9 minute read
National Freeform up to $60,000 Gold Winner – Blue Haven Pools
For nearly 50 years, Blue Haven Pools has led the way in pool design and construction. We take your lifestyle, backyard, architecture and your budget into consideration. Servicing clients throughout Sydney, Newcastle and the NSW Central and South Coasts, Blue Haven has won over 350 industry design awards and has over 100 years combined experience, so you can be assured you’re in good hands.
The original pool in this project was a freeform concrete painted pool with higher coping than the surrounds and no wet edge or spa. These elements were added as part of a renovation and the wet edge was designed to act as a seawall. The pool floor was knocked out to drop the level of a new shell to lower the new pool structure and the results are spectacular. P: 13 20 25 E: HELLO@BLUEHAVEN.COM.AU W: BLUEHAVEN.COM.AU
SPASA SPOTLIGHT
BLUE HAVEN POOLS
Swim everyday with EvoHeat
What’s better than a swimming pool? A heated swimming pool so you can enjoy your pool more and swim every day.
The ideal water temperature for comfortable swimming is around 27 to 30 degrees, which means most Australian pools are left unused for seven or eight months of the year. If this sounds like your pool, make the most of your investment and install an energy-efficient EvoHeat pool heat pump and swim year-round.
EvoHeat is the industry specialist in heat pump technology. With over 15 years’ experience providing energyefficient heating and cooling solutions, we are the largest and most experienced Australian supplier of pool and spa heat pump technology.
Our award-winning products are recognised by both consumers and the pool and spa industry for their advanced energy efficiency and exclusive smart features. Delivering efficiencies up to 16 times higher than other heating technology, Evo heat pumps are incredibly affordable to run. They are the most reliable and efficient pool heater, with higher performance and lower operating costs than any other products on the market.
So don’t let your pool become a water feature, talk to us today. We’ll provide a detailed quote that includes estimated running costs, water temperatures and recommended heat pump size based on your pool environment and swimming requirements.
THE EVOHEAT DIFFERENCE Energy-efficient innovations
Incorporating the latest full inverter technology, EvoHeat pumps ensure your pool reaches the desired temperature faster and is maintained more efficiently, saving you on your household energy bill.
Temperature control
EvoHeat pumps work in all weather and climates. They can operate efficiently in -15°C temperatures and when there is no sun out.
Heating and cooling
EvoHeat pumps are
equipped to heat or cool your pool water based on a set temperature, so you can be sure your pool is always comfortable.
Built-in timers
Take control of your pool heating and operating costs with the intelligent built-in timers. Determine when and for how long your EvoHeat pump operates, letting you make the most of off-peak energy tariffs or your own solar PV.
Intelligent controllers
Designed with an intelligent touch screen controller interface, you can maintain water temperature to within 0.1 degrees, while managing your operating costs.
Wi-Fi control
Control your EvoHeat pool heat pump anytime, from anywhere, with the smart Wi-Fi controller app. Available for iOS and Android, the smartphone controller app offers you an easy and convenient way to monitor and control your pool temperature.
Whisper quiet operation
Whisper quiet operation with silent mode function, your EvoHeat pump makes minimal operating noise, making it ideal for you and your neighbors!
Eco friendly
Our heat pumps are designed with superior energy efficiency and affordability, whilst taking care of the environment by using the latest ecofriendly refrigerants.
Industry leading warranty
For further peace of mind, all EvoHeat pumps come with an industry leading warranty.
After-sales support
Our expert service team can provide product advice and technical support for the lifetime of your product.
EVOHEAT
P: 1300 859 933 E: INFO@EVOHEAT.COM.AU W: WWW.EVOHEAT.COM.AU
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Eco-friendly lawn and garden tips
DEPENDING ON HOW YOU CARE FOR IT, YOUR LAWN MAY BE LESS ECOFRIENDLY THAN YOU THOUGHT. READ ON FOR TIPS AND TRICKS TO HELP YOU MAINTAIN A SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR SPACE.
Back in the day, a wellmanicured lawn was the pride and joy of every Australian homeowner. Front- and backyards across the country were kept in pristine condition thanks to a sharp eye and hours of labour every weekend.
The arrival of petrol-powered, labour-saving devices — like mowers, leaf blowers, hedge and grass trimmers and chainsaws — changed everything. What once took hours of hard manual slog could be done in a fraction of the time — and with better results. But is all that convenience costing us?
THE CO2 DILEMMA
A nice big patch of green looks like it should be doing good for the environment, removing carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and lessening the prevalence of greenhouse gases. To a point, this is what happens — grass pulls carbon out of the air and into the soil. So far, so good… right?
