Swimming Pools / Leisure / Aquatics / Spas / Health
Issue 110
February/March 2017
Fun in the sun Pool toys and leisure products The power struggle Reducing pool energy costs Swimming with autism Saving and improving lives Commercial filtration Local companies unite
www.splashmagazine.com.au
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Published by The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd ABN 940 025 83 682 41 Bridge Road, Glebe, NSW, 2037 Australia Ph: (02) 9660 2113 Fax: (02) 9660 4419 Managing Director: Simon Grover Managing Director Interpoint Events: Simon Cooper Managing Editor: Chris Maher Phone: 0412 048 639 Email: chrismaher@intermedia.com.au
editorial It’s hot outside, better get a pool
Contributors: Cal Stanley, Veda Dante Advertising Manager: Karen Jaques Phone: (02) 8586 6135 Email: kjaques@intermedia.com.au Senior Designer: Chris Papaspiros Production Manager: Jacqui Cooper
Temperatures have spiked and records have tumbled across the country, with Sydney for example experiencing its hottest summer in the 158 years records have been kept. And we’ve been warned to expect more of the same. Globally, the five hottest years on record are 2016, 2015, 2014, 2010 and 2013. In Australia, they are 2013, 2005, 2014, 2016 and 1998. You wouldn’t gamble on it becoming cooler in a hurry.
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SPLASH! contains NO advertorial. Proudly supported by
The views expressed in this magazine do not necessarily represent those of the above supporters, nor should any product advertised in SPLASH! magazine be seen to be endorsed by the above.
Members of
Audited Circulation Average Total Distribution: 5,729 AMAA/CAB Publisher Statement Period ending September 2016.
The hot, hot summer is a two-edged sword, of course. On the downside are the terrors of bushfires, brown-outs as millions of air-conditioners get switched on, cancelled kids’ sporting events and the prospect of drought. Chris Maher Editor chrismaher@ intermedia.com.au
On the positive side, for us at least, is the fact that everyone wants a swimming pool. Two items of interest surfaced in the real estate media: one said that “swimming pool” was the most searched term by people looking for homes to rent. The other was that more and more home buyers were looking for homes with a pool, or at least with a backyard big enough to put one in. These positive markets indications have not yet been fully realised in the pool DA data from Cordell, but there is a general lag in those figures. It will be interesting to see what the next raft of data shows, but certainly there has been some anecdotal evidence of increased sales. And why not? Splashing in a pool is not only the perfect way to beat the heat, it’s a great way for the family to enjoy quality time together.
This issue’s cover Cover shows families enjoying a dip on a hot day, enhanced by the addition of pool toys and leisure products. There is more on this topic on page 32. Image: SR Smith
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Contents 48
24
Turning “inside” out Cal Stanley looks at Australian Standards and the Australian Constitution, and how they relate to swimming pool boundaries.
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51
The future of energy and pools Tom Boadle forcefully argues that it is better for our industry be in control of the rules and regulations by leading from the front.
51
Water safety and autism spectrum disorder Erika Gleeson discusses why drowning is the leading cause of death among children with autism spectrum disorder, and what we can do about it.
30
Waterpark growth markets The second in the series of interviews with international leaders, SPLASH! talks to Michael Turner, international BDM for Neptune Benson.
Acquisition strengthens local commercial manufacturing We look at how the merger of the two big Australian aquatic filter manufacturers has progressed, and ask Greg Jones what to look for in commercial equipment.
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32
Fun in the sun with pool toys Veda Dante explores what is new in the world of pool toys and leisure products, and looks at the trend for adding “family value” to the swimming pool deck.
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The path to partnership Anthony Davis looks at the steps toward succession and partnership, and the importance of partnership agreements.
regulars News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Global news. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Pool DAs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Commercial news . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Tenders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Expo news . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
New products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Industry moves. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Ad index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
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Construction
Lazaway collapses Well-known Melbourne volume swimming pool builder Lazaway Pools and Spas has collapsed, leaving many Victorian customers in the lurch. There are estimates of more than 100 customers and contractors affected by the collapse, and complaints about Lazaway have been inundating consumers review websites such as Word of Mouth and Product Review. According to a Network Seven report, director Craig White had been previously fined three times for unprofessional work by the Building Practitioners Board (now the VBA). He released a statement to staff in January saying the closure was due to ongoing health issues, falling sales and the ever-increasing difficulty in getting each phase of work completed. SPASA Victoria offered its services to the insurer, the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority (VMIA), as well as to the insurance broker, AB Phillips, to ensure a prompt resolution to the issue. At present the legal status of the builder has not been determined and there is no conclusion to the matter. SPASA Victoria has been liaising with an unspecified number of Lazaway’s customers. SPASA issued an advisory to members to say that constructions that are incomplete are likely to be under legally binding contracts, and will have Domestic Building Insurance (DBI) and be complicated by existing eligibility/warranty issues. SPASA says commencing work on such projects puts members at risk. Registered SPASA Pool Builder and Restricted Members however are free to inspect and issue quotations for the completion of these unfinished jobs. SPASA also provided a list of concrete builders to the VMIA to be circulated to consumers affected by the issue. For a list of SPASA's advice to consumers, including links, go to the QuickLink tab as splashmagazine.com.au..
Real estate
Pools market heats up
According to realestate.com. au, renters spent most of 2016 busily looking for home with a swimming pool. Their data shows more Australians searched for “pool” than any other keyword on in the year to November 30, with more than 84,600 renters seeking the feature in a rented home. Meanwhile across at Domain, the hot summer has seen sales of properties with pools go through the roof. Journalist Sue Williams quotes real estate agents as saying there is a sharp resurgence in the popularity of homes with swimming pools. Rosalie Gordon, principal of the inner-Sydney real estate agency Planet Properties, mentions vendors selling homes without big backyards, so they can move to a property large enough for a pool. Further west, Doug Driscoll, chief executive of western suburbs agency Starr Partners, said that a few years ago people started to shy away from homes with pools. But in the last 12 months and, especially recently with the high temperatures, we’ve seen a real resurgence in demand for homes with pools, and seeing more being built with pools. Out here, land is cheaper so we have more room for them generally. And people want to get outside, but want to be able to do so and keep their cool.” Crystal Pools sales manager Andrew Rothery told Williams its sales this January were three times up on the previous year. “The heat seems to be driving people towards pools, and helping them make their decision much more quickly to put one in,” he said.
Manufacturing
Production resumes after Narellan Pools factory fire The Narellan Pools factory at Burnside Road, Staplyton in Queensland caught fire on February 6, in the second fibreglass pool facility blaze this year following the Compass Pools warehouse fire in January. (See right.) No staff members were injured in the fire and damage was restricted to the production area. There was no loss of stock other than the pools that were being worked on in that area. Peter Baily, COO of Narellan Pools, says there have been no delays for client delivery. The Staplyton fire started in the middle of a Queensland heatwave and after several days of 30-plus temperatures. As many as 14 fire fighting vehicles arrived as 45 firefighters battled the blaze for two hours. Fortunately the fire brigade said the wind speed and direction was favourable when they arrived. The cause is still under investigation. Logan Area Commander Kerry Cumner said initial access to the building was difficult due to its structure, and they had to be careful as there were several hazardous chemicals inside the warehouse at the time of the fire. He said that because of the heatwave, firefighters used breathing apparatuses, were given water and were closely monitored by Queensland Ambulance Service. Baily says the facility is back up and running , albeit at a lower capacity. “The team are working very hard to get back to full production in 8
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Queensland again, and we expect that to be the case in the coming weeks,” he says. “For an interim period, Narellan Pools’ new state-of-the-art Picton facility has been scaled up to ensure there are no delays for clients.” He acknowledged the generosity of the many members of the industry who offered their support following the incident. Firefighters battle the fire inside the Narellan Pools factory at Staplyton.
Image: 9 News Gold Coast
Manufacturing
Market up by four per cent
Compass Pools survives Tomago warehouse fire
While there has been anecdotal evidence of increased interest in swimming pools due the sweltering start to 2017, the available data does not show remarkable movement as yet, with the November 2016 to January 2017 pool DA numbers showing a modest 4 per cent increase.
Compass Pools has had a close shave with a fire running through their stores warehouse at Tomago, New South Wales, which is now their sole manufacturing site for pool shells. The fire took hold of the warehouse on School Drive at 11pm on Friday the 13th of January – and while it seemed black Friday would be an ill omen, there was also some good luck involved. While the stores warehouse was demolished, none of the pool stock was affected, and neither were any of the moulds, offices or the new factory. Additionally, no-one was on site at the time and all losses were covered by insurance. Anthony Cross, Compass Pools Australia CEO, says the biggest inconvenience was the loss of gelcoat chip stocks. “Fortunately we had reserves at our Yatala distribution site, so we resumed normal production on our Sunday night shift, with no interruption to production,” he says. “The new stores warehouse should be completed within four to six months. But we’ve relocated our stores area to another building onsite, as we have a lot more space now since we purchased the adjoining block in the past two years.” The fire appears to have started in a distribution board on the outside wall of the warehouse. Cross says that as a precaution to prevent this type of incident occurring again, they are now implementing a thermal scanning schedule for all their switchboards and distribution boards. “This is relatively cost-effective insurance that I would recommend for all businesses,” he says. The fire demolishedYear theold warehouse 2000 but the office, moulds, pool stock and factory were spared
The three-month data shows New South Wales down 2 per cent and Western Australia down 27 per cent. All other states were on the positive side of the ledger: Queensland up 45 per cent, South Australia up 29 per cent and Victoria up 12 per cent.
Yearly comparison by month
The year-to-date figures also showed a rise of 4 per cent, with South Australia up 29 per cent, Queensland up 11 per cent, New South Wales up 10 per cent, Victoria up 3 per cent and Western Australia down 21 per cent.
Year old
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Dec Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov
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Aug Sept Oct Nov
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Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan
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r new
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While these figures give an indication of the way the market is trending, they are not comprehensive and don’t include all pools built or even all DAs lodged. By some estimates, the total national numbers including all types of pools could be almost double these figures. They do not include pool projects that are approved as part of a new home, smaller projects under the cost threshold, renovations that don’t require a DA, or some aboveground pools. Additionally, not all councils are forthcoming with data or report on time; councils in some states such as Queensland and Victoria are particularly reluctant. For further information, call Cordell Information on 1800 80 60 60.
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Retail
Photobomb competition makes a big splash Daisy Pool Covers has been running a photo competition called the BestPhotoBomb Challenge, with the monthly winner getting a Megaboom waterproof speaker and $500 worth of pool supplies. Andrew Clubb (store manager of Splash’s Pools on the NSW Central Coast) says the Daisy BestPhotoBomb Challenge was a great promotion. “Daisy contacted us to let us know that one of our customers was the November winner,” he says.
“We were obviously excited! Daisy then organised for the winner to be presented with their prize in our store and for photos to be taken. The photos were used to advertise not only the promotion, but our store too. They went up on the Daisy website and were placed all over Facebook for some great PR for our store.” The December winners, Anita and Clint Andrews from WA were also very excited with the win and keen to use their $500 credit at Pool Logic, Malaga.
Pamela Shephard, owner/ manager of Pool Logic says that the promotional material supplied by Daisy made it easy for her staff to tell customers about the competition when they came in for water testing. Even though Pool Logic promoted the competition on their Facebook page, Pamela was quite surprised by the win – as they had not met this customer before. “It just goes to show that there is a bigger audience that we can reach to out there than the customers that we see in-store. Social media can help those new customers find you!” Check out the entries at daisypoolcovers.com.au/ bestphotobomb-entries.
Clint Andrews about to bomb the family. Photo by Anita Andrews
Contracts
WA landscaper fined for non-complying contract Banksia Grove man Gordon Leslie Bodsworth, trading as Utopia Landscape Projects, has been prosecuted by the WA Building Commissioner for offences he committed in contracting for landscaping work at a property in the Perth beachside suburb of Iluka.
associated work, such as pools, fencing, flooring, landscaping, painting and the like where the value of such work is between $7,500 and $500,000.
The Joondalup Magistrates Court found Bodsworth guilty in his absence of two charges under the Home Building Contracts Act 1991 and ordered him to pay fines of $2500 and costs of $414.
If the homebuilding work falls into this category you must: 1. Only enter in a signed written contract with the home owner;
The magistrate found that he:
2. Do not allow unfair terms in the written contract or terms which contract out of the provisions of the Act;
• Failed to ensure that the home building work contract for the work was in writing, contained the date and all the terms of the agreement and was signed by both parties; and
3. Give the home owner a “Notice” prescribed by the Home Building Contracts Regulations at the time of entering into the contract, as per the SPASA Pool Builder and Pool Renovation Contract;
• Entered into a contract which provided for him to receive a deposit in excess of 6.5 per cent of the total value of work (approximately 40 per cent of the total contract value).
4. Take no more than a 6.5 per cent deposit;
Valued at $20,871, the home building work contract was for landscaping works including paving, concreting and the construction of a limestone planter box and retaining wall. The Home Building Contracts Act sets out the minimum requirements for contracts and applies to most homebuilding and
5. Only claim progress payments where the value is the same as the amount of work done; 6. Only undertake any variations where there is agreement to do so, including the cost, ensuring it is in writing and signed. SPASA WA suggests members always use a SPASA Swimming Pool Contract and a SPASA WA Pool Renovation Contract.
Top five online news stories
Keep informed by subscribing to the free online newsletter.
The online stories that made the news over the past two months.
Lazaway Pools and Spas collapses
Video helps pool safety message hit home
Authority “didn’t understand” water science
World’s tallest waterslide to be dismantled
Compass Pools survives Tomago warehouse fire
The well-known Melbourne volume swimming pool builder has left more than 100 customers and contractors in the lurch.
The new pool safety campaign by Royal Life Saving has a very powerful message, wrapped in a glossy MasterChef-style video.
