Within the last few years, interest in surf park developments have drastically increased. The idea of a venue that brings surfing and its lifestyle to a destination that is hundreds (or thousands) of miles from an ocean, is quite exciting to developers, investors, surfers, and the general public alike. Being the core of the surf park, the pool technology itself is arguable the most important investment, and one that’s operational success is critical to providing the greatest return on investment (ROI).
A Comprehensive Look at ROI
Recently, much of the spotlight has been heavily set on energy efficiency claims based solely on metrics that are highly unlikely to occur in everyday operations. A surf park’s operations are incredibly multi-faceted, and, in all seriousness, we cannot realistically say that energy cost per wave is the same when producing a pumping overhead barrel to a Malibu-style cruiser… Just like a car’s fuel economy performs differently when driving in the city versus on a highway, a surf pool’s energy consumption will vary as well, with most energy claims being made based on unrealistic scenarios (More on that here). Yes, these energy estimates are an important part of the development process. However, the findings rely on numerous factors that are always in flux, like wave type, wave height, wave frequency, capacity, and pool reset time for example.
The better way to look at ROI can be based on looking at the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). In the world of surf pools, the TCO can be summarized as the purchase price of the pool and its technology, plus the costs incurred to construct and continually operate the pool overtime. Additionally, although they are indirect costs to developers themselves, environmental impact costs should be factored in as an extra level to the TCO.
When compiling all these price points, we ideally want surf pools that offer an increased ROI because of a lessening of the TCO. You know what is even better? When a surf pool offers improved financial performance on top of it all because of some key features that allow operators full control and flexibility.
Size Matters
Less is more with Endless Surf. With a total footprint 1/3 smaller than the size of Wavegarden’s Cove, while offering similar commercial upside, the TCO of an Endless Surf pool means fewer costs associated with construction as well as operations and maintenance – all while reducing the impact on the environment based on having a smaller carbon footprint over time. Not to mention, Endless Surf technology boasts a variety of flexible operations capacities that allows venues to flex their operations to the capacity rather than models that can only be run as either ON or OFF.
Construction and Preparing
From day one of breaking ground on a new surf park development, Endless Surf’s scalable and compact size not only reduces costs, but also the overall impact on the environment. It is no secret that building a surf pool is a massive undertaking, one that uses loads of concrete and requires significant venue space. Without offsetting commitments, no surf pool is likely to be carbon neutral. However, we can certainly minimize our impact while still maintaining peak performance capabilities that satisfy surfers (wave-wise) and park owners (money-wise). Saving costs by a 1/3, here’s where Endless Surf saves and why size matters:
- Less Excavation: this one is simple – the less digging the better for the environment overall, the water tables below, and the air we breathe.
- Less Concrete: reducing the amount of cement used means reducing CO2 emissions into the atmosphere, as concrete is an unfortunate leading contributor to greenhouse gases.
- Less Soil Sealing: known as the covering of ground with impermeable material, soil sealing is recognized as one of the leading causes of soil degradation (which leads to several consequences environmentally).
- Less Water: the most precious commodity that is especially scarce in popular development destinations like the Palm Desert, Arizona, the Middle East, etc.
These construction processes are certainly not cheap, and are too often accepted by surf park developers as a part of the investment. Why not save money on costs, reduce your overall carbon footprint, and gain increased pool performance capabilities?
Operating and Maintaining
The next piece of the size matters puzzle is the transition into the operating phase. When you think about the TCO, things like less water translate to less energy requirements for filtration. The interconnectivity of these factors goes far beyond the initial construction phase, meaning Endless Surf will save venues plenty of money in the long term. Once again, Endless Surf saves costs within these areas:
- Pool drainage not required: a perk with Endless Surf technology – all mechanical elements are located outside of the pool, meaning easier maintenance, less down time, and no draining required.
- Less electricity to filter water: filtration costs represent 50% of overall power consumption costs; less water means filtration is simpler and uses significantly less energy overall
- Fewer chemicals to sanitize water: in order to maintain safe and crystal-clear water, chemicals are necessary. Less water means less chemicals are required.
- More land available for additional ROI activities: all in all, a smaller footprint means more venue space available for things like food and beverage, retail, real estate, and other providers of additional investment returns. In addition, a key feature of Endless Surf is the availability of real estate space on all sides of the pool offering premium views.
Evaluating the Total Cost of Ownership to Make a Sound Investment Decision
Ultimately, a lot goes into building an epic surf venue. With the emergence of many new technologies, developers need to factor in their total cost of ownership in order to ensure that their investment is sound and will provide them the necessary performance capabilities while benefiting from lower operating costs over time. In addition, demonstrating an understanding of your venues TCO will make for a more robust business case that will excite lenders and outside investors. All in all, a surf pool is meant to provide guests with an amazing experience that is unrivaled by any other water-based attraction. With the most efficiently designed pool in the world, the possibilities to maximize your investment potential are Endless.
