The rich and powerful are willing to invest large wads of cash into first-of and one-of-a-kind designs and luxury finshes. Design and innovation take on a whole new meaning when exorbitant piles of cash are involved.
Architectural swimming pools become extraordinarily more complex when the imaginations of highly paid aquatic designers are allowed to create projects without boundaries.
In decades past, the most elaborate and innovative swimming pools stayed concealed from the public for years. It wasn't until the property was listed for sale, that pictures were released in sales brochures.
But in today's age of smart phones and small digital cameras, these creations do not stay hidden for long. Guests at the first poolside cocktail party, contractors, gardeners and even pool cleaners will be posting images on the Internet.
With the release of these images comes the challenge of another designer to innovate and create something even more outlandish - and so the race for the most unique swimming pool or spa continues.
Paolo Benedetti, SWD, Principal
Aquatic Technology Pool and Spa
© www.AquaticTechnology.com
International Aquatic Consultant, Watershape Engineering, Swimming Pool Designer, Expert Witness, Hydraulics Designer, Landscape Design, Pool Construction Management, Owner's Rep
Office: 408-776-8220
Email: info@aquatictechnology.com
Major Markets Serviced:
San Francisco, Palo Alto, Atherton, Hollywood Hills, Beverly Hills, Malibu, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Clemente, Pacific Palisades, Escondido, Scottsdale, Seattle, Phoenix, Tempe, Portland, Aspen, Vail, Park City, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Austin, New Orleans, Madison, Detroit, East Hamptons, South Hamptons, Cape May, Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Cherry Hill, Toms River, Salt lake City, Boise, Denver, Santa Barbaara, Carmel, Carmel Valley, Monterey, Pebble Beach, Oceanside, Big Sur, Napa, Sonoma, Sausalito, Danville, Belvedere, Montecito, Palm Springs, Midland, Manhattan, Greenwich Village, Osaka, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, London, Seoul, Sydney, New York, Tokyo, Cairo, Istanbul, Athens, Rome, Lisbon, Bonn.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Monday, January 12, 2015
Indoor Pool Design, Consultant and Construction - Aquatic Designs, International: Air Quality
Air Quality Indoor Pools
Many factors are involved when designing indoor pools, the most important being the air quality, humidity and controlling the transmission of water vapor into other parts of the structure.
Air Quality
Our consulting mechanical engineer has 4 decades of international experience designing indoor pools and aquatic facilities. He will perform complicated calculations to determine the proper levels of the following items:
Air turns - the turn over rate of the volume of air within the enclosure.
Dehumidification - extracting moisture from the air to control condensation.
Water Temperature - proper water temperature to minimize evaporation
Air Temperature - proper air temperature to minimize condensation
Vapor Barrier - a lining to prevent moisture transmission through walls and surfaces
Positive Air Pressure - air pressure designed to prevent vapor from exiting the enclosure or transmitting into adjacent areas
Heat Recovery - heat that would be vented to the outdoors is recovered and placed back into the pool water, saving energy
Controlling condensation is not merely a matter of matching the pool temperature to the air temperature. It is a complex set of many variables. The slightest change in one, affects the others.
Dehumidifiers are mandatory. Do not think that you are going to come up with a creative method of avoiding the costly installation of a dehumidifier. What ever hair brained idea you have, has been tried before - and FAILED!
Vapor Transmission
Failing to control the humidity in the enclosure will result in condensation on the walls, glass and inside the walls. Vapor within the walls will result in black mold, wet drywall, corroded electrical wiring and components, rusting light fixtures, dry rot, bacteria growth and a myriad of other related biologicals.
Proper placement of air registers and returns is also paramount. Our engineer's computer model will simulate the air flow within the enclosure and allows for the precise placement of these components.
Paolo Benedetti, SWD, Principal
Aquatic Technology Pool and Spa ©
www.AquaticTechnology.com
International Aquatic Consultant, Watershape Engineering, Swimming Pool Design, Expert Witness, Hydraulic Designer, Landscape Design, Owner's Rep, Pool Construction Management
Office: 408-776-8220
Email: info@aquatictechnology.com
Major Markets Serviced: San Francisco, Palo Alto, Atherton, Hollywood Hills, Beverly Hills, Malibu, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Clemente, Pacific Palisades, Escondido, Scottsdale, Seattle, Phoenix, Tempe, Portland, Aspen, Vail, Park City, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Austin, New Orleans, Madison, Detroit, East Hamptons, South Hamptons, Cape May, Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Cherry Hill, Toms River, Salt lake City, Boise, Denver, Santa Barbaara, Carmel, Carmel Valley, Monterey, Pebble Beach, Oceanside, Big Sur, Napa, Sonoma, Sausalito, Danville, Belvedere, Montecito, Palm Springs, Midland, Manhattan, Greenwich Village, Osaka, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, London, Seoul, Sydney, New York, Tokyo, Cairo, Istanbul, Athens, Rome, Lisbon, Bonn.