A WA parliamentary committee heard the authority responsible for the trouble-plagued Elizabeth Quay splash park didn’t understand water science.
Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City, USA, will demolish the Verrückt waterslide on which a 10-year-old boy was killed in August.
Compass Pools had a close shave as fire ran through their stores warehouse at Tomago, but spared the pool stock, moulds, offices and the new factory.
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Upcoming events 2017 Mar 11-12
Perth Pool Spa & Outdoor Show, Claremont Gardens
Mar 14
SPASA WA Golf Day, Joondalup Resort
Mar 24
ArchitectureAP Symposium 2017, Brisbane
Apr 5-6
Piscine Asia, Singapore
Apr 21-23
Diesel, Dirt and Turf Expo, Penrith NSW
May 3-4
Victorian Country Pool Managers Conference, Wangaratta
May 12-14
Asia Pool & Spa Expo, Guangzhou, China
May 15-18
AALARA 2017 Annual Conference, Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.
May 17-19
NSW Country Pool Managers Conference, Queanbeyan TBC
May 18-19
Parks and Leisure Australia State Conference, Sebel Harbourside, Kiama
May 20-21
SPASA SA Consumer Show, Adelaide
May 27-28
SPASA Qld Pool Show, Brisbane
June 19-20 ARI Conference, Hunter Valley July 1
SPASA WA 2017 Awards of Excellence Gala Dinner
July 19-21
National Sports Convention, Albert Park, Melbourne
August 31
SPASA Australia Leadership Convention, Jones Bay Wharf, Sydney
August 31
SPASA Australia National Awards of Excellence
Oct 17-20
Piscina BCN, International Swimming Pool Exhibition, Barcelona
Oct 31-Nov3 Aquatech Amsterdam Nov 1-3
IPSPE, Orlando Florida
2018 Aug 1-2
SPLASH! Pool & Spa Trade Show, Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, Southport
More details at splashmagazine.com.au. Dates are subject to change and should be checked with the relevant organisation. Send calendar submissions to info@splashmagazine.com.au.
Sebel Harbourside, Kiama
February/March 2017
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Support
Spa Tech Tips Polyspun filters Since 2000, many spas have included polyspun filter cartridges and low micron bags to offer finer filtration. Often, the low micron filter is used just on the circulation pump; sometimes on all pumps. In all cases these types of filters are designed as a throw-away filter as they’re near impossible to clean or they break down rapidly. Unfortunately most spa owners are unaware that a 3-12 month lifespan is all these filters have. Because some of these cartridges and bags filter down as fine as one micron, it’s critical the following is done for maximising filter life and water quality: 1. Never use clarifiers – clarifiers will choke these filters immediately and they can never recover. Because they filter so fine, they are in effect the clarifier. 2. Do not replace when refilling the spa. Replace one week later so that impurities in the water supply are filtered out into the old filter. The new filter starts off with clean water and can effectively double its normal lifespan. 3. Encourage the spa owner to purchase and stock a minimum of 12-month supply of these filters so they don’t feel they are constantly replacing them – this leads to over-extension of their use and potential equipment failure. For more information contact technical support at Australian Spa Parts 1300 736 025.
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Industry leaders redouble Kokoda effort to help returned soldiers
H
ayward Pool Products Australia managing director Tony Sharpe and Cooke Industries managing director Cliff Cooke will be completing the Kokoda Trek together to mark the 75th anniversary of the Kokoda Trail Campaign. They will be completing the journey not once, but twice – immediately turning around and making the trek in reverse, completing the gruelling trek back-to-back from April 11 to April 24, 2017. Their effort to complete the 192km return journey will raise money for Australian exservice men and women. This will be a reprise of their trek in 2014 when Sharpe and Cooke completed the hike one way, stating at the time that only when you complete the trek do you gain a glimmer of an understanding of what the World War II soldiers endured defending Australia.
Helping returned soldiers
Their decision to make the 2017 trek came after hearing reports of how many modern Australian soldiers suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as physical injuries, and they wished to raise awareness and funds to support them. The opportunity came up to complete the trek again this year, but in order to increase the challenge and raise awareness they are joining a small number of other Australians to complete the trek one way from Owers’ Corner (near Port Moresby) to Kokoda, then immediately turn around and trek from Kokoda back to Owers’ Corner. At the end of the 13-day return trek, Sharpe and
Tony Sharpe and Cliff Cooke, at the start of their 2014 trek
Cooke will attend the Anzac Day service at the Australian war cemetery in Port Moresby where more than 3500 Australians are buried. The guides for the trip are descendants of the original Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels, with group leaders from ProSport Health and Fitness, and No Roads Adventures. Hayward is aiming to raise between $10,000 and $20,000 for the charity Soldier On to help men and women physically and psychologically affected by their service. All funds raised will go directly to Soldier On. There are two ways to contribute: you can help by purchasing a Navigator V-Flex from Hayward Pool Products Australia during February-April, where Hayward will automatically make a donation on your behalf; or you can make a private donation to Soldier On by following the link at splashmagazine.com.au.
Recruitment
Ditching business suits for swimsuits Narellan Pools has moved its recruitment strategy away from traditional sources such as pool builders towards business people from outside the industry. As part of this change in approach, they have also introduced the Pool School, where new franchisees can learn everything about the pool industry during an immersion course that runs over a number of days. To head up Pool School they’ve recruited Amber Mackellar, a former Optus training executive. Peter Baily, COO of Narellan Pools, says it’s no secret that the fibreglass pool industry is booming, and it is important to boast a franchise network focussed on not only delivering a premium product but also delivering a world class client experience. “At Pools School we develop a bespoke learning program catered to the needs of each individual. That way we can ensure that regardless of the background of the individual, we deliver the learning they require to optimise their Narellan Pools business. ” One example is recent recruit, Anders Carlsson. The Narellan Pools Central Coast franchise owner comes with more than 15 years management experience spanning start-ups to large multinationals in Australia, the Middle East and the UK. “None his experience to date is in the swimming pool industry,” says Baily. “Yet with Pool School under his belt, Anders is showing incredibly strong sales well before the season’s peak.”
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news
Expos
Expo News SPASA Australia’s Leadership Convention will be a day full of presentations from acclaimed speakers recognised for their innovative approach to leadership, including author Michael McQueen who dedicates himself to tracking the dominant trends that shape society and business. His presentations have been described as highimpact, research-rich and entertaining. He will present “Winning the Battle for Relevance” at the conference on August 31 at Doltone House, Jones Bay Wharf, Sydney. GL Events has announced that Piscine Asia will be held at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore on April 5 and 6, 2017. The Queensland consumer Pool Spa & Outdoor Living Expo is returning to the RNA Showgrounds Brisbane from May 27 to 28. More than 5000 visitors attended last year’s show with exhibitors reporting an excellent level of sales enquiries. The National Sports Convention will be held in Melbourne on July 19 to 21. The 2016 convention held at Rosehill attracted 600 participants, including over 80 speakers, 55 expo stands and broad representation from all levels of government, sport, education, NFP and the commercial sectors. The goal for 2017 is to address how organisations collaborate, plan, develop and deliver programs to activate people through a more innovative approach. Parks & Leisure Australia is holding its 2017 NSW/ ACT state conference titled Resilience: Adapt & Thrive at the Sebel Harbourside Kiama on May 18 to 19.
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SPASA WA buys big western consumer shows SPASA Western Australia has bought the Pool, Spa & Outdoor Living Expos from Mark and Carol Harper’s company, MH Nominees. The Harpers were previously pool builders with Exclusive Pools and Commercial Aquatics (previously known as AVP), and bought the show from Roger Lefort in 2014. Lefort was manager of SPASA WA when he started the show in 2007 through his own company. After its success, the show grew to have two editions per year, generally in March and September. SPASA WA has been an active event partner with the show since its inception and recently commenced negotiations with MH Nominees to purchase it. Billed as The Holiday at Home Expo and The Get Ready for Summer Expo, the shows are Perth’s only Pool, Spa & Outdoor Living expos and have exclusive agreements in place with the Royal Agricultural Society of WA for use of the Claremont Showgrounds. SPASA WA president Ernie Bevilaqua says it will be a great addition to SPASA WA, and that the Pool Spa & Outdoor living Expos are a unique and cost effective opportunity for members to introduce their products and services to thousands of potential customers under one roof. “Ownership of the Pool, Spa & Outdoor Living Expos allows us to ensure the focus continues to be on our members,” he says. “The market is tough and we need to be at the forefront of consumers’ discretionary spending.
This March will be the last show run by Mark and Carol Harper
SPASA WA now offers more member benefits than ever and in addition to publishing the Choosing Your Pool & Spa Magazine we will now have full control and management of the Pool, Spa & Outdoor Living Expos,” he says. “It’s important that if consumers are looking at buying a new pool or spa, building their dream backyard or even renovating an existing pool they know that the Pool, Spa & Outdoor Living Expos are the best opportunity to see all the leading companies and suppliers at the one location where they can get expert advice and inspiration on transforming their backyard into a year-round living and entertaining area.” The March show will be the last expo organised by the Harpers, and enquiries for that show should still be directed to Carol Harper on 0418 930 498. The first expo under SPASA WA ownership will be in September.
Expo
Victorian consumer show up 22 per cent
The excitement of the Pool & Spa Expo + Outdoor Design Show
SPASA Victoria is celebrating following an increase of visitor attendance to their rejigged summer expo, retitled the Pool & Spa Expo + Outdoor Design Show. The show boasted a 22 per cent increase in visitation over the 2016 expo. It featured 92 exhibitors and SPASA says it was the beginning of an evolution in their consumer shows. “Our incredible feature garden gave those dreaming of a backyard renovation a tangible idea of what’s possible. Having analysed consumer feedback via attendee surveys – as well as anecdotal evidence reported back from our exhibitors – it is clear that consumers are demanding a simple solution to their backyard renovations, ideally a one-stopshop for a complete back door to back fence revolution.”
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news
Industry Moves
Industry moves Sydney-based Shane Mackenzie has been appointed northern sales manager for Cooke Industries, following continued national growth. Mackenzie has held sales and client servicing roles during his 15 years in the pool and spa industry and will be tasked with supporting clients in the northern markets of NSW, the ACT and Queensland. “We’ve had a role there for 12 months, but we had to wait for the right person,” says Cliff Cooke, managing director of Cooke Industries. “Shane is a great fit for our company and will offer tremendous support to our many clients throughout NSW and beyond.” Grant Connors has been appointed as CEO of Aquatics and Recreation Victoria (ARV). Connors has a strong background in aquatics as both a swimming teacher and a senior manager of a Paul Sadler Swimland centre. He will take over following the departure of Anthony McIntosh who joined Little Athletics Victoria. Shane Anderson has been appointed Queensland technical sales representative for Laticrete Australia. A tiler by trade, Anderson comes with many years’ experience in the tile and stone industry having previously worked in technical sales positions. As part of the technical sales team, he will work alongside Mitchell Haw in Queensland, Joe Tabone and Craig Hunter in NSW, and Erin Fraser in Victoria. Don Witte, a longtime presence on APSP and NSPF technical and standards committees and a pioneer in testing the connection between drain covers and entrapment prevention, died in his sleep in November. He was 80.
New Aflex business manager New Zealand inflatable company Aflex Technology has appointed Frank Witowski as its business manager. With extensive experience operating his own successful businesses for many years, Witowski has will manage the day-today business functions and assist the company’s continuing growth. General manager Karen Stratford will move into an executive role and continue as a director. Managing director Martin Stratford says Witowski’s
background will be a valuable asset to Aflex and comes at a busy time for the company, with enormous opportunities in the inflatable water park and commercial pool inflatable categories. “Frank brings an extensive range of skills in business management and will implement the strategy for the next phase of growth, with a focus on the global export market.” Aflex Technology manufactures a large range of New Zealand made inflatable products for open water, commercial pools and land.
Frank Witowski
Industry Moves
WhiteWater appoints global BDM Waterpark equipment manufacturer WhiteWater has appointed Nathan Jones to lead its global attractions sales team. Jones is an industry veteran, having worked in executive management positions for some of the world’s top manufacturers. He has spent the last three years with Nathan Vekoma Rides Manufacturing as Jones their vice president of sales and marketing, North America, where he helped to re-establish their presence in the region. In addition, he was part of the management
team that guided the partnership with Brogent Technologies and oversaw sales operations for the Americas. Prior to that, he spent eight years with WhiteWater as sales director, primarily focused on key accounts in the Americas. His role in leading WhiteWater’s attractions business development will be to guide and complement the waterpark team by heading strategic initiatives to drive future growth for the company within the dry amusement park product portfolio.
Industry moves
Fresh faces at PoolWater Products Pool-Water Products has recently appointed two new staff members. Michelle Parkinson has been appointed internal sales and customer support as part of the Melbourne sales team. She has an impressive background spanning more than a decade in the spa industry, previously undertaking a variety of diverse roles including service co-ordinator for a leading Melbourne spa manufacturer. She is looking forward to expanding her skill set in all facets of pool construction, in-floor cleaning and automation systems. Mark Barrass has been appointed as warehouse and customer support to the Sydney team. Before joining Pool-Water Products, he was a landscaper for a number of years, and prior to that a warehouse supervisor for Sunburst, the fruit company. He will be based at the newly acquired office in Seven Hills.
Michelle Parkinson
Mark Barrass
February/March 2017
SPLASH!
