AHRC CAMP LOYALTOWN KEEPS THE FUN GOING LONGER
Summer Camp Cuts The Bills But Keeps The Fun
When Patrick Gallagher first visited Camp Loyaltown, there was over 3-feet of snow on the ground. But soon, the snow would melt and the upstate New York summer camp would be flooded with over 850 special needs campers ready to have some fun away from home.
Owned and operated by AHRC, Camp Loyaltown is a private, nonprofit, summer camp which cares for children as young as 4 years old through adults in their 80’s who have developmental and other disabilities. Campers enjoy a variety of recreational activities including paddle-boating, arts and crafts, and swimming in the massive 9,000 square foot heated splash pool.
As a nonprofit, membership organization, AHRC needs to keep costs as low as possible, and heating a body of water 12-times the size of an average backyard pool with propane was not helping its cause. The camp had heard about other facilities using solar panels to heat their pool water, and contacted Rapp Construction Management forsome direction. Owner Joe Rapp brought in local Warwick, NY solar expert Pat Gallagher of Gallagher Solar as a consultant on the project.
Nicholas Pappas, Rapp Construction’s resident Sustainable Building Advisor, worked closely with Gallagher throughout every step of the system design process. Sized at 100 4’ x12’ collectors (4,800 square-feet of solar collector area), the system would be the largest of its kind in the region. Given the magnitude of the installation– his team’s largest to date –Gallagher enlisted the help of AIRegional Distribution Center Rich Bonte of Sun Source Energy Products (Netcong, NJ), who assisted in calculating the necessary flow rates, layout, and pump sizing in order to transfer as much heat as possible into the pool.
As in most public and commercial swimming pools, safety is always a top priority. Gallagher noted that, as the only solar pool heating systems certified to strict NSF-50 safety, durability, and toxicity standards, the Aquatherm name made it all the easier to satisfy the local Board of Health’s requirements.
Patrick Gallagher of Gallagher Solar was very pleased with the outcome. “Camp Loyaltown’s forward-looking management is way ahead of the curve in their ongoing efforts to drive down the costs of fuel in every way possible.” This is our largest project to date, said Gallagher. “The camp is very happy with the system’s performance and is seeing the savings pile up. Fuel is certainly not getting any less expensive.”
With the cost of energy rising everyday, heating a pool with fossil fuels is a luxury most can no longer afford. But like AHRC, many smart commercial pool owners and operators are making the switch to solar, and enjoying all the benefits of a heated pool without the shock of the monthly utility bill.
Contact Aquatherm to find a commercial dealer or for more information on our solar pool heating systems.
The 2,400 square foot (270,000 gallons) Rinehart Indoor Pool at the Fort Sill Army post near Lawton, OK is utilized year-round by both military and civilian swimmers for general recreation, fitness, and training. The pool even plays host to regular “Learn to Swim” classes held for the families of the soldiers stationed there. Keeping the pool at a comfortable temperature for all those swimmers cost upwards of several thousand dollars a month with the existing 630,000 BTU natural gas heater. Facility management knew there had to be a more cost-effective way to keep the pool water warm.
Suncatcher of Atlanta designed a custom rack to hold 135 Solar Industries Collectors, with a 41-degree tilt to maximize solar absorption in the winter months when the sun is highest in the sky. With over 4,200 feet of 3” plumbing to move water to and from the collectors, the Rinehart Indoor Pool Solar Heating System will generate over 2.6 million BTUs every day – the equivalent of 278 MW every year – cutting annual heating costs by 47%.
