Summary In Episode 5 of The Blueprint Tour: Extra Mile, recorded in Virginia, hosts Kenneth Shultz, Engineering Director at PermitZIP, and Carter Huddleston, Electrical Principal Engineer at PermitZIP, sit down with Jeffrey D. Consroe, PE, Vice President at Shelly Williams Company, LLC, for a deep dive into one of the more demanding environments in HVAC design: the indoor pool. Why does putting a pool inside a building become so complicated, and so expensive? Jeffrey explains why indoor pool design goes far beyond simply heating and cooling a room. The conversation breaks down psychrometrics, relative humidity, dew point, evaporation, reheat, dehumidification, ventilation, air distribution, and building-envelope design, showing how each affects comfort, indoor air quality, equipment selection, energy use, and the long-term integrity of the building. The trio explores how pool water temperature and room temperature influence evaporation, why hot tubs can dramatically increase moisture loads, and why something as simple as a pool cover can significantly change the dehumidification requirements. They also discuss cold surfaces, condensation, vapor barriers, insulation, windows, skylights, corrosion, chloramines, and why material selection matters in an aggressive indoor pool environment. Jeffrey explains why conventional HVAC equipment and mini-splits can be the wrong solution for a natatorium, particularly when equipment is expected to control temperature without properly managing humidity. The discussion gets into psychrometric charts, cooling coils, dew point, hot-gas reheat, part-load operation, and specialized pool dehumidification equipment, and why understanding these fundamentals matters when evaluating an HVAC design. Architecture is another major part of the equation. High ceilings, large areas of glass, limited mechanical-room space, hidden ductwork, skylights, and other aesthetic decisions can create significant mechanical constraints. Jeffrey, Kenneth, and Carter discuss why bringing the right specialists into a project early can prevent unrealistic expectations from becoming expensive problems later. And the costs can escalate quickly. Jeffrey shares the story of an outdoor pool that was converted into an indoor pool using a metal carport, reflective insulation, homemade skylights, single-pane windows, and conventional rooftop HVAC. After roughly $55,000 had already been invested, the owner faced approximately $130,000 in corrective work, pushing the project toward $200,000. It becomes a striking example of how an apparently cheaper solution can ultimately cost far more than designing the system correctly from the beginning. The conversation also looks beyond equipment to smart pool controls and commissioning. Jeffrey explains how integrated controls can bring the pool heater, pump, dehumidifier, lighting, exhaust fan, outside-air damper, weather data, and system alerts into one platform, and why factory startup, commissioning documentation, and owner training are critical once the system is installed. Technical, candid, and grounded in real projects, this episode is a practical exploration of what it actually takes to make an indoor pool work, and why decisions made early in design can determine whether the finished space becomes an asset or an expensive problem. “If somebody’s not actually talking about dew points and reheat and things of that nature, just run because you’re never gonna be happy.” Keywords indoor pool HVAC, indoor pool design, natatorium HVAC, pool dehumidification, psychrometrics, humidity control, dehumidification systems, HVAC engineering, mechanical engineering, indoor air quality, dew point, relative humidity, hot gas reheat, pool ventilation, building envelope, vapor barrier, condensation control, chloramines, HVAC corrosion, pool mechanical room, HVAC ductwork, indoor pool costs, HVAC commissioning, pool controls, HVAC design, building design, Jeffrey D. Consroe PE, Shelly Williams Company, Kenneth Shultz, Carter Huddleston, The Blueprint Tour, Extra Mile “It’s gonna turn into a nightmare. It’s probably gonna turn into a lawsuit.” Takeaways * Indoor pool HVAC is fundamentally a moisture-control problem, not simply a temperature-control problem. * Pool water temperature, room temperature, surface area, and activity all influence evaporation and the required dehumidification capacity. * Psychrometrics, dew point, cooling, and reheat are critical to understanding how an indoor pool environment should be conditioned. * Conventional HVAC equipment or mini-splits may control room temperature without adequately controlling humidity, and the corrosive pool environment creates additional equipment challenges. * Hot tubs can add a surprisingly large moisture load, while a pool cover can substantially reduce evaporation when the pool is not being used. * The building envelope and HVAC system have to work together. Windows, skylights, insulation, vapor barriers, thermal bridging, and interior finishes can all affect condensation and long-term durability. * Architectural decisions such as high ceilings, extensive glass, hidden ductwork, and undersized mechanical rooms can make the mechanical solution significantly more difficult and expensive. * Air distribution matters: supply air needs to address vulnerable cold surfaces, while return-air strategy can help manage contaminants around the pool. * Getting indoor pool specialists involved early in design allows owners and architects to understand the real mechanical requirements before expensive decisions are locked in. * Trying to save money with the wrong equipment or incomplete design can make the eventual correction substantially more expensive than doing the job correctly from the beginning. * Integrated controls can coordinate the pool equipment, dehumidification, ventilation, lighting, weather information, and system alerts in one platform. * Proper startup, commissioning, documentation, and owner training are essential parts of delivering a specialty HVAC system, not optional extras. “A single six-by-six hot tub could be three times the moisture load that a small pool would be.” Chapters * Welcome to Extra Mile: Meet Jeffrey D. Consroe, PE * Why Cooling the Air Isn’t Enough * Psychrometrics, Humidity, and Dehumidification * What Makes an Indoor Pool Different? * Building Envelopes, Vapor Barriers, and Condensation * Pool Temperature vs. Room Temperature * Evaporation, Activity Factors, and Moisture Loads * Why Hot Tubs Change the Equation * Pool Covers: The Low-Hanging Fruit * Fresh Air, Exhaust, and Indoor Air Quality * Chloramines and Air Distribution * Mechanical Rooms and Planning for the Equipment * Ductwork in a Corrosive Pool Environment * Glass, Skylights, and Architectural Constraints * Why Mini-Splits Can Be the Wrong Solution * The Psychrometrics Question Every Owner Should Ask * When a $20,000 Budget Becomes Six Figures * The Carport Pool: A Nearly $200,000 Lesson * Designing the System Before Construction Begins * High-Efficiency Buildings and the Humidity Problem * Smart Pool Controls and System Integration * Startup, Commissioning, and Owner Training * Final Lessons: Design It Right the First Time “Go ahead and call me in two years because it’s not gonna work.” Where to Find Jeffrey D. Consroe LinkedIn · Shelly Williams Company, LLC Where to Find The Blueprint Tour YouTube · TikTok · TheBPTour.comKenneth Shultz (Host) · Carter Huddleston (Host) “If you had called me to begin with, this would only cost 100 grand.” Get full access to The Engineering Stack at www.thebptour.com/subscribe