Many factors are involved when designing indoor pools, the most important being the air quality, humidity and controlling the transmission of water vapor into other parts of the structure.
Air Quality
Our consulting mechanical engineer has 4 decades of international experience designing indoor pools and aquatic facilities. He will perform complicated calculations to determine the proper levels of the following items:
Air turns - the turn over rate of the volume of air within the enclosure.
Dehumidification - extracting moisture from the air to control condensation.
Water Temperature - proper water temperature to minimize evaporation
Air Temperature - proper air temperature to minimize condensation
Vapor Barrier - a lining to prevent moisture transmission through walls and surfaces
Positive Air Pressure - air pressure designed to prevent vapor from exiting the enclosure or transmitting into adjacent areas
Heat Recovery - heat that would be vented to the outdoors is recovered and placed back into the pool water, saving energy
Controlling condensation is not merely a matter of matching the pool temperature to the air temperature. It is a complex set of many variables. The slightest change in one, affects the others.
Dehumidifiers are mandatory. Do not think that you are going to come up with a creative method of avoiding the costly installation of a dehumidifier. What ever hair brained idea you have, has been tried before - and FAILED!
Vapor Transmission
Failing to control the humidity in the enclosure will result in condensation on the walls, glass and inside the walls. Vapor within the walls will result in black mold, wet drywall, corroded electrical wiring and components, rusting light fixtures, dry rot, bacteria growth and a myriad of other related biologicals.
Proper placement of air registers and returns is also paramount. Our engineer's computer model will simulate the air flow within the enclosure and allows for the precise placement of these components.
Paolo Benedetti, SWD, Principal
Aquatic Technology Pool and Spa ©
www.AquaticTechnology.com
International Aquatic Consultant, Watershape Engineering, Swimming Pool Design, Expert Witness, Hydraulic Designer, Landscape Design, Owner's Rep, Pool Construction Management
Office: 408-776-8220
Email: info@aquatictechnology.com
Major Markets Serviced: San Francisco, Palo Alto, Atherton, Hollywood Hills, Beverly Hills, Malibu, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Clemente, Pacific Palisades, Escondido, Scottsdale, Seattle, Phoenix, Tempe, Portland, Aspen, Vail, Park City, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Austin, New Orleans, Madison, Detroit, East Hamptons, South Hamptons, Cape May, Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Cherry Hill, Toms River, Salt lake City, Boise, Denver, Santa Barbaara, Carmel, Carmel Valley, Monterey, Pebble Beach, Oceanside, Big Sur, Napa, Sonoma, Sausalito, Danville, Belvedere, Montecito, Palm Springs, Midland, Manhattan, Greenwich Village, Osaka, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, London, Seoul, Sydney, New York, Tokyo, Cairo, Istanbul, Athens, Rome, Lisbon, Bonn.
Friday, January 9, 2015
Swimming Pool Construction Expert Discusses Electrical Safety, Bonding Grid, Galvanization - by: International Aquatic Consultant Paolo Benedetti
Metallic Staining and Galvanic Corrosion are usually a result of current reaching the aquatic facility or swimming pool.
Unintentional Stray Current
How does stray current find it's way to the pool? Modern electrical systems incorporate a continuous grounding system. The grounding conductors are all tied together, creating a grounding network.
The pool and any out buildings are usually connected to the same grounding network. Therein lies the problem. A minor short circuit in an appliance, outlet or other electrical device that is insignificant to trip a breaker, will send electricity to the grounding network - which includes the pool.
A pool's bonding grid can become energized, since the grounding network and equipotential bonding grid are interconnected in numerous places throughout an aquatic facility. Primarily they are connected together at automation panels, electrical pool components, pool pump motors and lighting components.
Intentional Stray Current
Stray current can be intentionally introduced into the pool water by salt chlorine generators and electronic ionizers. These devices utilize electrically charged metals to induce their desired result. A major drawback is that by introducing electricity into the water, they can actually initiate galvanic corrosion or electrolysis.
Importance of a Bonding Grid
If a equipotential bonding grid is installed correctly and a bonded component becomes energized, personnel are still safe. This is even though electricity is still present to create a galvanic reaction or plating conditions between dissimilar metals.
Sacrificial Anodes are NOT for pools
The purpose of a sacrificial anode, is to give of itself freely to save another component. However, you are simply introducing another metal into the aquatic environment. These less noble metals are usually maganese, magnesium or zinc. They will dissolve into the water, where they will stain finishes or plate metallic components.
Shouldn't you simply eliminate the source of the stray current instead?