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news
Global
Global news The long running PoolCorp anti-trust lawsuit has finally been put to bed. In November 2011, Nashvillebased pool product distributor PoolCorp reached an agreement with the US Federal Trade Commission which had alleged anticompetitive behaviour. PoolCorp did not admit wrongdoing or pay any penalty. Immediately after the settlement consumers and industry members filed a suit against PoolCorp and in 2012 the plaintiffs added Pentair, Hayward and Zodiac to the suit. By 2015, the manufacturers had settled, paying nearly $US16 million between them. But PoolCorp continued and eventually received a favourable ruling from Judge Sarah S Vance. The plaintiffs initially filed an intention to appeal, but have now opted to let it pass, finally putting the case to rest. Pentair has acquired Danish manufacturer Union Engineering, specialists in sustainable technologies for capturing, recovering and purifying carbon dioxide. “Pentair is committed to providing innovative solutions that help build a safer, more sustainable world,” says Daniel Stirpe, Pentair Vice President, Process Technologies. “Reducing carbon dioxide emissions and utilising renewable energy sources are global challenges which Pentair addresses with its carbon dioxide capture and reuse and biogas upgrading solutions, and the addition of Union Engineering’s solutions and services will provide customers greater access to innovative solutions and a wider and complementary product portfolio.”
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SPLASH!
February/March 2017
APSP & NSPF boards will not unite The board of directors of the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals (APSP) and the National Swimming Pool Foundation (NSPF) have announced they will not continue with the unification process to consolidate the two organisations. After reviewing the discovery information and recognising the work and financial investment required to create one unified organization, the APSP and NSPF Boards have decided to align their efforts, where both entities will still remain independent, but strive to enhance the collaboration and synergy between the organisations. They will continue to seek opportunities to work collaboratively to positively impact the aquatics community.
Meanwhile, two of the founders of Genesis have taken places on the board of NSPF. Brian Van Bower and Skip Phillips were principals with Genesis since 1998 and merged the company with NSPF in January 2016 where they took on the new role as Genesis Ambassadors. Van Bower, CEO of Aquatic Consultants, and Phillips, president of Questar Pools and Spas, have a long history of leadership in design, construction and education. “We have a vision that the pool, hot tub, and aquatic field will play a greater role helping more families live happier and healthier lives,” says Bruce Dunn, NSPF chairman.
Obituary
Spa inspiration passes away Ken Jacuzzi, the person who was the inspiration for his father Candido’s invention – the Jacuzzi whirlpool – has passed away aged 75. Candido and his brothers founded what became Jacuzzi Group Worldwide, still a leading manufacturer of in-home baths and portable hot tubs. When told by a doctor that Ken would not live to see his third birthday, Candido invented a pump to give his son painrelieving hydrotherapy treatments at home. That hydrotherapy pump led to what is known as the Jacuzzi brand today. Not only did Ken see his third birthday, he saw his 75th! After a long and successful life in manufacturing, marketing and research and development around the globe, Ken Jacuzzi passed away in January. The Jacuzzi family were immigrants from Italy who migrated to the Californian orchards as fruit pickers. Eventually the seven Jacuzzi brothers moved north to Berkeley and established a factory manufacturing aeroplane propellers, and in the early 1900s they invented the first enclosed cabin monoplane. This airplane carried mail and ferried passengers from the San Francisco Bay Area to Yosemite National Park. Ken was born in 1941 and just before he turned two he contracted strep throat which evolved into rheumatic fever, which in turn evolved into juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. “It affects the whole body, not just the joints,” he said in a video made last year. A rheumatologist placed him in a large stainless steel hydrotherapy tub for treatment, and his mother noticed he was more flexible and comfortable after the hydrotherapy. She convinced Candido to make a pump they could use at home to achieve the same effect. Once it was made the
doctor visited the home and was so impressed he encouraged them to make and market the product so it could help more families. Candido followed his advice, and they started selling them through dealers. “You really felt the effect immediately,” said Ken. “Pain reduction and flexibility, the buoyancy of water combined with the Candido Jacuzzi massage and the warm water, and Ken it really feels good. They Jacuzzi with the hydrotherapy has really allowed whirlpool pump me to live a normal lifespan.” A TV program called Queen for a Day, watched by 20 million people in the 1950s, showcased the product and gave it away as a prize. It became famous overnight. In 1979 the family sold its business to Kidde Inc and other family members retired or left the business except Roy Jacuzzi who invented what became known as the Jacuzzi tub, and Ken who worked in the business in Italy. Candido passed away in 1986. Bob Rowan, Jacuzzi CEO, says that it was with great sadness they learned of Ken’s passing. “He lived his life with grace and great dignity, and was an honourable humanitarian. He was the inspiration of not only the Jacuzzi Brand, but an entire industry. Our deepest sympathies go out to his wife and extended family.” As well as gaining an master’s degree and working for Jacuzzi’s Italian operation in marketing and R&D, Ken had an accomplished career working for the disabled, at one time serving as the Arizona director of the Office for Americans with Disabilities. He also published a memoir chronicling his experience growing up with a debilitating condition in an immigrant family full of inventors.
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news
Recognition
Brauer wins innovation award In Brief SPASA NSW & ACT has responded to the Lambert Review Final Report and the Government’s Response on Swimming Pool Regulation. While SPASA’s response supports the government’s position regarding a number of recommendations made in the Lambert Report, they say there are still many missed opportunities that could have a significant positive impact to pool and spa safety. They believe that the combined objectives around safety can only be realised by continuing to invest in appropriate participation, consultation, policy reforms and education. SPASA says it remains committed to working with government to ensure that any water safety reforms and initiatives have the best chance at minimising the potential for accidents to occur. You can read the full response by following a link at splashmagazine. com.au. Royal Life Saving ACT figures show that only one in seven ACT children can swim 50 metres by the time they leave primary school, meaning only 15 per cent of ACT students meet the national benchmark set by the Australian Water Safety Council. Until 2014, the ACT government subsidised the 10-day intensive pool-based Swim and Survive program for all year levels. Now it only subsidises the Aquasafe program, a water safety and awareness program for Year 2 students.
Brauer Industries won the Mayor’s Innovation Award at the Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards. Brauer was set up in 2004 and is now manufacturing ozone-based technologies for both commercial and residential applications. The judges said that Brauer has produced, patented and proven the effectiveness of their ozone technology across a large portfolio of products in many industries and are heavily invested in research and development to improve the standard of air and water treatment. Jenna McLachlan says Brauer Industries has had a productive year with increasing demand for the patented ozone technology. “With flagship products such as Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) for commercial pools and Ozone Swim for domestic pools, Brauer Industries are changing lives and saving
Australians a great deal in both chemical and water usage costs,” she says. She says they have set their sights set on a sustainable future with some exciting new plans and products to introduce to the market in 2017.
Picking up the Mayor’s Innovation Award
Distribution
Lo-Chlor to market Pooltrackr in Australia Pooltrackr has announced that its breakthrough pool industry app will be distributed in Australia by Lo-Chlor Chemicals, leading manufacturer of specialty pool and spa chemicals. Pooltrackr is an end-to-end job management app for pool technicians and pool shops. The app will launch in Australia in April 2017 and in the USA in September. Paul Simons, managing director of Lo-Chlor Chemicals and Poolcorp International Pty Ltd, says there are already hundreds of interested parties from sole traders to global enterprises. “For years now our company has been looking for a local business with experience and knowledge in both the digital world and the pool and spa industry,” says Simons. “Ben
Richards and his team are the answer and I’m pleased to be a part of this exciting future for our industry. Pooltrackr is set to change our industry for the better.” Ben Richards, CEO of Pooltrackr Pty Ltd, says they’re excited to have Lo-Chlor on board as a distributor in Australia and look forward to working with them on the global expansion. “Paul Simons and John Harding from LoChlor saw the potential of Pooltrackr from day one, when it was just a few scribbles on a whiteboard,” says Richards. “They have been actively collaborating with us to ensure that it meets the complex requirements of the industry. Their vision and expertise has been invaluable and has helped evolve the product into what it is today.”
Insurance
NSW premiums set to rise The NSW Government is overhauling the Home Building Compensation Fund. Key elements are: Premium increases will take effect in early 2017 to ensure the scheme’s sustainability; Broker commissions will be phased out, eliminating 15 per cent of the current policy cost;
Insurers will be able to offer split cover for defects and non-completion, with homeowners entitled to $340,000 of cover for each product; Risk-based pricing will be introduced, so premiums better reflect a builders’ individual level of risk. February/March 2017
SPLASH!
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news
Recognition
D&D wins MBA export award In Brief A Sunday Times survey of Perth’s 29 councils showed 17,415 pools were found to be noncompliant over the past 12 months. Up to half of all family pools in some council areas were unsafe, while in the Shire of Kalamunda, 84 per cent of the 2930 pools inspected received with rectification notices. Under WA building laws, councils must inspect backyard pools every four years. Common safety failures included damaged fencing, gates that fail to self-close, climbable objects near the barrier and insecure windows which back onto pool areas. Local councils also highlighted the growing popularity of inflatable pools as a major drowning risk to babies and toddlers. After Kalamunda, the worst offending suburbs were Mundaring (55 per cent of pools failing), Claremont (52 per cent), Joondalup (51 per cent), Stirling (50 per cent) and Vincent (48 per cent). If fire ants aren’t wiped out in Queensland shortly, they could spread across the county, according to an independent review of the eradication program. Red fire ants originated in South America and have been responsible for at least 85 deaths in the United States, and cause trouble for builders digging in the ground as well as farmers. Currently restricted to Queensland, estimates suggest the ant colonies are now about 50 kilometres from the New South Wales border.
Australian-owned gate hardware design and manufacturing company, D&D Technologies Pty Ltd, recently won the 2016 Master Builders Australia National Export Award. D&D, manufacturer of the multi-award-winning MagnaLatch pool safety gate latch, took out the prestigious award at a glittering black-tie event at Parliament House, Canberra. The National Export Award category is sponsored by the Australian Made Campaign to recognise the outstanding export performance of members and others in the Australian building and construction industry in the export market. The export award capped off a big 2016 for D&D, which also released a deluxe version of its safety latch. The new MagnaLatch Alert is essentially a MagnaLatch with inbuilt dual electronic alarms: flashing LEDs and audible alerts. A single beep notifies pool owners, carers and childcare centres whenever a gate is entered or exited.
The alarm mode only begins to ramp up if the gate is left open for more than 15 seconds. The product can be mounted as easily as any MagnaLatch, with no need for wiring, electricians or special tools. D&D Technologies invented magnetic gate latches and polymer safety gate hinges in the 1990s.
MagnaLatch manufacturer D&D Technologies picked up the national export award at Parliament House, Canberra
Retail
Swimart pool and spa franchise network grows Swimart pool and spa franchise network began back in 1983 as a single pool retail store in the Sydney suburb of Killara. Over the intervening 34 years, it has grown into an extensive network of 73 franchise outlets and more than 250 mobile service vans across Australia and New Zealand. Swimart claims the largest turnover of any pool and spa network across Australasia. Recently, the bricks and mortar business model has been enhanced by the launch of its first two mobile franchisees – one in Byron Bay on the NSW North Coast and the other in the Queensland city of Mackay. Chris Fitzmaurice, Australasian manager of Swimart, says that although they are firmly committed to the bricks and mortar business model, they believe there is a market for mobile franchisees as well. He says that before assigning a territory, Swimart does a SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunity, threats) analysis of the area and researches elements such as the number of pools in the vicinity, in addition to any existing competition to ensure it will be a viable and profitable business. The franchisee is then given exclusive marketing rights over that particular area to maximise their business returns.
Digital solutions safeguard bricks and mortar Fitzmaurice says that Swimart offers a digital solution and e-commerce on its website, but the need for specialist product knowledge and expertise means customers are directed to their local store for more technical items such as pumps, filters and pool heaters. “This means we can compete with purely online competitors as we provide a premium service thanks to our ongoing face to face and online staff training programs,” he says. “Not all online providers have the specialised knowledge base to offer the right advice that we can and we often get enquiries to help ‘fix’ the mess customers have got into due to ill-informed online purchases. We like to think of ourselves as a face-to-face Dr Google for anything and everything you need to know about pools and spas.” The Swimart pool and spa franchise network now has 73 outlets and 250 vans
“We are not interested in growing the Swimart network just for the sake of it,” says Fitzmaurice.
February/March 2017
SPLASH!
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Turning “inside” out:
interpretations of Australian Standards and the erosion of the Australian Constitution By Cal Stanley
I
want discuss two documents that might seem unrelated, but are actually linked: Australian Standard AS1926.1 and the Constitution of Australia.
The Constitution
Australia’s Constitution, based on the Westminster model, provides for the separation of powers. This means: 1. The power to make laws is exclusive to the Legislature – our elected members of the House of Representatives and the Senate. 2. The power to apply and enforce those laws rests with the Executive and is exercised by the ministers of the government of the day through various government departments. 3. The power to interpret and judge whether they apply in individual cases rests with the Judiciary through the High Court. A minor exception to this separation of powers rule is the power given by parliament to ministers to make the Regulations to the various Acts of parliament to make them workable. However these regulations are still subject to the scrutiny and approval of elected members. The powers of one cannot be usurped, appropriated or used by either of the others. These fundamental powers, through federal and state legislation filter down and apply to the states and on to local councils. A law or by-law made at a lower government level will be enforceable only to the extent that it is provided for by or is in conformity with a law passed by a higher level of government. In short, laws can only be enacted by elected persons, applied by paid government employees, interpreted by magistrates and judges; and you and I have to suffer the lot of them. That’s just the way it is – that’s the way it has always been since Federation on January 1, 1901. Or is it? I have discovered one area where this principle of separation of powers is gradually being eroded and abused. Furthermore it is now beginning to affect many people in the swimming and spa business. At present it seems limited to Western Australia and New South Wales but it will undoubtedly spread to South Australia and Victoria in due course.
Australian Standards
Many Standards are written in a compulsory manner using “shall” and “must” throughout; and when called up in Legislation they become law. In the development of some Standards such as AS3000 Wiring Rules and AS5601 Gas Installations, state regulators, part of the Executive, are involved in setting the Standards. For a new standard this may be fine as the legislature or the relevant minister will then approve its use in an Act or Regulation. 24 SPLASH!
