AQUA EditorsSpasWhy Do Olympic Divers Use Hot Tubs After Dives?At the Olympics, the hot tub is an athlete’s best friend — here’s why.September 20, 2012HomeFeedback: Plumb PerfectGood article ("Applied Efficiency," Sept., page 61) but there are a few forward-thinking builders in this industry that have used all this technology since its inception. I built spas using 2.5-inch and 3-inch plumbing, ozone and two-speed pumps in the early '80s, saving my clients money. Dabbled with PV panels running a DC pump in the '90s for daylight hour pool circulation. I developed our "Gold" new construction pool design in 2000 and it is at least 70 percent (possibly better — I do not have a degree in physics) more efficient than my conventionally built pools. The pool is using a cover, LED lighting, VSP pumps and solar panels. It costs 15 percent more than my conventional pool but can return the investment in two or three years.September 18, 2012HomeFeedback: Eyes Wide OpenYour September issue was a real eye-opener about our marketing. First of all, the cover showed a plain rectangle pool. This is an overlooked market — small, affordable pools are being ignored by the industry.September 18, 2012Manufacturer NewsBullfrog Spas Wins 2012 IDEA Design AwardSeptember 18, 2012PoolsWhere The Wild Things AreWe hear about pool donations all the time for kids with special needs, facilities that cannot afford it, etc. Sun Fiberglass Pools had the opportunity to donate a pool to an ...September 13, 2012BuilderSpotlight: Spider Tie Concrete Wall Forming SystemThe basic structures in this Mediterranean-inspired hotspot appear to be conventional, high-quality concrete work, but the forms for the pool, foundations, buildings, retaining walls and planters found in this project were created using the Spider Tie Concrete Wall Forming System, a product created by residential home construction manager Greg McDonagh. The Spider Tie system is a stackable framework that allows the builder to form and pour a wall of any shape without the use of expensive forms. And according to McDonagh, structural concrete is five times stronger than gunite and 30 percent less expensive.September 13, 2012RetailOlympic Hot Spring Spa Featured in Award-Winning Seattle LandscapeIt’s true: Landscape design is a competitive field. Bring a contest into the mix and put a “best landscape” title at stake, and the competition is fierce. Guild Quality, a consortium of builders, announced Prestige Custom Builders of Seattle as the winners of its Back Yard Contest. And what set Prestige’s landscape apart from the rest? It could have been the Vanguard Hot Spring Spa from Olympic Hot Tub sitting in the backyard.September 11, 2012PoolsCalifornia's SPEC VGB/Drain Bill Sent to GovernorLast week, a bill sponsored by the California Spa & Pool Industry Education Council passed in both houses of the legislature and was sent to the Governor for his signature. AB 2114, by Assembly Members Smyth and Hill, proposes to update all of the California Health and Safety Codes relative to the construction of swimming pools and spas. The initial goal of the bill was to coordinate SPEC’s work on Title 24 pool building regulations with the statutes governing the construction of public swimming pools and spas.September 6, 2012PoolsPools Float Over MumbaiParinee ISM, a new luxury apartment skyscraper, is still under construction in Mumbai, India. However, it is already getting quite a bit of attention, and not for its size ...September 5, 2012Retail10 Common Sense Tips For Buying A Pool That Many Consumers IgnoreSwimming pools are custom construction projects and are built by many individual trades and pool contractors with different standards. All pools are not built the same, unlike an automobile, which is manufactured in a factory under controlled conditions. With a swimming pool, much of what you do not see will impact the cost of pool ownership in the long run.August 30, 2012Previous PagePage 181 of 233Next PageTop StoriesBuilderBuilders and Service Professionals Find Common GroundPool builders and service professionals share a common goal, but their working relationship isn't always smooth. Here's how the two trades can prevent costly misunderstandings and create a better experience for customers.Builder2026 Awards of Excellence: Bronze WinnersEducationReading the Room Without Losing YourselfBuilder2026 Awards of Excellence: Silver WinnersSponsored ContentOne System, No Sprawl: Why Growing Pool & Spa Businesses Are Moving to the Cloud
