Eco-friendly swimming pool revolution reaches NZ
A truly natural alternative to chemically reliant conventional swimming pools is now available in New Zealand.
Motueka-based Natural Pools NZ Limited, owned by accomplished landscape architect Alex Traut and Dr Hans Brutscher, is the exclusive agent for internationally-renowned Biotop Pools, an Austrian company that has designed and constructed over 3000 natural swimming pools in a quarter of a century.
Popular throughout Europe and making waves in Asia, America and now New Zealand, Biotop Pools deliver a whole new world of outdoor enjoyment and an innovative way of experiencing nature in your own back garden. The secret behind Biotop Pools? Just as in a natural pond, the carefully planned planting of a special regeneration zone ensures clean and pure water using the pool’s self-cleansing properties. While a separating wall between the regeneration and swimming zones prevents soil getting into the swimming area, the natural pool creates an organic unity of design and function.
Hans and Alex say Kiwis are discovering there’s a lot to love about environmentally-friendly Biotop Pools, which integrate seamlessly into surrounding gardens
Already, Natural Pools NZ’s stunning Kateriteri “show pool” has generated a lot of interest, as has one of the company’s first commissioned pools. Two further Biotop Pools are under construction in Motueka and Christchurch.
Natural Pools NZ co-owner Hans Brutscher likens owning a Biotop Pool to having your own lake or “swimmable water feature” in your garden. He explains that the reeds, lilies and other aquatic plants positioned in the shallow sand beds alongside the main pool area act as natural filters, generating “good” micro organisms which help purify the water. The plants compete with algae for nutrients, keeping algae growth at a low level.
“Natural pools are designed to work with nature, rather than fight against it,” he says. Hans adds that Biotop Pools are particularly appealing to those who appreciate nature and seek a healthy, natural swimming environment for their family – one that’s free of the chemicals, noisy pumping equipment and bulky storage required by most conventional pools.
Biotop Pools don’t just look like they’re working in total harmony with nature, they actually are.
The pure unadulterated pool water attracts a lot of birdlife, like swallows which swoop low and fast over the pool, scooping up drinking water. Hans’ business partner Alex Traut says depending on the design of the pool, its location and how natural the owner wishes it to be, Biotop Pools can also attract dragonflies, butterflies, boatmen and other desirable insects. For children especially, a Biotop Pool isn’t just swimming pool but a fascinating ecosystem to be explored. Even frogs can periodically make a natural pool their home.
As well as being natural, Biotop Pools have another major benefit over conventional pools; they look fabulous all year round. Even in the middle of winter, the pool and its plants make an attractive water feature and the water remains pristinely clean.
- Biotop Pools are totally chemical free – the plants and shallow sand beds do all the cleaning and filtering – and they remain beautiful and clean all year round with little maintenance Efficient use of technology reduces maintenance and helps cut energy costs
- Biotop Pools can be created to any shape and design and can be built anywhere in New Zealand
- Customers can choose to use their own builder or Natural Pools NZ can take care of every aspect of construction from earthworks to lighting and all adjacent landscaping to ensure the pool fits into its surrounds
- Streams and fountains can be incorporated into the overall design to add to the function and aesthetics of the pool
- Biotop Pools can be created in conventional styles, with the planted or even unplanted filter pools situated away from the main pool and by implementing a biological phosphorous filter
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Hi there, Im in my second yr studying for a dip. in Landscape Design at Carrington Unitec. Could you please name the plants that would be used in a ‘natural pool’ and also could you run solar heating from your roof into a natural pool or would that affect the plants.
cheers
Linda
Dear Linda
Palmco’s Landcsape Manager – ndrew Barrowcliffe is our resident natural pool expert – please drop him an email andrew@palmco.co.nz or call 0274 914 024 for answers to your questions
Kind regards
Jason Vokes
Palmco