February/March 2017
However, when a Standard that is initially approved by legislation is later altered by revision, in many cases, changes made automatically become law. When members of the Executive take part in the changing of a Standard of which compliance is already enshrined in legislation, then they are effectively making new laws and in doing so breach the separation of powers principle. Those new laws have been, at least partially, made by the same executive that is charged with implementing or enforcing them.
AS1926.1 Clause 2.3.1
NSW regulators at various levels have begun forcing the application of the 500mm exclusion zone in Clause 2.3.1 (of the Standard) to boundary barriers. The regulators in WA are about to try and do the same. All the technical arguments for this by the NSW Building Professionals Board (BPB) hold less water than your shower head after the tap is turned off. Their ridiculous argument is that the difference in the 1.3.24 definition of “within the property” against 2.3.1 with “within a property” means 1.3.24 is not applicable, and that 2.3.1 being located under the heading of Barriers is justification for their interpretation. Regardless of any definition or Section heading, Clause 2.3.1 alone limits the exclusion zone to a barrier within a property. It does this because the most common definitions of “within” are “inside” or “inside limits”. In this case, the limit to any property is its boundary and the Standard defines a boundary barrier to be a barrier that forms a dividing barrier between two properties. As 2.3.1 clearly applies to a “barrier within a property”, it must therefore follow that a boundary barrier that is the limit of the property cannot in fact, be “within” that property. The Regulators are wrong – well that is my belief anyway.
Back to the Constitution
The Constitution does not permit the executive to make laws or enforce them without legislative approval. Thus any attempt to order or implement an exclusion zone on the inside of a boundary barrier by a person in the Executive or another person authorised by such a person is, I believe, unenforceable at law because the Executive cannot make laws in this country. It just needs a brave and wealthy pool owner to mount a challenge. The BPB will undoubtedly claim that they act under advice from the NSW solicitor general. That advice is an opinion only and unless tested and ratified as correct by the Judiciary, it is of no legal effect.
NSW out-of-ground pool walls
The NSW regulators will not permit an out-of-ground pool wall that complies with all the provisions of AS1926.1 to be used as a pool barrier. Their argument for this stems from the Swimming Pools Act 1992, Clause 7 (1) which states: “The owner of the premises on which a
feature
swimming pool is situated must ensure that the swimming pool is at all times surrounded by a child-resistant barrier: (a) that separates the swimming pool from any residential building situated on the premises and from any place (whether public or private) adjoining the premises, and (b) that is designed, constructed, installed and maintained in accordance with the standards prescribed by the regulations.” In other words, as a pool is required to be separated from the house by a barrier it cannot of itself be that barrier. I thought the real “pool” was the water! However the barrier is, according the 7 (1)(b) required to comply with standards prescribed by the regulations. The applicable regulation is Clause 5 (1) which requires compliance with the BCA and the BCA requirement is compliance with AS1926.1 which permits this very barrier. So why is this barrier denied to pool owners in NSW? Because, prior the issuing of the 2013 edition of the BCA someone (one assumes from the BPB or another government agency) advised the BCA to insert an “exception” to the application of the Standard that reads “subject to outof-ground pool walls …not being considered effective barriers.” To my knowledge no-one has been able to find the source of this variation or exception in the BCA and as it does not have any legislative back-up it can only have come by way of some interpretation by someone in that “executive” branch of government in NSW. As I have demonstrated above, the executive branch of government does not have the constitutional power to make laws in this manner or any other so it could be argued that this provision is also unenforceable at law.
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In closing
The real issue is that the Executive will continue doing these types of things until challenged in court over it, and who really wants to end up with a High Court case over a pool barrier. Certainly I don’t and I suspect no pool owner wants to either. So we all sit back and cop this form of bullying from governments and local councils and they will continue with it. Because not only do they have the resources to fight any court case but should they lose, they would simply turn around and do it all the correct way with a legislative amendment. I recently came across this quote but even this does not appear to work well for our industry. The High Court said in Lange v ABC (1997): Under a legal system based on the common law, “everybody is free to do anything, subject only to the provisions of the law”, so that one proceeds “upon an assumption of freedom of speech” and turns to the law “to discover the established exceptions to it”. So as citizens of this country, while we must obey and act within every law, we are not required to do anything that is not required of us by a law. If a council, inspector or certifier wants you to install your pool barrier in a manner that is not specifically required by the relevant Act and Regulations or where cited therein, by AS1926.1, then you don’t have to do it. But remember also that the “law” will likely also include the many precedents set by the outcome of court cases. So without specialised and costly legal advice a challenge may not be worthwhile and one way or another, the bastards and the bullies will normally win. n For these informative articles, Cal Stanley draws on his 35 years’ experience and success in pool construction, having run award-winning Neptune Pools in Western Australia for three decades, and sitting on many standards committees and industry body boards. For the past five years he has worked as a pool consultant and trainer and delivers hydraulics courses for the swimming pool industry. If you have a question regarding his columns or a have a topic you think he should delve into, contact him on: neptunepools@westnet.com.au
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POOL TECHNOLOGY EXPERTS
February/March 2017 SPLASH! 25
feature
Heating a pool for just six months can use more energy than an entire household for a year
The future of
By Tom Boadle
energy and pools This article by Tom Boadle, general manager of Sunbather Pool Heating, is based on his popular and somewhat provocative presentation at SPLASH! on the Gold Coast last August.
T
he world is changing rapidly when it comes to trends in energy consumption, and the Australian swimming pool industry may well be in for a nasty surprise unless it begins to takes this issue seriously. Politicians are arguing about what our national renewable energy target should be. Traditional energy generators are slowly being squeezed out of the market. Disruptive blackouts have occurred and domestic fuel prices are surging. There is little evidence of what is going to fill the looming gap over the next decade and virtually all experts are telling us to expect sharp rises in energy costs. When you build a house, the number of energy rating regulation hoops you must now jump through is quite daunting, yet when a pool is built there are little or no regulatory requirements for energy ratings. For years the pool industry has been flying under the energy regulator’s radar while they target more obvious household products that consume larger amounts of energy. But that may well be about to change.
So how much energy does a pool really use?
The average Australian household without a pool uses 19.8kW of energy or $4.50 per day. That is over 6500 kW or $1624 per year. The average
pool – without heating or infloor – uses around 1750kW or $438 per year. Thanks to recent pool equipment advancements, filtering, sanitising and lighting, an unheated pool now uses an acceptable amount of power. However, heating the pool water remains an energy consuming monster. Few realise that water takes 3542 times more energy to heat than air. That’s why around 85 per cent of the average heated pool’s energy consumption will be used just to keep the pool water warm through the swim season. Regardless of what type of equipment is installed – solar heating, heat pump, gas heater, pool cover, in-floor cleaning etc – a heated pool demands up to 8000kW of energy per annum to keep it warm. That’s more than double the energy consumption of the average household. That’s a problem for the pool industry. Energy consumption and the heat losses on that scale, just from heating the average backyard pool, are nothing short of wasteful when we compare it to other household items. There is also the cost of generating so much energy and that depends on how it is generated. The three main options are solar, heat pump or gas, and with some, the costs can exceed $2000 per annum (these figures are based on a 32sqm Sydney pool, kept at 28 degrees for six months).
The big issue
Pool heating is now the largest and most important conservation issue for pools. Australia leads the world in per capita pool ownership, so we should be showing the rest of the world how to build energy efficient pools. We should be developing and installing the most energy efficient pool equipment and also using the most energy efficient construction techniques and materials. Mandatory changes designed to reduce the energy footprint of new buildings have resulted in the introduction of insulated slabs, insulated composite concrete walls, double glazing, better ceiling and wall insulation and generally more energy-efficient initiatives. Comparatively most of the changes in swimming pool construction over the past 20 years have been aesthetic features such as vanishing edges, spillways and different interior finishes. Little has been done to insulate exposed walls or to increase the heat retention qualities of the commonly used construction materials even though great advances have been made using these same innovative materials in the housing construction industry. With pool equipment, great advances have been made with smarter controls, pump efficiency, pool covers, filtration and lighting, but in general the pool industry does not want to talk openly about pool water heating costs with their customers and this is largely due to a lack of education. If the industry continues to avoid the difficult topic of running costs then how are they going to cope when regulators become serious about mandating change? As part of the solar industry since its inception, we at Sunbather obviously believe that using solar to heat our pools is the best way to keep the regulators at bay. Thankfully, the statistics and the science back up our claims and the regulators also agree. Solar is without doubt the cheapest and by far the most energy efficient way to heat a pool, but even with solar there are serious misconceptions. February/March 2017
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LEFT: Solar pool heating can capture the sun’s heat and store it directly in a blanketed pool MIDDLE: Tom Boadle delivering his presentation on the Gold Coast FAR RIGHT: There will be more competition for the battery capacity in future from items such as electric cars
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Is the future of pool heating battery storage?
If Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla, gets his way then many of our homes will be off the grid using photovoltaic panels to collect energy from the sun, and his battery storage technology will store it for later use. If the uptake of battery storage in Australia is anything like the last 10 years of PV panel installations, then it gives us a picture of how we will produce our energy in the future. Musk’s $5 billion battery factory is under construction and is likely to be very busy. But some people mistakenly believe that their rooftop PV solar installation will offset any pool heating bills that an electric pool heater (commonly known as a heat pump) would generate and, while theoretically that could be true, in practice it is not a likely scenario. The theory is that the energy from PV panels, installed at significant expense, will provide enough electricity to run the electric pool heater, thereby eliminating the high cost of running that electric heater. But
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as has already been shown, the amount of energy required to heat a pool is equivalent to the amount of energy required to heat an entire home. At this point in time, PV panels struggle to meet that level every day but, if they could, would the householder want to use that investment in PV just to heat his pool while his household continues to run on energy purchased from the grid? It would mean buying an electric pool heater, plus an array of PV panels just to heat the pool and based on PV averages, the power generated is still likely to fall short of the heat pump requirements. That’s a very expensive and complex pool heating system which can get customers offside. As smart meters get smarter and iPhones keep pool owners up to date with exactly how much energy is
being used in and around the house, pool customers will be in full control of when and where they use their power. They will make better informed decisions about how and when to heat their pools. Global game changers such as Google, Apple and Tesla are all investing in this field, as they recognise that once energy is captured and stored in a battery in your home, customers will be more frugal with their consumption and will be out to reduce wastage wherever possible by making more informed decisions on where they use their stored electricity. In the foreseeable future, they will need every watt of it to run their household and even power their electric car. They won’t want to waste all of it on pool heating when there are alternatives that are so much more practical and logical, and so much cheaper. So, with both economics and science behind heating pools by battery storage being unfavourable, the sun’s free energy looks certain to remain the main energy source for swimming pool heating into the future. The temperature requirements fall into precisely the high heat efficiency transfer bracket that makes thermal solar pool heating collectors perfect for heating pools. There is no need to convert the sun’s thermal energy into electricity and then back again into thermal energy at great expense so it can heat a pool when that thermal energy can be transferred inexpensively from the sun directly into the pool. And there’s no need for expensive battery storage when the large body of water in the pool is the perfect “battery” for storing the sun’s thermal energy. That amount of water, combined with a simple thermal pool blanket, will retain the sun’s thermal energy long after the sun has set each day.
You don’t become better by being the same.
The pool industry has the opportunity to keep ahead of impending change by being well informed about actual pool heating costs and recommending design and construction methods that are the most energy efficient. If the industry doesn’t recognise the mood for change then it may be forced to self-regulate or be regulated. If we can make the right energy decisions, and sell customers more energy efficient solutions now, the energy regulators will be more likely to look elsewhere when legislating to reduce the nation’s carbon footprint. But, if we remain locked into the status quo, particularly with the heating of pools by recommending inefficient products that consume unnecessarily large amounts of energy for little public benefit and by using inefficient methods of pool construction, then they will have plenty to investigate and regulate. Personally, I would like to see us as an industry be in control of the rules and regulations imposed on us by leading from the front. Being led by regulators may lock the industry into having to concentrate on compliance rather than leading with world class innovation. n
A D O KOK LENGE L ! K A C H A C TO B r On Soldie g n i t r uppo ® udly s o r p ard Hayw
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Hayward® Australia MD Tony Sharpe & Cooke Industries MD Cliff Cooke will be completing the Kokoda Trek to mark the 75th Anniversary of the Kokoda Trail campaign. From April 11 to April 24, 2017 they will walk the 192km return journey to raise money for our ex-service men and women.
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To read more visit: www.hayward-pool.com.au To make a donation directly visit: http://bit.ly/2jX0buj
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Image Credit: Leandro Neumann Ciuffo
Middle East and Asia proving to be waterpark growth markets
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n the second in the series of interviews with international leaders recorded at SPLASH! 2016 on the Gold Coast, we spoke to Michael Turner, international business development manager for Neptune Benson. He talks about the acquisition by Evoqua, the growth of markets for waterparks, and just what went wrong at the Rio Olympics.
Evoqua acquisition
Turner was at the Rio Olympics and witnessed the issues with the infamous green pools
He says the Middle East is definitely a growth area for waterparks, despite the challenges they faced during the global financial crisis in 2008. “There were lots of projects going to be built for Dubailand and they all stopped. We’re now seeing a re-emergence of some of the properties: Legoland is getting ready to open up a waterpark there, Six Flags is looking there, SeaWorld is looking there. So there is growth potential.” He adds that the Australian market is one of the strongest markets they have worldwide, second only to North America. “Australia for various reasons is very strong on using our ultrafine filtration.”
