I Have Seen Our Future

and it is Green

Shaun Casey

Capo Industries/ AquaFinesse Water Care

New fortunes and potential exponential growth in the Pool and Spa industry await those of us who embrace and take action in getting North America off its addiction to polluting power sources and wasteful consumption!

My belief is that our lack of a ‘coherent national strategy on the most important economic questions of our time will negatively affect our future competitiveness, productivity and prosperity unless we take action now. The first step to action is having an understanding of the situation!

It shows that progress is possible and has been made, yet it acknowledges that there is still plenty to do, and that what's left to do is attainable.

Eco trends will continue to evolve. One overarching truth has emerged: Industries can no longer ignore the logic for environmental thinking in core business strategy.

What are our retailers strategies for this eco future?• Do we understand the importance?

• Do we have retail business plans to affect the growth of future green pool and spa market pressure?

• How do we move forward together to ensure sustainable growth and profits?

Change• I love the pool and spa industry and

especially the people within it that have the vision that drives it forward.

• Typical of any business segment however, change is a human dynamic we are naturally adverse to.

• The whole idea of sustainable energy and the environmental stewardship and consciousness that is coming, requires change.

“Change does not necessarily assure progress, but progress implacably requires change.”

• My premise is that the differentiation available to retailers today in new green technologies for pools and spas offers are very important elements of every pool and spa retail business future.

• Changes are needed to maintain and grow competitive advantage in the retail pool spa business environment.

Progress requires Change

Accepting the fact that Accepting the fact that changes are required changes are required understands that: understands that: energy efficiencyenergy efficiency water conservationwater conservation are, combined, one of the are, combined, one of the biggest issues we have to biggest issues we have to face today in the pool and spa face today in the pool and spa industry and our planet.industry and our planet.

Eco Bounty•So while banks are crumbling and multinationals continue to lay off people faster then you can say “Downturn”, every key player from the Obama Administration to the Chinese government plans to dominate the post recession economy by going sustainable, including a heavy dose of regulations.

•Recession or not consumers will demand responsible behaviour from retail brands.

Just one Statistic

“Four out of five people say they are still buying green products and services today- which sometimes cost more – even in midst of recession”, ( source; Reuters)

ECO BOUNTY• I submit that there is a coming Eco

Bounty in the numerous opportunities that exist for retailers in our industry both in short term and long term that participate in the quest for a sustainable society.

• Correspondingly there are Eco Death Blows waiting on downturned obsessed retailers and companies who don’t take on an Eco focus who will find themselves left out in the cold when the economy starts fully recovering.

Rethinking Green

• Substantive progress towards a more sustainable pool and spa industry will require the rethinking of many of our current business models, ways of living and system of consumption and production related to pools and spas.

• In a consumer-orientated economy such as the North America, progress towards sustainability will be impossible without education, leadership and ‘buy in’ of the retailers, manufacturers and our consumers before negative press label us as bad business sector for the economy.

Green Laws A-Comin

• Green building is the way we mitigate environmental degradation by designing and operating our pools and spas to use energy, water, and materials efficiently.

• Green law is coming and its time for everyone to get on the same page so all retailers and the industry benefit in increased sales and profits

Rethinking Green

While still recovering from these difficult times the pool and spa industry’s economic recovery will depend on how effectively we adopt a socially responsible approach to green initiatives.

Not only must pool and spa professionals commit tosustainability strategies And embrace a changeto newer technologies, we also need to go beyondthat and pledge to change our attitudes toward waste reduction and develop an energy and water conservation plan.

Responding to Green Demand

Manufacturers are reacting and rushing to develop new energy efficient products to attract environmentally conscious consumers who are driven to maximize their return on purchasing swimming pools and spas

Our trade magazines and trade shows are becoming full of eco green marketed products with many significant advances and benefits to our consumers.

Water Conservation• Pool and spas still return billions of gallons of

polluted water to our rivers and lakes through use of excessive toxic chemicals for their water care

• People become more aware of the health hazards associated with soaking in and breathing in harsh pool and spa chemicals,

• As the environmental hazards associated with releasing chemically treated water into the environment become understood more widely

• Consumers have begun to seek out “green” alternatives to protect their health and the planet.

• Toronto the 5th largest city center in North America has a bylaw against pool and spa water being drained to sanitary sewers.

