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“We need a bailout because you can’t make a pool energy efficient.” - But what if you can?


-Quote from Jane Nickerson in Guardian article Swimming pools in UK will close without energy bailout, ministers told


Most swimming pools in the UK are kept at a good, warm temperature for swimmers. But due to the rising energy prices, climate crisis, and funding issues, swimmers may soon face colder pools and higher prices.


Swim England and UKactive, a governing body that represents gym and pool operators, met the sports minister Nigel Huddleston just weeks ago to make an urgent plea for emergency funds to keep pools open. Jane Nickerson, the Swim England Chief Executive said "we need support now, at the moment swimming is not viable unless it is supported."


"Our real worry is that doors will just shut because operators will find they can't afford to run their pools. We need a bailout now because you can't suddenly make a pool energy efficient."


As much as she is correct about swimming pools being at risk, there certainly is a way to make pools energy efficient, and the way is with our astounding Dynamic Boiler Optimisation (DBO) technology.


With many in the sector looking at what they can do to save energy and retrofit buildings, the solution for many could be as simple as installing a DBO.




What is a DBO?

The SIG DBO is a groundbreaking and innovative new smart boiler optimisation technology that brings boilers to the digital front, reduces gas consumption, saves money, and cuts carbon. The DBO is considered a smart product, as it constantly monitors the operation of the boiler and automatically adjusts in response to operational and environmental changes. Clearly a favourite in the energy market, the DBO has now been installed on over 10,000 boilers in the UK.


Thanks to the SIG Cloud, you can how much money you're saving and the amount of gas that is being used by your boilers, you are also able to view useful data provided by itself so you can improve the maintenance and operation of your boiler system.


The DBO works perfectly alongside existing building management systems and keeps all of the pre-set temperature settings for the building and its hot water. The DBO is installed on the outer casing of the boiler and remotely controls the burner cycles, this is how it manages so effectively to deliver cost and carbon savings.




How does the DBO work?

Typically, a boiler thermostat generally maintains temperatures in the boiler between 70°C 80°C. However, the DBO ensures a boiler only responds to fit what the building it is housed in requires, rather than what the boiler thinks is required, as quite frequently a boiler happens to cool a couple of extra and unnecessary degrees. Moreover, the DBO is sufficient to double the length of the cooling curve, therefore delivering (on average) a 16% reduction in gas consumption. Without the need for boiler temperature or footfall adjustments, the DBO makes astonishingly good savings by taking itself in and out of the circuit every 50 boiler cycles and then measuring the cooling and firing times for each cycle to get a good grasp of what it needs to alter.


Without changing the building's heating performance, it essentially works to reduce the amount of fuel consumed by optimising boiler cycle times. Installed in industrial-sized gas or oil-fired boilers with a demand greater than 50kW, it is mains operated and un-intrusive. To prove its effectiveness to you, a system savings report is also available for download to help you identify how much energy the DBO is saving for you.




How can DBO save the swimming industry?

By retrofitting a DBO to your commercial boiler system you could save on average 15% of energy usage. 15% might not sound like a lot as a percentage but when you work out the figures it truly is a massive sum and can make a huge difference to help swimming pools stay afloat. I'm sure you know how much it costs to heat your pool at the moment, it's a lot isn't it, especially with the recent world events causing the average energy prices to skyrocket.


Since energy companies have upped the price cap by over 50% just last month, the toll this will take on your business is immeasurable and is something you need to negate at all costs, which is why contacting us for DBO solutions today is your best option.





The facts to back it all up:
  • Average gas consumption efficiencies of 16% and ROI normally in 2 years (more often within 1 year).

  • Energy cost savings deliver bottom-line benefits.

  • Reduced consumption of fossil fuel cutting carbon.

  • Prolong the life of your old boiler, delaying capital spending.

  • Cloud monitoring and real-time visibility of energy efficiencies, cost, and carbon savings.

  • Reliable connection to 3G/4G mobile network with text and email alerts and remote software version updates.

  • Access Government Energy Efficiency Schemes and Tax Relief, such as the CRC, ECA, and Salix Finance





Furthermore, we have quite the track record and through our renewable solutions have worked miracles with the likes of:

• Merseyside Fire and Rescue

• David Lloyds Leisure

• House of Fraser

• Ministry of Defence

• London Fire Brigade

• British Gas Business

• Radisson Hotels



All in all, I think it is clear to see why choosing to fit a DBO is the smart option if you want to keep the doors to your pool open and keep customers happy. To say you are more than likely going to get the return of your investment within just two years or less while simultaneously saving 16% on your energy should make it the clear direction to go in, and who better to go about this with than Helix-50.




Contact us today at:

info@helix50.co.uk or 01302 439849 to make an enquiry


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