In April 2016, Evoqua Water Technologies bought Neptune Benson. Turner says the acquisition certainly provides Neptune Benson with a much larger presence. “Evoqua is an 8000-person company; they do about a million The Rio Pools dollars in business worldwide. They certainly are allowing us to Turner had been at Rio Olympic Games and saw first-hand what have more offices around the world, more support centres around was happening with the problematic green pools. the world, and just a bigger presence. One of the things Neptune “There were lots of challenges for FINA. From the reporting Benson brings to Evoqua is that they’re not really focussed and from being there, I’d say there was a mismanagement of the on aquatics. They have a lot of water quality. They did not manage industrial, municipal products they the pH of the water, they overdosed, take care of. And their missing piece and they had an older filtration was aquatics; we fit that part for system,” he says. “We have to make sure the pH them, and there’s going to be great He points out that some of the is the right level to maintain growth potential for us.” competition pools were crystal and disinfect the water.” He says the management of clear – those built by Myrtha using Neptune Benson hasn’t really changed. Defender filtration and other modern However, the CEO of the company equipment – but the ones that turned has been elevated to the board of green were using older sand filtration. directors of Evoqua, and a new general manager has come in to run “They mismanaged the dosing of the chemicals and had no new the day-to-day operations. technology managing it,” he says. He says that pH is the key. “We have to make sure the pH is the right level to maintain and Waterpark growth disinfect the water. The pH was put out of balance, and then the “Waterparks are probably 65 per cent of our business,” he says. algae was able to grow. I was there on the Friday when they drained “The remaining part is usually aquatic centres, swimming pools and the pools that were green and pumped in the ‘Defender’ clean water that aspect of it. But waterparks are a big part of our business.” so they could use those pools for competition on the Saturday. It was He says that as economies in Asia and the Middle East grow and people an all-night process to do that.” have more disposable income, more waterparks are being built there. He believes FINA won’t be using legacy systems in future. “Waterparks are probably the easiest cost-effective way to build “They could have used legacy systems to hold the water, but they attraction facilities. You see huge growth in the Middle East – a needed to have something to maintain the quality of clarity and warm area – we see huge growth in Asia – another warm area. And disinfection.” n that’s the quickest way to provide attractions to the citizens.” 30
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Dontek Solar Controllers Wild Wadi Waterpark with the Burj Al Arab in the background. The growth in waterparks in the Middle East is due to a combination of factors
Smarter By Degrees
Introducin AquaSma g rt
Econom Reliable. S ical. marter.
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See the video interview online You can find videos from the international leaders series online at splashmagazine.com.au/video. Currently uploaded are the interviews with Michael Turner and Carlos Del Amo, global marketing director of Pentair. Others due to be uploaded include Gary Pogharian, maintenance director at Yas Waterworld, and Michael Sessler, business development vice president of Magen Eco-Energy.
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Michael Turner, international business development manager for Neptune Benson
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Fun for the whole family
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Image: SR Smith
By Veda Dante
Fun in the sun with pool toys and leisure products
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or millions of Australians, summer is synonymous with splashing around in a swimming pool. This timeless pastime is made significantly more enjoyable when you add toys to the equation, especially those you can float on, dive down to, or throw around with your friends. While dive sticks, pool noodles or floating chairs remain perennial favourites, this summer there has been an explosion of leisure products that are not only reasonably priced and widely available, but also bridge the gap between the young and the young at heart.
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Celebrity inflates the image of pool toys
For Pool Systems commercial manager Anthony Ramsay, lazing by the pool (or in it) is a fundamental part of enjoying the Australian summer. This year’s must-have, on-trend summer pool party accessory has been the brightly coloured, larger-than-life inflatable pool floats and toys. And, of course, it was all shared on social media. Ramsay says that giant inflatable pool toys “blew up” on social media this season, turning fashion floats into a hot market opportunity. “The stars came shining their spotlight on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook,” he says. “They were posing by themselves, as couples, or in groups on their favourite blowups of birds, fruit and food.” He says credit must be given to USA supplier Swimline which kicked off the blow-up pool float movement in 2007 with its series of over-sized birds and animal ride-ons. “While the trend has grown to include giant food items, Swimline’s swan is what started it all. Everyone loves it because of its classic good looks and buoyant personality, with this inflatable water toy becoming the float of choice for the fashionable and famous. They are comfortable, fun and have the wow factor – and who doesn’t love to show off ?” Ramsay says the trend hasn’t deflated yet. “Oversized flamingos, black swans, pizza slices and donuts continue to take over the Instagram accounts of celebrities and wannabe stars alike,” he says. “After pop singer Taylor Swift and celebrity Kourtney Kardashian posted photos with several inflatable swans last summer, there was an increase in US Google searches for ‘swan pool toy’ according to Google trends. The search dramatically spiked again for June 2016, and searches for the term ‘pool float’ in general have also surged higher than previous summers.”
Queensland Display Centre
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Image: Pool Systems
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Blow up swans and other water birds sparked an inflatable animal craze on Instagram
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Above the water and over the top
Whether it’s a standard blow-up lilo or a bright pink flamingo, inflatable pool toys have become the hot ticket item, especially after the 40-plus days many parts of Australia experienced over summer. Even luxury jeweller Swarovski jumped on the inflatable bandwagon, by hand-placing 10,000 crystals onto #Floatie, a giant, hashtagged unicorn, making it the most exclusive pool float in the world.
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“At $6000 this takes poolside shimmer to the next level,” jokes Ramsay. “While there are tonnes of inflatable pool toys in every shape and size imaginable, a 110-inch inflatable pool movie screen that is bigger than what many people could fit in their living room is the most outrageous I’ve seen.” Inexpensive light emitting diode technology is also infiltrating the inflatable market with blow-up pool toys and waterproof beanbags now glowing in the dark. Not only do they look fantastic but also extend the use of pools well into the night. “Inflatable pool slides designed to be placed over the edge of in-ground swimming pools are still very popular and affordable,” says Ramsay. “You can also find floats for babies that now incorporate a covering or canopy to help protect delicate skin from damaging sun rays, which I think is very practical.” While it makes sense that kids love pool toys, it seems grown-ups are just as enamoured with jumping on a giant unicorn. The question begs: Why? “Pool toys bring out the kid in adults, which is the real reason they have become so popular,” says Ramsay. “Sure, social media platforms have driven demand of the summer essential ride-on, lie-on, the must-have float or play toy. Thanks to Instagram, a day spent by the pool is now no longer complete without a luxury inflatable pool toy all because of the celebrities and influencers.
“These floats create lasting summer memories, and they’re not just appearing in backyard pools,” he says. “We are seeing them used at our most popular beaches, rivers and rural watering holes. What I also think is appealing for adults is the available products that bring the comforts of the indoors outside and onto the water, such as inflatable bars. Although these kinds of toys are larger than life when inflated, which is a big part of their universal appeal, they can be easily tucked away when the seasons change.” In an industry focussed on entertaining children in the summertime, pool toys provide even more aquatic fun. “I think pool toys enhance the relax-and-play experience of the backyard as a destination or staycation – they are now considered one more way to decorate and delight in your relaxation oasis,” says Ramsay. “It’s the same way that LED furniture and lighting is trending in the backyard landscape. These eye-catching fashion floats enhance the beauty of swimming pools and are a fascination for kids and adults alike.” A day in a pool full of toys and games certainly makes it more memorable for kids. Who doesn’t remember the pool pony, having sword fights with noodles and gathering the most dive toys with one breath as a kid? Pool toys bring so much variety to what kids can play in the pool. Pool toys can also be educational for kids, promoting developmental growth in terms of hand-eye co-ordination and gross motor skills, as well as improving valuable swimming skills. Swimming underwater can be a scary proposition for children, and colourful dive toys and rings make it a lot more fun and enticing. “They provide a playful incentive while teaching valuable skills like breath control,” he says. He says the ObstaSplash takes all this to the extreme; it is a fully inflatable, mobile obstacle course and fun run spread over a three kilometre or five
Image: SR Smith
Pool toys influencing pool behaviour
Pool toys and leisure products are designed to make pool time even more fun
kilometre course, featuring wet and dry inflatables. “It’s mayhem!” he says.
Australia’s growing waterplay market
According to Keith Hall, general manager at SR Smith, sales of recreation water products for swimming pools and all forms of water playgrounds are valued at approximately $43 million per annum. “This ranges from the traditional foam pool noodle through to large roto-molded water slides,” he says. “A
Backyard fun starts here
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Only use inflatables designed for water use Following reports of near drownings, the ACCC is warning consumers against using inflatable air loungers in swimming pools, when they are not intended to be used in water. The inflatables in question are fabric tubes that form a lounge or bed as an alternative to other furniture, and may have an internal plastic liner in addition to an external covering. Inflatable air loungers may also be marketed as air sofas or inflatable furniture under a range of brand names, including some sold online from overseas suppliers. There have been a number of reports of the lining of inflatable air loungers splitting while being used in water, presenting a drowning hazard. Adults are urged to take steps to remove inflatable air loungers from locations in or around water (including pools) and to ensure they are not used by children as flotation devices. There dangers of treating inflatable toys as lifesaving devices have also become tragically apparent following a drowning in open water in Queensland, where the wind blew the inflatable toy away from the reach of a nine year old boy who drowned.
Image: Pool Systems
More: www.accc.gov.au; 13 32 20.
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Image: SR Smith
growing population, the Australian outdoor lifestyle, increasing demand for swimming pools, and the fact that quality pool toys and games will increase pool usage by as much as 30 per cent will support continued growth in sales of recreation water products over the next five years.” These factors combined with an increased focus on helping children become more active outdoors, away from computers, makes a compelling argument for any business involved in the manufacturing or distribution of pool products to strongly consider adding recreational water products to their range. “The fastest growing addition to caravan parks, water parks, council pools and resorts are water play products,” says Hall. “This includes water slides, splash pads and general water play equipment. In fact, these additions are now expected to be present at any accommodation facility. That said, it’s important that any existing Australian standard be applied when looking at the installation of commercial water play products.” Hall believes the biggest shift in the types of products now in demand from residential pool owners is that they are looking for products that can be enjoyed by the whole family, and last for the life of the pool. “SR Smith slides and games are all manufactured from high density polyethylene (HDPE), an extremely durable and long lasting corrosion-resistant material,” he says. “It is the same material that most rain water
Pool basketball is great for all ages
The joy of sliding into a cool pool
Fruit and food inflatables are also becoming popular
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ABOVE: Wibit’s latest, the water trampoline BOTTOM LEFT: The new Wahu Aquapod from Pool Systems BOTTOM MIDDLE: Slides provide hours of fun for children
Pool toy buying trends
In Europe, pool toy and pool leisure trends tend to focus on aesthetics while Americans are motivated by size and fun. “However, the ‘giant’ trend – especially the oversized swan, flamingo, golden goose, Pegasus, lime slice,
Image: SR Smith
BOTTOM RIGHT: This giant ring toss can be a lot of fun for youngsters in the pool, especially if it is made competitive
tanks are now made from and the high expectations of graziers and farmers are now consistent with those of pool owners. “People are growing tired of cheap blow up toys that barely last a week and make a mess of pool surrounds. Kids today get bored very quickly so any addition to a swimming pool must meet the needs of the family. “Water slides are fast becoming the hot item in North America and Europe as families see the return on their investment every day. There’s no better sight than a pool being used by the whole family.”
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watermelon and pizza slices – blur the lines between Europe and American tastes as they are trending globally,” says Anthony Ramsay of Pool Systems. “People can’t seem to get enough of these amusing pool accessories.” John O’Brien, CEO and founder of pool maintenance franchise Poolwerx, says pool toys and accessories were a popular and regular stock line in its 100-plus stores but agreed the market had become more competitive in recent years. “Pool toys are fun for the whole family and have always been sold in our stores as part of our full service offering but there has been a surge in popularity, especially over the last few years, which has opened up the market,” he says. “No longer is it just pool shops and department chains like Big W selling products but now everything from discount stores right through to fashion retailers
are offering value add pool accessories. What it means for us is being strategic in stock selection and carefully targeting our demographic. “Pool toys and accessories will always have a natural place in this market and we will continue to supply that need for clients while the demand is there,” he says.
Market research and product development
With the design of any new product, there needs to be a convergence of market research and suitability, specific design specifications and corporate fit. “That means the product must meet certain market and design criteria, and align with company financial and strategic goals,” says Ramsay. “Most products evolve from focus groups and general market feedback from both retail customers and consumers. The new product development process can take as long as three to five years but this depends on the type of product.” Keith Hall of SR Smith says the demographics of their end users range from pre-school all the way to adult. “Our products cater for all age groups, providing many years of healthy outdoor fun for any family,” he says. “The benefits of being active are well acknowledged and we support an active lifestyle with fun and family being integral elements. North American research shows that the addition of quality waterplay products to a swimming pool will increase family time through a minimum 25 per cent increase in pool usage. Another important fact is that leisure products like water slides are a magnet to kids all around the world, luring them out of the house, off the computer, and providing an incentive to be active.” To support the advancement and benefits in utilisation of the pool deck, SR Smith has taken the lead in promoting the many ways this can be done.