Hot tub water pollution

• Hot tubs traditionally generate as much as 1,600 gallons of contaminated water a year.

• Waste pool and spa water can be drained and reused to water plants and trees.

• If all 3.2 + million hot tubs in the United States contained drainable water through use of new eco friendly water care technologies, we’d prevent up to 10 billion gallons of toxic waste water from entering the world’s ecosystem every year

APSP-15 and Energy Conservation

• Pools are the second biggest energy culprit after our air conditioners

• Pool efficiency laws are ushering in a new age of pool equipment design for residential pools.

• New efficiency codes and APSP's emerging national standard, APSP-15, it's now in every pool builder's best interest trying to provide that higher-level vision which will lose the energy-hog tag our industry have received over the first 50 years of the industry's history.

So what is a green pool?

• Variable speed pumps• Plumbing efficiency• Solar heating• Geo thermal Heat pumps• Pool covers• Pool design and location• Automated controls• Eco friendly water care technologies

What are the criteria for a green pool and spa standard and their importance’s?

The foundation of most green building programs are based on four principles:

• Reduce – Avoid using unnecessary energy and material waste.

• Reuse – Incorporate existing materials.• Recycle – Incorporate existing materials in new

ways.• Rethink – Look for new and better building

solutions.

The Problem

HEATERSPUMPS

SOLAR AND COVERS WATERCARE

Marketing efforts of various manufacturers do of the sub components that a pool builder assembles to build a pool are not assembled together into a standard for design and marketing of green sales

Promotion and marketing of Green pools and spas

•Consumers care about saving the earth,, only when it also saves them money.

•So the need is to promote examples of Green pool and spas and promote the best design that save consumers

•We need to put the multiple fractured corporate marketing of the many component elements together and market and promote the finished product

Saving customer’s money,

Can save the environment

and could even save your business!

RETHINKING GREEN

Current Industry Awards

So what is the rest of the world s pool and spa industry doing to respond to

this need?

Pool eco attitude

An itinerary round at the exhibition targeting products and services with a focus on sustainable development

Eco Friendly Technology Pavilion

Lecture series on Green Technologies

The first and only dedicated environmental awards for the swimming pool and spa industry in the world.

The SPLASH! Environmental Awards

The awards are held every two years, with the winners announced at SPLASH! on the Gold Coast. Started in 2008 the 2010-2011 Awards were a great success, and the Awards are expected to be even better. Following increased attention on the environment (both nationally and globally) and major advances in energy- and water-efficient swimming pool equipment, the 2010-2011 Awards include a number of new product categories.

The SPLASH! Environmental Awards

• Developed to recognise efforts in applying energy saving and water-saving features and ideas to swimming pools, spas and through retail outlets. Their hope is they will encourage even greater efforts in these areas.

There are five categories:• Residential Pool (Indoor and Outdoor)• For most water and energy efficient residential swimming pool• Sponsored by Foundation Sponsor, Sunbather• Commercial Pool (Indoor and Outdoor)• For the most water and energy efficient commercial or community swimming pool or

complex• Spa Award• For the most water and energy efficient residential spa installation• Pool Shop Award• For the promotion and application of water and energy efficiency by a pool shop/mobile

service• Product Categories• Energy Saving, Water Saving, Mechanical, Chemical or Mineral, Sanitisation and Lighting

Award Criteria

1. Water Conservation and Efficiency

2. Energy Efficiency

3. Chemical Efficiency

4. Noise minimisation

5. Construction and waste minimisation

SO where do we go from here

•To be part of the future the pool and spa industry must develop green marketing strategies

•To move forward through this dynamically changing business environment we need to change and promote the differences and benefits of change to our consumers

•The key is relating savings in operating dollars, to saving the environment

SO where do we go from here

• Simply adopting use of new products and advertising your business as “Green” is not enough

• Going green together as an industry is what it will take to see the Eco Bounty that is fortold awaiting us that take leadership down this path

• This will require conscious planning and conscientious execution

• This will require associations, manufacturers and retailers working together

The Future is Green

• New fortunes and potential exponential growth in the Pool and Spa industry await those of us who embrace and take action in getting North America off its addiction to polluting power sources and wasteful consumption!

• Green is coming and its time for everyone to get on the same page so all retailers and the industry benefit in increased sales and profits for a sustainable future our children and retirement can bet on.