References:
http://www.atcoelectric.com/Safety/Contractor-Safety/Documents/070301%20ssm%20Equipotential%20Bonding.pdf
https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_id=9871&p_table=STANDARDS
http://www.nickelinstitute.org/~/Media/Files/TechnicalLiterature/StainlessSteelinWatersGalvanicCorrosionandit%20PreventionAEBauer.pdf
http://www.npl.co.uk/upload/pdf/bimetallic_20071105114556.pdf
Paolo Benedetti, SWD, Principal
Aquatic Technology Pool and Spa ©
www.AquaticTechnology.com
International Aquatic Consultant, Watershape Engineering, Swimming Pool Design, Expert Witness, Hydraulic Designer, Landscape Design, Owner's Rep
Office: 408-776-8220
Email: info@aquatictechnology.com
Major Markets Serviced: San Francisco, Palo Alto, Atherton, Hollywood Hills, Beverly Hills, Malibu, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Clemente, Pacific Palisades, Escondido, Scottsdale, Seattle, Phoenix, Tempe, Portland, Aspen, Vail, Park City, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Austin, New Orleans, Madison, Detroit, East Hamptons, South Hamptons, Cape May, Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Cherry Hill, Toms River, Salt lake City, Boise, Denver, Santa Barbaara, Carmel, Carmel Valley, Monterey, Pebble Beach, Oceanside, Big Sur, Napa, Sonoma, Sausalito, Danville, Belvedere, Montecito, Palm Springs, Midland, Manhattan, Greenwich Village, Osaka, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, London, Seoul, Sydney, New York, Tokyo, Cairo, Istanbul, Athens, Rome, Lisbon, Bonn.
Unintentional Stray Current
How does stray current find it's way to the pool? Modern electrical systems incorporate a continuous grounding system. The grounding conductors are all tied together, creating a grounding network.
The pool and any out buildings are usually connected to the same grounding network. Therein lies the problem. A minor short circuit in an appliance, outlet or other electrical device that is insignificant to trip a breaker, will send electricity to the grounding network - which includes the pool.
A pool's bonding grid can become energized, since the grounding network and equipotential bonding grid are interconnected in numerous places throughout an aquatic facility. Primarily they are connected together at automation panels, electrical pool components, pool pump motors and lighting components.
Intentional Stray Current
Stray current can be intentionally introduced into the pool water by salt chlorine generators and electronic ionizers. These devices utilize electrically charged metals to induce their desired result. A major drawback is that by introducing electricity into the water, they can actually initiate galvanic corrosion or electrolysis.
Importance of a Bonding Grid
If a equipotential bonding grid is installed correctly and a bonded component becomes energized, personnel are still safe. This is even though electricity is still present to create a galvanic reaction or plating conditions between dissimilar metals.
Sacrificial Anodes are NOT for pools
The purpose of a sacrificial anode, is to give of itself freely to save another component. However, you are simply introducing another metal into the aquatic environment. These less noble metals are usually maganese, magnesium or zinc. They will dissolve into the water, where they will stain finishes or plate metallic components.
Shouldn't you simply eliminate the source of the stray current instead?
References:
http://www.atcoelectric.com/Safety/Contractor-Safety/Documents/070301%20ssm%20Equipotential%20Bonding.pdf
https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_id=9871&p_table=STANDARDS
http://www.nickelinstitute.org/~/Media/Files/TechnicalLiterature/StainlessSteelinWatersGalvanicCorrosionandit%20PreventionAEBauer.pdf
http://www.npl.co.uk/upload/pdf/bimetallic_20071105114556.pdf
Paolo Benedetti, SWD, Principal
Aquatic Technology Pool and Spa ©
www.AquaticTechnology.com
International Aquatic Consultant, Watershape Engineering, Swimming Pool Design, Expert Witness, Hydraulic Designer, Landscape Design, Owner's Rep
Office: 408-776-8220
Email: info@aquatictechnology.com
Major Markets Serviced: San Francisco, Palo Alto, Atherton, Hollywood Hills, Beverly Hills, Malibu, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Clemente, Pacific Palisades, Escondido, Scottsdale, Seattle, Phoenix, Tempe, Portland, Aspen, Vail, Park City, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Austin, New Orleans, Madison, Detroit, East Hamptons, South Hamptons, Cape May, Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Cherry Hill, Toms River, Salt lake City, Boise, Denver, Santa Barbaara, Carmel, Carmel Valley, Monterey, Pebble Beach, Oceanside, Big Sur, Napa, Sonoma, Sausalito, Danville, Belvedere, Montecito, Palm Springs, Midland, Manhattan, Greenwich Village, Osaka, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, London, Seoul, Sydney, New York, Tokyo, Cairo, Istanbul, Athens, Rome, Lisbon, Bonn.
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