Product safety warnings Mandatory warnings apply to aquatic toys and flotation devices. Product Safety Australia’s mandatory aquatic toys standard applies to flotation and aquatic toys that are: • Designed or clearly intended for children up to 14 years of age, and • Intended to support a child’s weight in water, whether or not the toys are: - Inflatable - Worn - Otherwise attached to their body Flotation and aquatic toys can include but are not limited to: • Inflatable novelty shapes• Inflatable toy boats for shallow water • Unattached rings – complete or partial In regards to labelling, the Standards state that all aquatic toys must be permanently marked (permanent means the warning should remain legible and attached to the product for the life of the product) with the following warning notice: WARNING AQUATIC TOY USE ONLY UNDER SUPERVISION The words of the warning must be: • In block capitals • Not less than 6mm in height • In a colour contrasting with the background
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Wibit’s Sports Park XL with a capacity of 180 people can turn open water into a water park
Image: Pool Systems
For safety’s sake, consumers should use proper inflatables designed for swimming pools, such as this Intex floating daybed
“We have coined the term ‘deckscaping’ to describe how state-of-the-art water play products enhance the surrounding landscape,” says Hall. “For us, deckscaping means creating a swimming pool environment with every member of the family in mind. That means big ride slides, diving boards and high quality sports games that attract all members of the family, both kids and parents.” Most recently, SR Smith added stainless steel pool rails and ladders to its deckscaping range, designed to satisfy both aesthetic and functional requirements. “As we like to say, SR Smith products will help transform any pool deck into the favourite room in the house.” n
Pool toys resilient in Australian market Stagnation of real wage growth in Australia has not had an effect on the purchase of products like pool toys and other leisure products, according to a recently released report. In the July 2015 IBISWorld industry report on Swimming Pool and Spa Equipment Stores in Australia, Lauren Magner wrote: “Operators in the industry also sell a range of complementary items alongside their core products of pools, spas and chemicals. Recreational pool equipment includes anything purchased for use within or around the pool, such as toys, games, inflatable furniture, goggles, flippers and swimming aids. “While these items are discretionary purchases and are not compulsory for the upkeep of the pool, most items in this category are relatively cheap and are not affected to a large degree by household income. “This segment has remained relatively stable as a share of revenue over the past five years.”
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D Howdy partner By Anthony Davis
sunvalue splash half 022017.indd 1
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eveloping a succession planning model for a small or medium enterprise (SME) requires a lot of thought and time. First, it is essential that you have a documented business plan for where you want your business to be in the next five and 10 years. This enables you to establish the value of the business and provides the framework for the business going forward. At this point, you may have an “aspiring partner” in mind, or you may be keen to find one outside the business. The “path to partnership” is the documented set of instructions which aspiring partners use as a guide to their eventual outcome – partnership. Partnership can also be taken or read as ownership. It appears that in many businesses, determining who may be an ideal business partner is done “unconsciously competently” by the business owner. This means that the owner has an unwritten checklist by which they identify the ideal candidate. The path to partnership is simply the formalisation of that unwritten checklist. Consider a five-step process. It is through this process that you will be able to determine whether the aspirant has what it takes to become a partner. You need to make the steps appropriate to your business, as every situation is different. However an example might look like this: Step 1: Workmanship. Be a diligent worker. Be a good learner and follow the systems of the business. Step 2: Supervision/leadership. Possess good management and people skills. Contribute to the growth of the business. Step 3: Ask three times. This step is not revealed to the aspirant. To become a partner they must be able to demonstrate perseverance, commitment and dedication to their pursuit. Step 4: A dd value. This could be: make sales; develop a new product; add a valuable extension to the products and services; and show a total commitment to the business.
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Step 5: Go beyond the call of duty. Be prepared to step outside their comfort zone. Take on tasks that as an employee they would choose not to do. This is to show their willingness to do whatever it takes to earn the final step on the path to partnership. It is important that these steps are documented (although Step 3 is not revealed to them).
Partnership agreements
Once you have determined who your partner will be, it is essential that you establish the rules of engagement. In simple terms these are the rules by which you and your business partners agree to operate while in a shared ownership/ partnership arrangement. They provide a written record of who is responsible for what. Sadly many business partnerships fail. A common reason for failure is that if there are no rules, once two partners agree to disagree there is very little opportunity for a happy outcome. It is therefore important the rules have been considered and documented. As every business and partnership situation is different, these documents are best compiled by a lawyer with plenty of experience in these matters. Often business partnerships are established between friends (including husbands and wives) and as friends, both parties cannot see the need for such documentation. It is not until circumstances change for either party that the rot starts to set in. Then it is often too late.
If you are taking on partners as part of your succession plan, you need to be clear with them before inviting them into the path to partnership. There are many simple considerations that will need to be documented. Here are a few and remember, this list is far from exhaustive: • Who contributes what, eg: cash, intellectual property, working hours etc; • What skills each partner brings to the partnership, eg: technical, management, industry experience, general knowledge, training etc; • What are the roles and responsibilities of each partner – ensure role descriptions are fully documented, including accountability and responsibilities; • What you get paid for, eg: working, managing, directing and owning the business (profit share); • How does the decision making process work; • How are disputes handled; • Exit strategy – what happens if the business is sold or a partner wants to leave the partnership. Business partnerships are inherently risky in nature, so ensure that you, your partner and your assets are protected with a rock-solid, legally binding partnership agreement. n Anthony Davis is a 20-year veteran in business coaching, leading a team of talented advisers/coaches for owners of SMEs. Call Brightwater on 1800 242 366 to discuss the issues raised in this article or any other business questions.
We bring dreams to life by delivering the world’s best and most loved client experience
Want to bring Your Business Dreams to Life? With a business that is expanding across Australia and around the world, becoming a Narellan Pools business partner puts you in the best company. We have created a successful and sustainable business model that provides you the opportunity to build your personal wealth and a saleable asset. Narellan Pools offers a unique culture. It encompasses a collaborative and supportive focus enabling you to connect with like-minded and passionate business people who share their success. Be in business for yourself, but Not by yourself!
What’s in it for you. • Build wealth and a saleable asset by owning your own business under the Narellan Pools brand • Iconic Australian brand with of 40 years of experience • World class training and on-going support • National marketing generating over 13,000 enquires a year (30% increase on last year • Proven business model achieving double digit sales growth
We are looking for business partners in QLD, NSW, VIC, WA & ACT. Take the first step by contacting Jonathan Bate on 0439 798 778 or at jbate@narellanpools.com
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Engineering
Aurecon wins global plaudits Commercial
news Water saving for a dry town . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Public health docs for three states . . . . . . . . . 46 Tenders . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Filtration manufacturers combine . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Melbourne-based multinational consulting engineer firm, Aurecon, has been voted among top five partners globally in the 2017 annual World Architecture 100 (WA100) survey. Aurecon was highly ranked for the third year running and again voted one of the global top five partners in both the service engineers and structural engineers categories. An example of their high profile work that includes a substantial aquatic element is Dubai’s Jumeirah Al Naseem.
Aurecon started work on the Jumeirah Al Naseem in December 2012 when the company was invited to collaborate on a range of engineering disciplines by leading development and management company, Mirage Leisure and Development. Aurecon began its design work in 2013. The new 430-room Jumeirah Al Naseem opened in December 2016. Contact: www.aurecongroup.com
Swimming helps autism 51
The Jumeirah Al-Naseem in Dubai
Resorts
Lagoon resort opens in Thailand The Ritz Carlton Mahasamutr luxury resort in Hua Hin Thailand has opened, complete with a 7.2-hectare Crystal Lagoon as its centrepiece. The lagoon was built in early 2016 and will be surrounded by 80 luxurious villas when all stages of the $US450 million project are completed. The lagoon was built prior to the villas to use as a selling point. Meanwhile, Crystal Lagoons’ first project in Australia – the 1000home Botanica residential development – has moved ahead, with the developers commencing earthworks as the first stage of constructing the 2.2 hectare lagoon. Crystal Lagoons have also been having positive discussions with local government representatives and developers in New Zealand. The fact that there have been serious earthquakes in Chile – including one at magnitude 8.8 – without damage to any of the 60 Crystal Lagoons in that country, has played a part in the concept’s positive reception. 44
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The Mahasamutr luxury resort in Hua Hin Thailand
Aquatics
Work starts on new Christchurch aquatic centre Work has commenced on Christchurch’s new 4500 square metre recreation and sport centre at QEII Park, which will include leisure and training pools, a hydroslide, an aquatic adventure playground, a steam room, sauna, fitness centre, and café. It is scheduled to open in the middle of next year. The $NZ37.7m project is being funded largely by Christchurch City Council, with the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust donating $NZ7.47m for water attractions. “The new QEII Recreation and Sport Centre will be an outstanding asset which will see the return of swimming and fitness amenities to QEII Park,’’ says Mayor Lianne Dalziel.
Artist’s impression of the QEII Recreation and Sport Centre
The previous facility was badly damaged in the February 2011 earthquake and demolished in 2012. The concept design/employer’s requirements documentation were tendered as a design & build contract. Apollo Projects Ltd was the successful design & build contractor and are responsible for designing and constructing the project. Their lead consultant is Architecture HDT, along with a team of sub-consultants. The council has engaged the following consultants: RDT Pacific (project manager); Warren & Mahoney (architect), along with a team of sub-consultants; and Rawlinsons (quantity surveyors).
When only the best will do! Choose Zelbrite, the only filter media to be awarded
Competition
Games calls for volunteers The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games need 15,000 volunteers to help athletes, officials and spectators from April 4 to 15, 2018. They will work in 24 locations including venues, the village and hotels. They must be available for the whole Games, be over 16 years of age, and have their own accommodation. Contact: gc2018.com/volunteer by March 20.
In Brief Sanad Capital has received Sunshine Coast Council development approval for Australia’s first active lifestyle destination. After collaborating with leading global companies such as WhiteWater, Thinkwell and Ernst & Young, Phase One of the development on a 25-hectare plot on Steve Irwin Way was submitted for council approval, and has now been approved. Phase One will be built over 14 hectares and will consist of a state-ofthe-art waterpark, a large lawn for major events, concerts and community activities, an outdoor adventure park with activities including kayaking, bungee jumping, net climbing, fly-boarding, Segway and electric skateboard hire, zorbing, stand-up paddle boarding and football. Phase One also includes a 6000 square metre retail and restaurant zone. WhiteWater has picked up an outstanding technological achievement award from the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) for its Slideboarding concept, featured in Edition 109 of SPLASH! (p63). Slideboarding places riders into a “physical video game”. As riders race down the slide path, they “hit” coloured targets using the corresponding buttons on their rafts. The leaderboard displays riders’ scores and handles, and they can unlock levels, moving up in difficulty-level as they progress through the game. Operators can access valuable ride data to track performance and customer engagement through the dashboard.
for it’s water saving capacity Only Zelbrite® produces pool water of crystal clear clarity. Zelbrite® is suitable for use in all types of media filters and is endorsed by Australia’s leading filter manufacturers and swimming pool product suppliers. Zelbrite® also saves over 50% water usage through fewer and faster backwash and rinse cycles. Australian water Quality Centre tests prove Zelbrite® outfilters sand with as little as 2 microns. MANUFACTURED IN AUSTRALIA BY: ZEOLITE AUST PTY LTD
For more information Contact Peter Rabbige on 0407 078 075 www.zelbrite.com
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commercial news
Public health
New public pool documents and videos available NSW Health has some great new posters, Recreation SA has released its first ever public pool code of practice and a new video, while WA has furthered its transition to a new Health Act. Links to all these documents are available from the QuickLinks tab at splashmagazine.com.au.
New South Wales
As part of its Clean Pools for Healthy Swimming campaign, NSW Health has released a brochure titled Public Swimming Pool & Spa Requirements – A short guide for operators of public swimming pools. Other campaign documents available for download include A4 posters suitable for displaying on the back of the toilet doors at aquatic centres and water splash parks, and A3 posters. These include: Brochure – A guide to clean pools for healthy swimming Brochure – Public swimming pool and spa pool requirements Posters – Steps to healthy swimming (boy) (girl) and (school) Poster – Steps to healthy water play Fact sheet – Healthy swimming pools The Water Splash Park fact sheet will be released soon.
South Australia
Recreation SA has launched the State’s first ever Code of Practice for SA Public Swimming Pools. The Code of Practice aims to benefit all employees and patrons in the aquatic industry by providing a framework for planning and assessing aquatic environments, creating and maintaining safer venues and minimising risks and hazards. Recreation SA acknowledges the support of the Office for Recreation & Sport, for assisting in the completion of this document, which had been in discussion for seven years. A three-minute film promoting the Code of Practice, and a shortened 60-second version created specifically for social media, is available for Watch Around Water member centres to use. Please contact Recreation SA via email admin@recreationsa.org to obtain a copy of both the Code of Practice and the two versions of the promotional film.
Western Australia
Meanwhile, WA has commenced Stage Three of the five stage transition to the new Health Act. As there is a significant amount of work required to transition to the new regulatory framework, implementation is to occur in a staged manner over the next three to five years. The Health Act 1911 will be renamed the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1911 and will continue to be the main enforcement tool for local government during Stages Three and Four. Links to docs: Via the QuickLinks tab at splashmagazine.com.au.
Quartering the need for backwashing represents a saving of approximately 150, 000 litres of water Aquatics
Water saving in a dry town
The recent gravity sand filter upgrade at Coonamble Pool has produced not only an increased water flow, but also considerable waters savings, according to Robert Savell of Hydrocare Pool Services. “We completed the upgrade with Waterzone filter nozzles and the water quality is superb with 30 per cent increased flow,” he says. “The best part is we have reduced backwashing from once a week to once a month. This represents a saving of approximately 150,000 litres of water, which is obviously great for a dry country town like Coonamble.” He says the swim coaches have commented that the water is the best it has been for 40 years. The Coonamble upgrade joins Mittagong and Lithgow 50m pool filter upgrades recently carried out by Hydrocare.
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Tenders
New aquatics tenders Goondiwindi Regional Council
Lease of the Goondiwindi Aquatic Centre. EOI 17/06 Goondiwindi Regional Council invites Expressions of Interest for the lease and operation of the Goondiwindi Aquatic Centre located in Marshall Street, Goondiwindi. Details of the lease may be obtained by contacting the Goondiwindi Customer Service Centre during business hours, on (07) 4671 7400, or by visiting Council’s website at www.grc.qld.gov.au. Closing Date: Friday, 10th March 2017, at 2:00pm. Lodgement: Expressions of Interest must be lodged via one of the following methods and must be clearly marked “EOI 17/06 Goondiwindi Aquatic Centre Lease” - Email to: tenders@grc.qld.gov.au - Post to: Locked Mail Bag 7, Inglewood, Queensland, 4387, - Hand delivery to: Tender Box at Goondiwindi Regional Council Chambers located at 4 McLean Street, Goondiwindi. Enquiries: Contact Council’s Executive Manager, Administration & Community Services, Mr John Woods on (07) 4671 7435. Documents and further information: http://www.goondiwindirc.qld. gov.au/web/guest/current-tenders
Wollongong City Council
Coalcliff Rock Pool Refurbishment. Request for Tender: T17/04 Contractor required to provide upgrade works to Coalcliff Rock Pool Refurbishment Contact: Nicola Mackey, (02) 4227 7814. Close: 7 March 2017, 10am Further information: http://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/tenders.
