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The popularity of swimming pools does not lie in Quebec. The province has the most swimming pools per capita in Canada — and their popularity has skyrocketed with the pandemic. As the summer season approaches and the issue of energy sobriety is on everyone’s lips, in what ways can pool owners reduce their energy consumption?
One thing is certain, the carbon footprint of pool owners in Quebec remains lower than elsewhere in the world. “All the energy that the swimming pools use is produced in a renewable way during the months when they can be used,” immediately reminds Étienne St-Cyr, head of the Energy Expertise team at Hydro-Québec.
“On the other hand, the purchase of a swimming pool and its use, it is an energy choice that I would qualify as significant”, he warns. Water heater, use of the pump: the energy consumption linked to the maintenance of a residential swimming pool represents several hundred kWh during the summer – a significant consumption in the energy balance of a house, according to Mr. St-Cyr.
According to the Hydro-Québec calculator, a large in-ground swimming pool (18 ft x 36 ft) heated to 27° C without a solar blanket consumes approximately 7562 kWh during the summer. On its own, such a swimming pool would represent approximately one-third of the annual energy consumption of an average house (which, including heating and lighting, varies between 20,000 and 25,000 kWh per year).
“This is where the choice of swimming pool is not only a personal and comfort choice, but also an important energy choice. We must recognize that this has a significant impact on the energy balance of the house,” believes Mr. St-Cyr.
Rigor to save
In order to minimize the energy lost in the evaporation of water, Mr. St-Cyr points out that the best method is to use a solar blanket every day — or at each end of use. “We are aware that putting the canvas back on each time is difficult. People neglect a lot [cet aspect] and sometimes don’t use canvas at all during the summer. Yet it’s almost double the energy consumption if you don’t use it,” he says.
The inground pool in the Hydro-Québec calculator goes from 7,562 kWh per summer without the use of a liner to 4,051 kWh with use — that’s $334 in savings on the electricity bill for the summer season.
In the wake of the discourse on energy sobriety, swimming pool owners could in particular draw a parallel between the electricity saving measures to be put in place in the house and those applicable to the swimming pool, suggests Mr. St-Cyr. “When you know that you are leaving your home for a certain period, you should lower the temperature of the water, and only restart the system a few hours before [de retourner se baigner] “, he illustrates.
Above ground or inground?
Last year, more than 11,300 residential construction permits for inground pools were issued in Quebec. All this without counting the installations of above-ground pools, which are much more numerous.
“Quebec is the kingdom of above-ground pools,” says Jacques Lainé, General Manager at Groupe Sima Piscines Spas. Indeed, the province is far ahead with more than three quarters of all above ground pools in Canada. Have Quebecers chosen the most energy-efficient model?
In the end, the difference between the two types of pools remains negligible, notes Étienne St-Cyr, of Hydro-Québec. “The greatest energy loss is linked to the evaporation of water. In-ground pools are generally a bit more energy intensive, but the impact is quite similar [à celui d’une piscine hors terre] “.
“Rendered there, the most important decision is more to buy a swimming pool or not,” he believes.
The wallet first
Do consumers seem to care about environmental impacts when it comes time to buy a pool or equipment? ” In Quebec, [la question principale] it is: what is the least expensive? observes Jacques Lainé, who is also a director of the Association of Quebec Pool Traders (ACPQ).
And generally speaking, the most environmentally friendly options are also the most expensive. For example, a regular pump costs around $200, while the price of a variable speed pump (which provides better energy savings) can be as high as $400.
All in all, several tips can reduce the energy consumption of a pool, whether through a variable-speed pump system, replacing a traditional electric pool heater with a heat pump, installing a solar blanket or reducing the water temperature in case of absence. “We are well aware that these good habits can “take the edge” when it becomes too restrictive for the user, but there are still significant savings when you are diligent”, concludes Étienne St-Cyr.