Many of New Zealand's growing baby boomer population are choosing a retirement village lifestyle. Pacific Coast Village is meeting this need, offering "resort-style retirement living at its finest." Designed by Sumich Chaplin Architects, the complex has been built to the highest standards and features an indoor pool pavilion.

The Duoheat and Vent-Air Solution

Richard Mora, Project Manager at Generus Living Group, had two heating and ventilation options for the indoor pool pavilion at Pacific Coast. The first had a gas boiler and simple duct that would have involved a hefty energy bill and patchy air. The second was a ventilation and condensation control system with Duoheat water heating heat pump and Vent-Air air distribution that would provide thermal comfort for indoor pool users with a considerably lighter energy bill.

The choice was easy; Hot Water Heat Pumps Ltd demonstrated their method of using integrated heating to maintain good air quality within and around the pool enclosure for the health and comfort of pool users.

The three part system included:

Heating

The core heating system is comprised of Performance Plus Duoheat heat pumps for energy-efficient pool, spa, air and shower water heating. These feature a unique design using two independent heat exchangers. Each application has its own control systems controlling the desired set temperature to achieve a higher COP (Coefficient of Performance).

Air Handling

A Vent-Air ventilation and condensation control system supplies fresh warm air and removes humid air from the pool pavilion. The Supply Air Handler has an extra heating coil while the return Vent-Air is equipped with heat recovery coils to recover as much energy as possible from the departing air. A second stage of recovery is when the exhausted hot and humid air passes through the Duoheat heat pumps' evaporator coil. This generates more advantageous conditions for the heat pump, and reduces the total heating cost. Indoor pool environments promote corrosion so all unit frames are powder coated for extra protection and heating coils are epoxy coated which prolongs their life.

Air Distribution

Exposed under ceiling ducting distributes air evenly on all surfaces. Concealed underground duct work around the perimeter of the pool is an alternative option available. 

Warmer pool temperatures create higher evaporation rates that require energy to compensate for the heat loss, and ventilation to minimise the evaporation. Because of this, finding a cost-effective energy solution is fundamental. Maintaining good quality indoor air is an especially important factor providing comfort for swimmers, protecting the structure from excessively high humidity levels and condensation. Condensation from indoor pools is not only unsightly, but if ignored could damage the integrity of the building envelope, which could produce a hazardous environment with high maintenance costs.

The Result

A year on, Hot Water Heat Pumps Ltd has delivered all the promises made before being awarded the project. Pacific Coast indoor pool and spa runs on a fraction of cost of an equivalent size indoor pool facility.