Eco-responsibility: swimming pools and environment

A committed manufacturer

Polytropic has been designing and manufacturing its own machines for 20 years, and has been a pioneer in the development of inverter technology and the replacement of R410 refrigerant with R32, which has a lower environmental impact. Polytropic also pays particular attention to the life cycle of its products: eco-design of its machines, quality and origin of its components, packaging (untreated cardboard, elimination of foam padding and plastic bags), reparability (spare parts for machines are available for 10 to 15 years), end-of-life of the product and recycling.

“Our latest pac models have a body made from recycled material (containing 70% recycled ABS). We also offer a model with a wooden front to blend in better with the garden, which we wanted to be FSC-certified (from sustainably managed forests)”. The SME has also been awarded the Positive Company CSR label, a French CSR label recognised at European level. The company has also calculated its carbon footprint in order to draw up a roadmap and identify areas for improvement, which are still possible. This year it also published its first CSR report. This was a voluntary act, as the size of the company means that it has no obligations in this area. “We were already carrying out many CSR initiatives, without having formalised them,” explains Pauline Bergeret, who set up Polytropic’s CSR committee.

Products and solutions for tomorrow… today

“To this day, the heat pump remains unequalled when it comes to pool heating performance. With Inverter technology and a more environmentally-friendly refrigerant gas, it has more than one trick up its sleeve! Especially if it’s combined with a self-generated energy system,” says Pauline Bergeret.

Indeed, the in-house R&D department based at the Lyon headquarters is already working on tomorrow’s solutions.

Thanks to intelligent regulation, Inverter technology and an increased SCOP (seasonal coefficient of performance), electricity savings over a year are estimated at between 30 and 40% compared with a conventional on/off heat pump. What’s more, the lifespan of the machine itself and its components is extended to ensure long-term use.

Increasingly efficient home automation systems to optimise the operation of the equipment are also essential. Opting for a connected model allows the user to programme the pool heat pump wisely, according to defined and personalised periods of use, and also allows the pool professional to keep an eye on the smooth running of the equipment.

To ‘offset the pool’s electricity consumption’, Polytropic now offers a kit of photovoltaic panels and an intelligent system that, once the heat pump has been powered up, sends the surplus electricity produced to other pool equipment and, why not, to the house.

“This innovation has been very well received by pool professionals since its launch, because it responds to a real need on the part of their customers to deal with rising energy costs,” says Pauline Bergeret.

Beyond regulations

Without waiting for the implementation date of the F-Gas3 regulation by the European Commission banning the marketing of R32 gas, Polytropic launched a range of R290 (propane) products at the Lyon show, which attracted a great deal of attention. Environmentally neutral, R290 gas is not affected by F-Gas regulations, and does not require authorisation for servicing or refilling, or annual leak checks.

And since November, the manufacturer has been displaying the energy class of its machines, all of which were rated A even before they were required to comply with the environmental standard, so that they can be included in the overall score awarded to the pool. The company’s commitment to the environment is also reflected at head office, with waste sorting, an eco-guidance charter to raise employee awareness of the right thing to do, and the installation of photovoltaic panels.

Finally, since 2020, Polytropic has enabled its customers to take action for reforestation and the preservation of endangered environments. Depending on the amount invoiced at the time of purchase, one or more trees are planted and part of the profits are donated to a non-profit organisation, combining the economic development of local populations with the protection of endangered ecosystems.”

Read the article on the website l’Activité Piscine