The outside of the property is always where we can make up for potential limitations. If you are living in a small home you can make certain alterations so the space feels larger but it can be the outside where everything comes alive. This is particularly important with regards to sustainability, and if you’re trying to evoke a more natural design to your property in general, something like a swimming pool can straddle the balance pretty effectively. It’s a key feature of many luxury homes, but it’s also that opportunity to take a dip and step away from the more urban aspects of where you live. But if we’re trying to create an outdoor swimming pool that is sustainable in style, design, and accessories, here’s a few things to help elevate the poolside experience.
Consider Privacy
If we decide to set up a swimming pool in our back garden, we want to make sure that we feel secure and away from prying eyes. Depending on where you live, you may be particularly close to your neighbors, meaning that you don’t necessarily feel like you have that opportunity to make the most of your personal space.
You can enhance the poolside experience by getting blinds for your patio which ensures you feel more private within the property, but you can also expand this outwards. Patio blinds offer privacy and shade but are also made from eco-friendly materials that can align with that sustainable theme. Privacy should be such an important aspect of our living experience, so therefore, we need to consider ramping up that privacy factor. You could do this with your landscaping too, for example, more shrubs and bushes that don’t just give you privacy, but also look fantastic as well.
Windbreak Plantings
Windbreak plantings are a great line of defense, such as a fence, row of trees, or a hedge that can be created in most gardens. These can provide a number of benefits, but its primary purpose is to slow the breeze down, creating a more beneficial condition for any crops, soil, and yourself.
Also known as shelter belts, they can be designed to serve more than one purpose, and in a space like your pool area, you can strategically plan these to serve as a natural barrier and create a microclimate that will, in fact, enhance pool efficiency, which reduces the need for excess heating, meaning that you are operating with a more sustainable attitude.
Windbreaks in certain climates can also provide nuts, fruits, or materials that you could, in fact, sell. Windbreaks cover so many different disciplines and can be a very useful addition to the space and your household.
Rainwater Harvesting
If you want to become more sustainable in your mindset, you should think about repurposing rainwater. It’s a naturally very eco-friendly approach, but lots of people can’t necessarily fill their pool entirely with rainwater. Depending on where you live, you may experience more rain than you know what to do with, in which case you can use this to your advantage and incorporate a filtration system.
It’s also possible to mix running water and rainwater together, but you’ve got to look at adding the right type of rainwater harvesting system to your home. The most common solution tends to be concrete cisterns or buried tanks. These are very useful because they can regulate the pH level of the water. As rain is more acidic, the filtration system can make a big difference, can reduce bill costs, and can even reduce flooding risks depending on your location. However, it’s important to remember that as rainwater may contain impurities, you will need to use the appropriate pool chemicals such as pH plus, pH minus (which increases or decreases the pH level), or disinfectants before the water is safe to use.
When you implement a rainwater harvesting system, you start to reduce your reliance on traditional water sources and, of course, add that sustainable dimension to proceedings, which can make a big impact on everything.
Solar-Powered Pool Heating
You can reduce your swimming pool heating costs by installing a solar pool heater. Solar pool heating is one of the more effective ways to use solar energy, depending on the climate. A solar pool heating system consists of a solar collector, which is the device where the pool water is circulated to be heated from the sun. It also contains a filter, a pump, and a flow control valve, which is a device that diverts the pool water through the solar collector.
The pool water is pumped through the filter and the solar collectors where it’s heated and then returned to the pool. Solar panels don’t just reduce your carbon footprint, but they are a cost-effective and sustainable solution for heating your pool throughout the year. Many people are looking into more cost-effective ways to heat their homes and use alternative energy, and solar panels are having a greater push all around the world.
This means that if you want to be eco-friendly, sustainable in your mindset, and have a lovely warm swimming pool all year round, this is undoubtedly an excellent solution. You can also use solar energy in combination with LED lighting solutions, which can make a massive difference during evening swims. LED pool lighting underwater is cost-efficient, stylish, and convenient so you can make the most of it day or night.
Permeable Pool Decking
One of the biggest concerns for many people who are lucky enough to have an outdoor pool is the potential for accidents. Pool decking should be made from permeable materials as this allows water to penetrate the surface. When it comes to the overall sustainability of your outdoor space, permeable pool decking offers a number of benefits, including being able to harvest rainwater to supply it to ingrown sprinkler systems or even your home.
When you allow water to permeate the ground, you’re reducing stormwater runoff and this can minimize drainage system overwhelm during heavy rainfall. It also becomes a safer pool environment because of its slip-resistant surfaces, meaning that we can all have a bit more peace of mind.
Smart Pool Covers
Technology can be put to great use even in a swimming pool setting. A smart pool system can ensure perfect water conditions, so you don’t need to guess the chlorine or pH levels, and is also going to elevate the pool experience by optimizing the filtration and heating processes.
Many smart devices are voice-activated, and you can also take control of your pool with simple voice commands making for a far more convenient and sophisticated experience while also preventing debris and pests from infiltrating the pool.
Adding Natural Pest Control Methods
Because owning a pool can mean having to invest in chemicals like chlorine, you need to get the balance right somehow, and this is where natural pest control methods such as plants like marigolds or citronella can act as a natural repellent.
Therefore, you can create a pest-resistant environment around your swimming pool, and you can then go even further by establishing a vegetation buffer to filter pollutants and enhance air quality while also adding that visual appeal so you can experience a greater sense of well-being while going for your morning swim.
By incorporating some of these approaches to your outdoor pool design, you can not just create luxurious retreats, but you can be a living breathing example of sustainable luxury living. There is no reason why we cannot be indulgent while looking after our bit of the environment.