Quilpie Shire Council
Expression of Interest: Lease of Quilpie Swimming Pool Complex Expressions of interest closing at 4.00 pm on Friday 03 March 2017 are invited from energetic and committed persons to manage and operate the Quilpie Swimming Pool complex under a Lease Agreement for a 3 year period (with the option to extend). With a base salary payable to you, the Lessee will have coaching rights and kiosk trading rights at the premises. Written expressions of interest are to be submitted and must include details of experience and qualifications, together with an indicative remuneration package (including GST) for annual operation of the complex. For more details about this opportunity or to obtain an information pack please contact Council’s HR Officer, Maree Radnedge on (07) 4656 0500. Documentation is available from http://quilpie.qld.gov.au
Winton Shire Council
Winton Memorial Pool Repairs and Renewals Request for Tender: WSC006170 Contract No: WSC-17-001 The Winton Memorial Pool complex consists of a 25m pool, a learn-to-swim pool and a wading pool together with their water treatment plants and chemical dosing system. The pools and plants were constructed approximately 10 years ago and received a complete engineering assessment by JH Cockerell in February 2016. Consequently several areas of repair and renewal works were identified. Winton Shire Council would like to invite suitably qualified and experienced contractors to quote in part, or all, of the work packages detailed in this the tender document. Tender closes at 2:00 PM Brisbane time 3 March 2017 Documents are available for download from www.lgtenderbox.com.au February/March 2017 SPLASH! 47 Hydrostar Plus_Splash 270mm x 90mm_2017.indd 1
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new procedures and strategies they divested the spare parts business. This enabled Chadson to add new infrastructure including an overhead crane. Jones says it wasn’t easy in the beginning and some mistakes were made. “But with the support and assistance from loyal customers, these odd issues were quickly resolved with good lessons learnt along the way.”
Local benefits
Chadson Engineering’s marketing manager Greg Jones
Acquisition strengthens local commercial manufacturing
I
n July 2015, the two big dedicated aquatic filter manufacturers in Australia came together: Chadson Engineering and Fulham Engineering. Both companies had been in the business for more than 40 years, so when Chadson acquired Fulham the result was a large, experienced Australian manufacturer with an extensive proven track record across a variety of commercial applications. SPLASH! spoke to marketing manager Greg Jones about the
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benefits of Australian commercial filtration manufacturing, the risks of using residential equipment in commercial applications, and how Chadson was managing the merger of two complete ranges. “Our sales have increased by 40 per cent without the addition of any new staff,” says Jones. “So it has been a busy and challenging time with a significant learning curve.” They made additional space at their Balcatta facility by selling their poolmix business and as part of their
“Our proven track record shows that we build solid and reliable sand filters that will give excellent performance and trouble free service for many, many years,” says Jones. “The same can be said for the Atlas PCT filters where an early installation example is the Sydney Aquatic Centre, where the water quality at the 2000 Olympics was described as the best ever. Those filters are still giving commendable service. “The fibreglass NPC range has been well accepted and in many cases water quality and ease of use have exceeded client’s expectations.” So, despite the perception that manufacturing is leaving Australia, Chadson is proof there are still companies doing very good business from making pool equipment locally. Jones says that while Chadson may seem a little unique, manufacture and assembly in Australia has many compelling benefits. “Local manufacturers are better at creating higher paying jobs for local people,” he says. “According to the Bureau of Statistics, every direct job in the manufacturing sector leads to another 4.3 jobs in the local community. Locally owned businesses also have a vested interest in knowing the local market.” He says that being Australian-made, they can’t promise to offer the cheapest ever filters. “What we can do, and have done over the past 18-months, is to assist many owners and contractors with fast and timely filter delivery,” he says. “We can also refer to some amazing service history, whereby our MHS filters continue to provide valuable service after 25 years or more of continuous service. From what we see of the market, imported filter options are yet to achieve anything like this high standard.” He says they have some customers who’ve been with them since their first day of trading, and their marketing policy is based on the premise of supporting those contractors who support them.
Research and development
Jones says that over the years, Chadson has experienced sales losses to technology with the promise of all sorts of benefits. “These processes included thread filters, ceramic filter and drum filters,” he says. “In several cases, Chadson was rewarded with the supply of replacement product for so called emerging new technologies that didn’t live up to the sales hype. “One thing we’ve learnt over our 40-plus years is that the commercial pool equipment market is dynamic and fast moving. In our own small way, we are committed to ongoing research and development. In some cases, this has rewarded us with patents and other recognitions.”
But he says that there is always the threat that someone will build a better mouse trap. “But once the new mouse trap is made, it needs to be tried and proven,” he says. “New product and/or product from overseas doesn’t necessarily make it better than the local option. Just as Chadson sorts out the opportunity with Atlas and Fulfab, we are always on the look-out for new product and other opportunities to grow our business.”
What to look for
In terms of general advice, Jones suggests clients get a good mainstream consultant who understands the many benefits that comes with broad-based competitive tendering. He also warns customers not to be misled by what seems to be cheapest price – whole of life costs are far more relevant. “Look for proven case history in terms of both the product and the contractor installing it. As proven by unfortunate case history, the cheapest solution is not necessarily the best. Unlike others, we will not supply filters direct to the end client for a perceived cost saving. We believe purchasing from contractors offers greater protection all around. The client has the contractor’s full backup, as they have both supplied and installed it.” Jones says with the large variety of filter media available, they leave it up to the client to choose. “There are many choices. Given that our expertise is with filter design, manufacture and assembly, we take the view that the choice of filter media or filter aid is largely up to the client. It is up to the supplier of filter media and filter aid to present their products’ benefits and attributes. “But notwithstanding our policy, it is hard to ignore some distorted sales claims, which promote all sorts of unique benefits.”
Your Trusted Pool Heating Solution At Phnix Water Solutions, we aim to provide cutting edge pool heating products for both domestic and commercial projects.
The vast difference between commercial and residential filtration
Jones says filtration requirements for commercial are very different to residential. “When a new filter is installed on a new residential pool it may have a run time of four hours a day, and experience a heavy bather load of a family of four using it on weekends. If it provides a service life of seven to ten years it’s probably doing well. “When a new commercial filter leaves us, the expected run time is 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year with a bather load of hundreds per day. Chadson granular filters are providing a service life in excess of 25 years; 25 years equates to over 1.5 million hours and there are many still operating that have given over 2 million hours trouble free service” he says. “This is a very different design criteria. Imagine buying a new car, driving it 24 hours per day for 25 years!” He says they regularly encounter residential equipment in commercial applications, and in general terms the products will do the job – but only for a very short time. “We see both pumps and cartridge filters being replaced after only 18 months of service, and we are already replacing imported sand filters with Australian-made product,” he says. Again, he refers to the total cost of ownership. “Selection of products for commercial applications is not simplistically the capital purchase but the cost of ownership by the client. So when the end client gets 18 months service out of a cheaper product and then has to replace it with the real McCoy, what benefit have they achieved?” He says some of his clients have compared his products to Rolls Royce cars. But he disagrees. “We think this is the wrong analogy. We don’t sell cars at all; we sell heavy haulage trucks designed for long continual service!” Contact: www.chadsonfilters.com.au n
We offer a tailored service providing state of the art swimming pool heat pump and high-temperature heat pump technologies. Our systems are of the highest quality, efficiency, and service dependability.
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YOUR TRUSTED POOL HEAT PUMP SPECIALIST M 0411 483 144 E info@phnixwatersolutions.com.au
phnixwatersolutions.com.au February/March 2017
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Chadson
CHADSON
Granular Filters
FILTRATION SYSTEMS GRANULAR OR REGENERATIVE SIMPLE OPERATION, PROVEN PERFORMANCE, LOCAL AUSTRALIAN BACKUP
National Line™ NPC regenerative filtration plant Gold Coast –
Atlas ® PCT regenerative filtration plant
Hobart – Installed by Swimplex Aquatics
Chadson MHS granular filtration plant
ACT – Installed by Aquatic Projects
Installed by Trisley’s Hydraulic Services • Non corrosive fibreglass construction • Simple single pass pre-coating using the unique dustless “wet vac” system • Large diameter rigid candles • Options to clean by conventional backwash or by gravity drain down • Unique Media Release Accelerator to assist backwash or gravity drain down • From 9m2 to 204m2 filtration area per filter • Fully assembled in Australia
• Non corrosive grade 316 stainless steel construction • Simple single pass pre-coating using the unique dustless “wet vac” system • Large diameter rigid candles • Conventional backwash • From 4.7m2 to 64m2 filtration area per filter • Fully manufactured in Australia
• Non corrosive fibreglass construction • Unique “FloModuLator” balanced hydraulics • Suited to all granular media types • From 1.2m2 to 8m2 filtration area per filter • Fully manufactured in Australia
Chadson Engineering Pty Ltd
15 Cressall Road, Balcatta, 6021, WA Ph: 08 9344 3611 Fx: 08 9344 5799 Email: enquiries@chadson.com.au
Pool photo courtesy of Crystal Pools
commercial feature
Water safety and
autism spectrum disorder Drowning is the leading cause of death among children with autism spectrum disorder, accounting for an astounding 90 per cent of deaths. In this article, Erika Gleeson, clinical director of Autism Swim, discusses why these statistics are so high, and looks at what can be done to reduce them. By Erika Gleeson
A
utism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopment disorder, which is categorised by the following (excerpted from DSM5 manual): • Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple context; • Restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests, or activities; • Symptoms must be present in the early developmental period; • Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of current functioning; • These disturbances are not better explained by intellectual disability or global developmental delay. ASD affects almost 230,000 people in Australia; 64,400 people were estimated to have the condition in 2009. Drowning is the leading cause of death among children with ASD (University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, 2014). According to the National Autism Association, accidental drowning accounted for approximately 90 per cent of total US deaths reported in children with ASD ages 14 and younger in 2009 to 2011. Statistics in Australia cannot be found; however it is hypothesised that the percentages would be comparable. The question is, why are the statistics so high?
Reasons for high drowning rate
Wandering Wandering is the tendency for an individual to try to leave the safety of a responsible person’s care or a safe area, which has the potential to result in harm or injury. It is often referred to as absconding, elopement or fleeing. It is not uncommon for individuals with ASD to become overstimulated by crowds, noises and a range of other stimuli, hence escaping this by retreating to another environment. Many individuals with ASD gravitate towards bodies of water because they associate water with alleviating many of their sensory needs. Research indicates that nearly 50 per cent of children with ASD attempt to escape from a safe environment, which is a rate nearly four
times higher than children without autism. Fifty-eight per cent of parents of ASD children report wandering/ elopement as the most stressful of ASD behaviours (National Autism Association). In addition to drowning, wandering brings with it other high risk factors, including but not limited to exposure to the elements; dehydration; falls; hypothermia; traffic injuries; encounters with strangers; and encounters with law enforcement. Difficulties with generalisation Generalisation refers to ability to transfer skills and information learned in one setting to other settings, people and activities. Sixty-eight per cent of the individuals with ASD who represent the 90 per cent figure above, died in a nearby pond, lake, creek or river. So although many individuals with ASD may have had swimming lessons and developed swimming skills in pools in the past, they may experience difficulties in generalising this skill across different environments (lakes for instance). Lack of specialised services Many swimming teachers may have undertaken additional training in “special needs”. However, until recently, there has been a severe lack of specialised training specific to ASD and swimming. There is a need for teachers to understand the ways in which individuals with ASD process information and acquire new skill sets, so the sessions can be individualised and tailored to the strengths of the individual. There is also a need to incorporate components of water safety into the lessons. Difficulties with perceiving danger The risk of drowning increases with the individual’s ASD severity. Many individuals with ASD have difficulties with anticipating danger and judging risk, which is exacerbated if they also have an intellectual disability. Lack of awareness The data also showed that only 50 per cent of parents of children with ASD have received advice about wandering prevention from a professional. Sadly, many in our community are unaware that wandering is even an issue or that drowning is such a high risk factor for individuals with ASD.
Until recently, there has been a severe lack of specialised training specific to ASD and swimming
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commercial feature
What can be done?
Developing swim skills helps reduce the risk of drowning, and opens up the possibility for social activity
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Talk Interest in this issue and in articles such as this is a beginning. As with most things, awareness and education is key. From 2009 to 2011, 23 per cent of children who died following a wandering incident were in the care of someone other than a parent. Talk with those around you and educate them on the risks. Wandering/drowning is most likely to occur under the following settings: • During warming months • Visits to non-home settings, such as a friend’s house or when on holidays • During family gatherings • During times of stress or escalation, which may cause the individual to flee or wander Take extra precautions and plan accordingly. Family gatherings or other events may give a false impression of high supervision, which is often not the case.
February/March 2017
Government initiatives This is a worldwide concern. However some countries are leading the way in prevention initiates better than others. The USA for instance, has developed a Big Red Safety Box. This is inclusive of a range of preventative and reactive resources in relation to wandering including emergency plan templates, individual identification aids, checklists and signage; and it’s free! The more that awareness is raised, the higher the likelihood governments will respond. Enrol children with ASD in specialised swimming lessons Allow individuals with ASD the best opportunity possible to learn water safety and acquire swimming skill sets. Enrol them in specialised swimming lessons being run by Autism Swim approved instructors. Positive behaviour support If your child or a child you know has a propensity to wander, consider positive behaviour support to ameliorate this. Behaviour specialists will undertake an assessment of the behaviour and design associated strategies and programs. An occupational therapist may also be able to assist
Case Study
Andrew is a 14-year-old young man with autism spectrum disorder. He is non-verbal.