Well, depending on the methods used to care for that lawn, it’s pretty easy to undo the results quickly. Typical lawn maintenance activities — like using tools that burn fuel, plus the inputs that go into fertiliser production — can contribute four times the carbon emissions that grass can absorb. Watering and irrigation have obvious implications as well.
In addition, grass-bound soil steadily emits nitrous oxide, which is about 3000 times better at trapping heat than carbon dioxide. On its own that’s alarming enough but the impact is worsened with fertiliser use, which accelerates the release of nitrous oxide into the atmosphere. No matter how you look at it, growing
grass gives to the environment with one hand while taking with the other.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
There are plenty of choices you can make to help minimise any negative effects — from tool selection to behavioural changes and chemical considerations.
CHOOSE TOOLS WISELY
While petrol-powered tools can have a serious effect on air and noise quality, the development of battery-powered alternative designs means you can lessen your environmental impact.
Of course, there are still issues around the mining of materials to manufacture the batteries required to power them, as well as the end-of-life implications, including disposal and recycling. According to the CSIRO, only 10% of Australia’s lithium-ion battery waste was recycled in 2021 and it’s growing at a rate of 20% each year. This is leading industry, government and research institutions to focus on developing domestic recycling capability as a priority, so we should start seeing improvements in the short term.
In the meantime, it seems oldfashioned push mowers are having a resurgence, as gardeners try to minimise the harm that comes from maintaining green space. Probably not a great solution for large lawns, but these are cheap to run, compact, quiet and easy to manoeuvre — perfect if you’ve got a small patch to tend.
COLLECT RAINWATER
This feels like an obvious one — and three years of La Niña should have made it even easier.
Of course, there are immediate direct benefits: your water bill be reduced and you can maintain your garden and lawn even when water restrictions are in place. But there are additional ‘unseen’ advantages when you reduce reliance on mains water — it decreases stormwater runoff, lessens the need for dams and desal investment and reduces government infrastructure running costs, benefiting the broader community.
There are plenty of options when it comes to rainwater harvesting systems. Do a quick search online or start with your local hardware outlet and talk to an expert — there are literally hundreds of tanks to choose from, along with all the accessories you need. Depending on your location and exact circumstances, you may be entitled to a government rebate, so check local and state government websites for more info.
Other green garden tips
• Use native plants only — invasive planting can wreak havoc on the local ecosystem.
Introduced species cause problems with pests, and biodiversity is impacted. Local fauna can’t use the plants as food or habitat, which threatens their survival. • Opt for organic — if you’re using mulch (and you should be), then go for an organic variety that incorporates lots of different natural materials, like wood chips, grass clippings and other plant materials. These will decompose, providing additional nutrients. Cheap mulch often contains non-biodegradable matter, which offers absolutely no benefit to your garden. • Install a vertical garden wall — the perfect solution if you’re after an expanse of green but can’t justify the lawn any longer.
© Stock.Adobe.com/au/ronstik
CREATE COMPOST
Composting is a double-duty greening activity, helping reduce waste by using food scraps to create an eco-friendly fertiliser. It’s as easy as grabbing an outdoor compost bin and filling it with organic waste — kitchen scraps and leftovers, garden trimmings and grass clippings. Just chuck it in, put the lid on and let nature do its thing.
Compost bins come in a multitude of styles, shapes and sizes. Do some research to find out which option will best suit your needs.
GO EASY ON THE CHEMICALS
The pursuit of the perfect lawn can be a tough game, but using fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides will ultimately make things worse. Lawn can become dependent on the chemicals that are harming them, leading to disease that needs another chemical to fix the problem. The use of blanket pesticides kills off all the beneficial insects needed to keep your garden flourishing. In other words, it’s a slippery slope.
Where possible, remove unwanted plants and weeds by hand and use natural insecticides and oil sprays to keep pests at bay. Ladybirds love aphids and mites — two of the garden’s biggest pests. To attract ladybugs, plant dill and coriander and make sure they have access to a wellwatered garden (they’re thirsty little critters). Every garden is an ecosystem and it’s all about finding the balance that keeps everybody happy.
GROW GROUNDCOVER
There’s no rule that says you can’t replace lawn with an alternative groundcover like moss or clover. Just as nice underfoot, both options tick the aesthetic boxes but require far less care. Some groundcover plants thrive in sunshine and others in shade, so check out options at your local garden centre, where you can get advice on the best alternatives for local conditions.
While we’ve had a long love affair with lush green lawn, it may be time to have a rethink and plant something a little more in keeping with the Australian climate. By opting for native plants and grasses, you’ll not only support the natural ecosystem, but probably save yourself hours of time on the weekend as well… a win/win situation!
