A Cold Pool Is Only 1/2 a Pool

Prudent use of energy resources is the key to producing thermally efficient buildings and in this case, swimming pools. It is more than simply providing extra heating or refrigeration; it is primarily the need to achieve total energy balance.

For example, an Expanded Polystyrene Styrofoam (EPS) wall need be only 1/20 the thickness of a brick wall to achieve the same degree of insulation. However, a brick wall is 2,000 times as heavy, and requires 600 times as much energy to produce.

While it is not suggested that polystyrene will replace the brick, it highlights how EPS used in conjunction with traditional materials can be used to provide more cost efficient building methods…and better use of energy resources.

EPS is a product that is not only compatible with all building materials, but offers versatility, design, ease of construction and cost advantages that the other materials cannot.

The aware architect, engineer, and builder using EPS in practical ways, has unlimited scope for designing more thermally efficient pools and at the same time maintain energy balance. Some states even offer governmental rebates for using products that save energy. That can be a great promotional tool for a builder looking to appeal to environmentally conscientious consumers or homeowners who want to save money on their heating costs.

Expanded polystyrene

Expanded polystyrene is a lightweight cellular plastic material consisting of fine spherical shaped particles that are comprised of 78% air; this air is trapped within a number of closed cells in each particle. Blocks of expanded polystyrene are made by re-softening the expanded particles in a block mold with steam until they fuse together.

Because stabilized air is such a good insulator, the resultant product is extremely effective as thermal insulation material.

Thermal performance of material is measured in terms of its resistance to the flow of heat which is expressed in R values, the higher the number, the better the insulation. The difference is that you’ve literally installed an R-48 insulated value wall in the ground.

	Lightweight and strong
	Flexibility in design
	Thermal Insulation: Because of the insulating properties of the therma-foam pool wall, the cold ground does not rob the pool of its heat; heat loss from the water to the surrounding ground is reduced and the pool is therefore warmer than any other type of pool structure.
	Flexibility copes with movement and stress: The therma-foam pool wall system has been designed to withstand free active earth movement and other pressures.
	Easy to handle and place
	Increases safety for workers
	Cost effective:  The only pool system that pays for itself when heated.
	Non-corrosive:  Utilizes essentially inert materials, which will not succumb to corrosion in the presence of moisture or acidic soils.
	Durable and tough
	Environmentally Friendly