About Autism Swim Autism Swim (AS) is the national water safety and swimming specialist for people with autism spectrum disorder. The team at AS is led by autism and behaviour specialist Erika Gleeson (GC Autism, BA Behavioural Science) who has extensive national and international experience with autism, behaviour support and skill development. She is also an accredited ASCTA swimming teacher. Autism Swim is a multi-disciplinary organisation, combining the expertise of autism specialists, behaviour specialists, occupational therapists and swimming teachers to achieve the best possible outcomes for the individuals whom they support. The highly focused, energetic and experienced team at AS works with participants to identify individual goals and operationalise these in a supportive and trusting framework. AS works with swim centres and instructors, schools (both specialised and mainstream), families surf lifesaving clubs and government bodies. AS focusses on on four key areas: 1. Water safety/drowning prevention; 2. Water therapy; 3. Swimming skill sets; and 4. Generalising these skills to different bodies of waters (beach, lakes etc).
Andrew’s history prior to being engaged in specialised lessons is such that he had limited exposure to swimming due to his some sensory challenges in relation to his face being in water. He could effectively dog-paddle for a maximum of five metres. There was no functional swim stroke and he had very limited confidence. Andrew started specialised swimming support through his Autism Swim approved instructor, Georgia. The initial goals were to teach Andrew to tolerate his face being in water and to get into and out of the pool safely (including holding onto the side of the pool until otherwise instructed). Through a mix of program designs, Andrew mastered the safe entry and exit out of the pool and holding onto the side of the pool within five weeks. Through an applied behaviour analysis-based shaping program, Andrew achieved his goal of face-in-the-water within eight weeks. Once this was achieved, new goals were set. Andrew was undertaking two 30-minute sessions each week and within six months he was able to master freestyle kicking, freestyle arms and floating. He uses a kickboard independently and shows confidence and aptness in the water. Andrew will now be transitioning to attend one of his classes with another student who is of similar skill-sets, to allow a social outlet for him. Contact: www.autismswim.com.au n Want to know more? Go to the QuickLink tab at splashmagazine.com.au for more information.
To all Aquatic & Leisure Industry Professionals:
FEATURING:
The 53rd Annual Aquatic & Recreation Institute Conference & Trade Show
Keynote Speakers
19-20 June 2017 Cypress Lakes Resort, Hunter Valley
“ How, as an industry, are we dealing with change?”
Mark McCrindle
Demographer & Social Researcher: “Leading teams in changing times: Recruiting, retaining and motivating diverse generations”.
Marty Wilson
Comedian, best selling Author: “Improving our success in business by exploring the territory outside our comfort zones”. • Informative Aquatic & Recreation focused streams • All the latest Industry Products and Services • Professional Development opportunities • Acknowledging our Industry’s best – Awards night • Networking activities for everyone
Limited Sponsorship Opportunities still available
Registrations now open! Early bird discount until 31st March. Click on the bookings link via www.arinsw.com.au For more information, visit: www.arinsw.com.au or email Louise Magee: eo@aquaticinstitiute.com.au
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new products
Getting fit on a mat
The FitMat is a floating training platform that provides a new and dynamic way to exercise. Its main feature is its rigidity and ability to float on water. It can hold more than 181kgs without sacrificing its integrity and can make even the most basic exercises a fun challenge. The FitMat can be used in a one-onone setting or group setting with up to 10-plus participants. There is no other training modality that can mimic the benefits of the FitMat. Contact: www.bogayoga.com.au
A touch of European relaxation
The Pacific Sunlounger is the latest addition to Nextrend Furniture’s rapidly growing range of European sourced outdoor furniture. Constructed from a UV-stabilised, fibreglass reinforced frame, it features a replaceable mesh from one of the world’s leading outdoor fabric suppliers, Serge Ferrari. It has been designed and tested for Australian outdoor conditions to ensure it will not fade or go brittle. Pacific Sunloungers come assembled, and can be neatly stacked away to save space when they are not in use. A range of colours is available, and it has five reclining positions to conform to your preferred resting position. Contact: nextrend.com.au
Getting value from the sun
Heliocol says their all-new SunValue solar pool heating system offers quality with the best support, installed at an extremely competitive price. Designed specifically for people in the pool industry, SunValue’s high quality manufacturing includes true over-moulded factory connections between headers and riser tubes, rather than lowpressure push fittings or rubber hoses and metal clamps. In addition, SunValue panels are installed utilising exclusive mounting hardware that securely fastens the system on the roof without over-strapping, and there’s no need for protector sheets underneath the panels either. Contact: 1300 132 968; www.heliocol.com.au 54
SPLASH!
February/March 2017
YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME A DEALER!
On the prowl
Pentair says their new Prowler 920 robotic pool cleaner offers a superior level of cleaning for in-ground pools: deep-scrubbing the pool’s walls and floor and using powerful vacuum action all the way up to the tile line. Prowler 920 comes with separate mesh baskets made for either large or fine debris, so you can customise the filtration level or do a lightning-fast swap out during pre-party touch-ups. Just plug it in and watch it go to work. Advanced scanning software ensures floor and walls are fully covered using the most efficient route, and the Prowler will automatically navigate around obstacles after which it quickly returns to its cleaning pattern.
Superior marine strength fibreglass pools www.riverinapools.com.au www.leeder.com.au
Contact: 1300 137 344
Riverina Pools are seeking experienced pool installers to become a dealer throughout your region. Since 1978 we have been manufacturing fibreglass products not only for the Australian market but also overseas markets using the experience and expertise formulated by utilizing advanced construction methods developed in the marine industry.
Speed racer
Pentair says its new Racer LS pool cleaner has 25 per cent more cleaning power than other pressure-side cleaners. Built for superior vacuum performance, its quad-jet technology delivers more cleaning power and a brighter, cleaner pool, while its 40-per-cent larger vacuum inlet provides maximum debris removal. It has front wheel drive with steady grip traction and an easy snap-on debris bag design.
• The latest models • Australian Standards Accredited • Micro-pure anti microbial protection • Engineered certified • Wider edgebeams • Over 30 models • Over 30 colours Confidential enquires please contact: Murray Piesse M 0417170211 E murray@riverinapools.com.au
Contact: www.pentairpool.com.au February/March 2017 SPLASH! 55
new products
Solar powered skimmer
Citronella natural mozzie protection
The Solar-Breeze NX is the world’s first solar powered, robotic pool skimmer and chemical dispensing chlorinator. As it skims the pool, it collects debris including dirt, pollen and even suntan oils from the surface before they sink to the bottom.
Recent research shows that 84 per cent of Australians prefer natural over chemical mosquito repellents. Waxworks, Australia’s largest provider of effective, safe, citronella-based, outdoor repellents has just launched a backyard solution.
The Solar-Breeze NX uses the sun’s power to run the motors that drive the cleaner across the water while surplus power is used to charge its battery, enabling it to operate well into the night. It has been proven in the United States to reduce the standard pool energy bill. Partnering with Solar Blue Australia, the Solar-Breeze NX is now available to order directly from the Brisbane office and warehouse. Contact: www.solarbreeze.com
Citronella, nature’s weapon against mosquitoes, works naturally by blocking the scent receptors of insects and masking carbon dioxide, body odour and heat – the main reasons we get bitten. The new Waxworks table top oil burner will keep mozzies at bay. Available in black or silver, the oil burner is portable and the flameguard offers peace of mind. It can be easily refilled with Waxworks lamp and torch oil. Contact: www.waxworksworks.com.au
Specializing in Leak Repair Since 1980
Protect Pool, Protect Your Your Pool, Protect Kids Protect Your Your Kids
Please contact Jamie Fraser at: Aquaneo Pty Ltd Tel: 07 3408 1777 Cell: 0427 771 304 info@aquaneo.com.au
View our online video showing common pool fencing faults and how to spot them at View our online video showing common pool fencing faults and how to spot them at www.kidshealth.chw.edu.au/projects/drowning-prevention/swimming-pool-fencing
www.aquaneo.com.au
www.kidshealth.chw.edu.au/projects/drowning-prevention/swimming-pool-fencing
KIH1025/0811/SC KIH1025/0811/SC
56 SPLASH!
February/March 2017
w w w.f i xal eak .com
Fix A Leak__SPLASH Ad.indd 1
9/12/2016 11:34:50 AM
new products
Easy cleaning with Swash
Poolranger’s newest cleaner is the Dolphin Swash TCX.
Managing customer relationships
Rhino is a sales customer relationship management (CRM) tool designed by sales people for sales people. It is a mobile solution that has all the customer information, contacts, call notes and sales history in one place. Rhino allows for sales data to be imported so your team is educated on each of their customer’s sales before they even walk into the call. The Rhino CRM is stored locally on the sales rep’s tablet, so they can continue working even without an internet connection. The tablet runs a background sync process every 15 minutes, so the next time a signal is available the data updates automatically.
Poolranger says the Dolphin Swash TCX delivers robust and precise cleaning action, teamed with advanced filtration. It removes dust and debris from the pool quickly and with minimum effort, so you can enjoy your swim, with full confidence that your pool water is pristine. It is ideal for pools approximately 12m in length in all shapes; it cleans floor, walls and waterlines; features a dual drive; has cleaning cycles of two, three and four hours; and has an 18m swivel cable.
Management have full access to all the data recorded on the tablet and the ability to run a number of reports on the backend.
It weighs 10.5kg, includes a cartridge filter with a net filter; features remote control navigation and programming options. It comes with a caddy and a 36-month warranty.
Contact: 0438 298 333; www.forteis.com.au
Contact: www.poolranger.com.au
EvoMAX
LED Pool Lights
www.aquaquip.com.au The wet niche underwater lighting system providing maximum brightness. NEW SOUTH WALES AQUA-QUIP +61 2 9643 8338
QUEENSLAND RAINBOW POOL PRODUCTS +61 7 3849 5385
VICTORIA RELTECH AUSTRALIA +61 3 9459 3838
SOUTH AUSTRALIA POOL POWER +61 8 8362 6325
WESTERN AUSTRALIA CHADSON ENGINEERING +61 8 9344 3611
ZODIAC NATIONALLY 1800 688 552 AQ Splash! 0616
February/March 2017 SPLASH! 57
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Advertisements
Pool of Poolies UPDATE ASSA Partner with Pool Heating Leaders The Australian Swim Schools Association (ASSA) is delighted to announce that EvoHeat has become its latest ‘Pool of Poolies’ Partner. ASSA CEO, Ross Gage, said that, “with pool heating and air-handling being such an essential element of the operations of our Member Swim Schools, a partner is this field was highly desirable”. Gage went on to say, “being able to secure an international leader, in EvoHeat, is a giant coup for our Members and the Association”. EvoHeat National Business Manager, Tony Mills is excited about their recent partnership. “We are passionate about supporting such an important swim association and look forward to supporting ASSA in their mission to drive and evolve the Australian Swim School Industry”. Tony continued “EvoHeat look forward to providing Australian Swim Schools with market-leading pool heating and air handling technology that can reduce energy bills and running costs by up to 80%. We offer flexible payment options to cater for all business requirements”.
Australian Innovation Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC Aqua Leisure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Aqua-Quip. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Aquatic & Recreation Institute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 ASSA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Astral Pool Australia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Australian Spa Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Chadson Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Cooke Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Cordell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46, 52 Dontek Electronics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Fix A Leak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Freedom Pools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Hayward Australia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16, 29 Heliocol Solar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Hydrocare Pools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 International Quadratics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 McGrayel (Easy Care Products). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Narellan Pools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Pentair Aquatic Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OBC Phnix Water Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Pool Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
The funding from EvoHeat will assist ASSA in its campaigns to significantly increase the number of Aussies benefiting from a fun, high quality learnto-swim experience. These actions, and many more to come, will result in many more safer swimmers enjoying Australia’s wonderful aquatic opportunities – including that great Aussie icon – the home pool. If you’d like to become one of ASSA’s Pool of Poolies, supporting learn to swim and drowning prevention, please email our CEO at Ross.Gage@australianswimschools.org.au Be part of our mission to make more Aussies swimmers for life!
Pool Ranger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Pool-Water Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .IBC Remco Australia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15, 36 Riverina Pools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Spa-Craft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Sterns Playland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Sunbather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Supreme Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Vendart (JG Marketing) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Waterco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11, 47 Westmead Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Zeolite Australia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Zodiac Group Australia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
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AUSTRALIA’S LEADING POOL BUILDERS CHOOSE PARAMOUNT IN-FLOOR CLEANING SYSTEMS Paramount In-Floor Cleaning Systems offer you and your customers the perfect cleaning solution when working together to create the perfect outdoor oasis. Astonish your clients with the incredible effectiveness of an in-floor cleaning and circulation system.
CREATE A VANISHING EDGE, ADD BAR STOOLS, BENCHES, SWIM-OUTS AND SPAS TO YOUR FAVOURITE POOL DESIGN. OUR SYSTEMS WILL CLEAN ANY POOL YOU DESIGN EVERY DAY
Pool-Water Products | P: 03 9873 5055 F: 03 9873 4746 | Email: info@poolwaterproducts.com.au www.poolwaterproducts.com.au
INNOVATIVE. EFFICIENT. RELIABLE.
ENERGY EFFICIENT POOL PUMPS ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE POOL EQUIPMENT
We offer a variety of variable speed pumps across all three of our trusted brands. Our Good, Better, Best alternatives give you more choice, affordability and reliability when it comes to selecting the perfect pump for you. All of our variable speed pumps are labelled with our EcoSelect brand which means they are environmentally friendly saving you energy and dollars, which is just another reason to choose Pentair! WWW.PENTAIRPOOL.COM.AU
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