing your commitment to sustainability.

15. Compost Food Waste

If you manage a commercial pool or spa, you probably generate a fair amount of food waste. While this waste can be disposed of in the trash, it's actually quite easy to compost it instead. Composting food waste has many benefits - it reduces the amount of waste going to landfills, it helps fertilize the soil, and it can even save you money on waste disposal fees.

There are a few different ways to compost food waste at a commercial pool or spa. One option is to install a countertop composting unit in the kitchen. This unit will grind up food waste and allow it to decompose naturally. Another option is to have a separate bin for food waste that is taken off-site to be composted.

If you decide to compost food waste at your commercial pool or spa, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, make sure that only organic waste is placed in the compost bin. This means no plastic wrappers or Styrofoam containers. Second, avoid putting meat or dairy products in the compost bin as these can attract pests. Lastly, be sure to keep the compost bin away from pool chemicals as they can kill the helpful bacteria that help decompose the waste.

If you follow these tips, composting food waste at your commercial pool or spa will be easy and beneficial for everyone involved.

16. Implement a Paperless Office

Most businesses use a lot of paper, and this can have a significant impact on the environment. One way to reduce your company's environmental impact is to implement a paperless office. This can be done in a number of ways, such as using digital documents instead of paper ones, or using electronic signatures instead of physical ones.

There are many benefits to going paperless, including reducing your commercial pool or spa's carbon footprint and saving trees. It can also help you save money on things like paper and printer ink. Implementing a paperless office can be a great way to improve your business's sustainability.

17. Measure Your Progress and Set New Goals

You can improve the sustainability of your commercial pool or spa facilities by implementing automated water management, using aquatics operations software to optimize your water usage, conducting regular pool and spa audits, and educating your staff and guests on best practices for sustainability.

Continuously Strive for Improvement

The journey to sustainability is never-ending, and there is always room for improvement. By continuously striving for improvement, you can ensure that your commercial pool or spa is as sustainable as possible.

VivoAquatics is committed to helping commercial pool or spa operators increase their sustainability practices.

The team at VivoAquatics works side by side with all facility operators and owners to help maintain compliance and meet government regulations- all while increasing sustainable practices. We understand the challenges that commercial pool and spa operators face when trying to effectively run a pool.

If you would like to learn more about VivoAquatics software solutions, please book a 15-minute consultation.