APSP Quarterly - Spring 2008 - (Page 15)

rds of Excellence the illusion of a vanishing edge,” says Hendrickson. Stepping stones cross one section, linking the home’s swimming pool’s patio and the hot tub. The ref lecting pool ties into that swimming pool, which received a gold medal in the International Awards competition. “It is a vanishing-edge pool that actually pumps into the reflecting pool. Then the reflecting pool overflows at the windows of the house back into the vanishing edge of the swimming pool trough,” he says. In the summer, the temperature of the reflecting pool can rise to as high as 95 degrees Fahrenheit, heating the pool. Aquascape worked closely with the contractor over a two-year period to construct the pool. “We were in and out of the job site in stages,” says Hendrickson. “For example, when they did the excavation, we did all of our underground plumbing. All of the equipment is in the basement of the house, so we had to get it into the house in the early stages.” “This is a unique project,” he adds. “It’s very clean and simple, but it’s built on such a big scale that people’s jaws drop when they see it. You can see the water from pretty much every room in the house.” USE YOUR AWARD OF EXCELLENCE TO MARKET EXPERTISE AND GROW BUSINESS WINNERS OF THE Awards of Excellence are considered elite industry professionals who have reached the pinnacle of accomplishment in the pool, spa, and hot tub industry. Being acknowledged by an independent governing body such as the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals adds credibility to design and construction abilities. By entering these awards, you are giving yourself an opportunity to stand out above the rest. Winners of the Awards of Excellence are recognized among their peers for their expertise in design, construction, or installation, and can increase industry and consumer exposure by following these general marketing guidelines from the APSP: • Send out local press releases. Newspapers usually welcome news briefs about local companies receiving national awards. Create a press release to send to shelter and landscape editors at your local daily and weekly newspapers, pennysavers, and city magazines. • Use the Awards of Excellence logo in all advertising, including company brochures, letterhead, your website, and in all marketing and sales tools. • Use the award as a vital marketing tool on your company website. As the market changes and people look to the internet for the majority of their information, displaying images of the award and listing your accomplishments will give you an edge over your competition. • Create a “wall of fame” in your showroom that not only presents your achievements to potential consumers, but applauds employees and builds morale within the organization. • Buy duplicate plaques for your customers to display in their homes. Customers will be proud of their awardwinning pool and may display the plaque for guests (who may potentially become new clients) to see. Contact the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals’ internal public relations team for counsel. We can help you evaluate and capitalize on publicity opportunities: Christina Cozzi, senior account executive, 212-697-2600 ext. 1284, ccozzi@gibbs-soell.com or Dick Wolfe, vice president, 212-697-2600 ext. 1210, dwolfe@gibbs-soell.com. Rugged Beauty T he rec ipient of t he C h a i r m a n’s Awa rd for a n international project is a beautiful 12-meter by 2.4-meter (40 ft. by 7.8 ft.) geometric pool in Costa Rica. Built for a private residence in Punta Islita, Costa Rica, its vanishing edge appears to drop off the side of a green hillside overlooking the Pacific Ocean. While the pool’s hilly location provides swimmers with spectacular views, it provided many challenges for its builder, Piscinas Acuarium of San Jose, Costa Rica. Access to the site was poor and trucks couldn’t make it up the hill. So, for six weeks during the pool’s construction, six people carried all necessary materials up the hill by hand or using carts. Workers also had to mix all of the concrete on site. There was no electricity available, so all power tools required for the job were powered by a generator. The pool itself was dug by hand (although not by Piscinas Acuarium). The soil was hard in 70 percent of the area but very soft in the other 30 percent, so it had to be compacted before the pool could be built. Because of the pool’s location on the edge of a hillside, Piscinas Acuarium improved the original structural design to secure it. Green Ezarri glass tile from Spain lines the pool’s floor, walls, and vanishing edge, and Royal Beta marble imported from Colombia frames its perimeter. The pool was designed by Zürcher A rquitectos and developed by Arquitectura e Ingenieria Empresarial AIE, which hired Piscinas Acuarium to build the project. A Q SP RING 2008 | 15

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of APSP Quarterly - Spring 2008

APSP Quarterly - Spring 2008 Contents President's Message Chairman's Message International Awards of Excellence Spotlight Quality and Innovation If You're Still in the Pool Business, You're Leaving Money on the Table Gunslingers for Sale-s Can Pool Builders Hedge a Tough Year With... Hedges? Creating a Shared Vision: An Interview with PoolCorp CEO Manny Perez de la Mesa Grow Boating Initiative Helps Industry Imagine a Better Tomorrow First Ever CBP of the Year Award Presented at Inaugural CBP Recognition Dinner Safety Department News & Resources Advertiser's Index

APSP Quarterly - Spring 2008

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