cdocon,

Welcome to the forum! Let us know too if you are interested in an energy efficient pool design. Many potential pool owners give second thought to the energy efficiency of their pools but it tends to surface after they receive their first power bill when it is too late to do much about it without a lot of extra cost. Energy efficiency is an area of my particular interest and would be happy to help in any way possible. But here is a short list of the major trade offs:


In-efficient Design Elements:

Small pipe diameter - 1.5" plumbing can be very inefficient
Small filters and filters with backwash valves tend to have higher head loss
Large single speed pump uses a lot of energy without much benefit
Water features/spas require high flow rates and also increase water evaporation although sometimes you just want one and there are ways to make them more efficient.


Efficient Design Elements:

Large pipe diameter - 2.5" pipe can be 20% more efficient than 1.5" pipe
Large filters and especially large cartridge filters have very low head loss
Two speed or variable speed pumps can offer over 50% reduction in energy costs