Blakehurst Solar-Matched Heat Pump Installation
This one came down to a simple brief: the client had a pool they weren't using.
They’d already invested in a rooftop solar system, a decent-sized setup that was sitting mostly idle during the day. The opportunity was obvious. Pair the pool with a heat pump that runs on that free electricity, and you change when — and how often — the pool gets used.
After a site visit, we assessed the pool volume, the shade situation, and how the solar output tracked across the day. The Austek Enviro was the right fit: properly sized for the pool, quiet enough for a backyard entertaining setup, and efficient enough to run largely off the solar during peak generation hours.
The goal was a nine-month swim season. We hit it.
The main challenge was heat loss.
The second piece was making the most of the existing solar. Running the heat pump during the day maximises what the panels are already generating and keeps the unit off the grid during peak tariff periods. That meant setting the timer properly and walking the client through how to get the most out of the setup day-to-day.
- Pool sits on the south side of the house with minimal direct sunlight year-round
- Above-average heat loss rate required careful unit sizing — not just pool volume
- Heat pump draw needed to be matched to the solar system’s peak generation window
- Timer configured to run during daylight hours to minimise grid reliance
Once those two problems were solved — sizing and solar scheduling — everything else was straightforward. The Austek Enviro was installed in a single day, commissioned on-site, and the client had a warm pool within 48 hours.
The pool now runs at a comfortable temperature from September through to May — nine months of the year, from spring entertaining season right through to autumn.
- Austek Enviro heat pump installed and commissioned in a single day
- Timer synced to peak solar generation window — minimal grid draw
- Pool reaches target temperature within 24–48 hours from cold start
- Swim season extended from roughly 3 months to 9 months per year
The pool that sat cold and unused for most of the year is now the centrepiece of the backyard. That’s the brief delivered.