education and events
Engineering Courses
Learn the elements of hydraulics, soils, foundations, electrical connections, controls, and mechanical design. By examining these important considerations, you will be able to communicate them effectively – creating confidence and building trust from your customers.
Interested in bringing GENESIS® faculty to your office/facility to meet with your team? An in-person GENESIS® program tailored to your team would save travel time and expenses for your staff and provide all with the same education to provide your company with an edge over the competition. Contact Jeanne Mendelson, PHTA Vice President of Education and Events.
Click the play button above to hear GENESIS® Engineering Faculty Chair Terry Brannon, P.E., explain the importance of engineering in the swimming pool construction sector.
Click on a course title below to expand the course information.
In-Person
In-person education includes PHTA-hosted events as well as educational sessions at conferences and tradeshows.
March 13
Orlando, FL
Part of Everything Under the Sun Expo
8 a.m. - 12 p.m. ET
4 hours | 0.4 IACET CEUs | 4 PHTA CEUs
$399 PHTA Member / $699 Non-member
CILB accreditation approved. Course License: CRS13543; Course Number: 0615032
Description:
Heating pools and spas has become more and more popular with homeowners as leisure time has increased and owners desire longer seasons in which to use their pools. However, heating costs have risen with the cost of fuels, particularly fossil fuels and electricity, and owners would like options.
Learning Objectives:
- Evaluate each of the heating alternatives in common and not so common use today, heat sources such as fossil fuels (natural gas, LPG), electricity (resistance), heat pumps, solar, geothermal, and common boiler systems with heat exchangers.
- Evaluate first the thermodynamics, that is, the flow of heat both into a pool or spa and the loss of heat through conduction, convection, and radiation.
- Discuss the efficiency ratings and what they mean.
- Identify the impact of evaporation on pool and spa heating and the effectiveness of evaporation and insulating barriers. After evaluating the heat losses, the sizing of units will be discussed for each heat source.
- Discuss the cost of operation including the true cost of fuels, life cycle, and replacement.
Instructor: Terry Brannon, P.E.
Accommodations:
The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance group rate of $209, plus taxes, is available at the Rosen PLAZA Hotel, which is the location of this GENESIS® pre-conference course. Click here to book online or call the Rosen PLAZA Hotel at 1-800-627-8258 or 407-996-9700 and request the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance Group Rate. Rooms are available on a first come, first served basis. The reservation deadline to receive the group rate is Monday, February 17, 2025.
PLEASE NOTE: There are three hotels with the name "Rosen" and two are located on International Drive adjacent to the Orange County Convention Center. The GENESIS® pre-conference courses and PHTA room block are at the Rosen PLAZA Hotel, located at 9700 International Drive, across from Pointe Orlando.
March 19-20
Novi, MI
Part of the Backyard Pool & Spa Show
8 a.m. - 5 p.m. ET
16 hours | 1.6 IACET CEUs | 16 PHTA CEUs
$1,690 PHTA Member / $2,190 Non-member
Description:
Develop a basic understanding of the hydraulic principles in order to design more efficient and serviceable hydraulic systems.
This is a required course to become a Certified Advanced Pool Builder Professional.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify physics of water: area, depth, volume, mass, pressure, velocity, flow rate, energy, and others.
- Discuss and apply the basic principles, code limitations, and guidelines to hydraulic design.
- Calculate GENESIS series of software worksheets.
- Calculate Total Dynamic Head (TDH) and electrical and gas heating operating costs.
- Perform the complete analysis of a basic pool/spa combination with a water feature.
Instructor: Terry Brannon, P.E.
Virtual
April 15 & 17
6 p.m. - 10 p.m. ET
8 hours | 0.8 IACET CEUs | 8 PHTA CEUs
$699 PHTA Member / $999 Non-member
Codes and standards come at us from all sides, it seems, and every year or so those codes and standards are updated, creating a feeling of being lost in the woods for contractors, designers, enforcement, and permitting agencies. In this course, we'll differentiate between codes, standards, and ordinances. Examine what these documents require of all parties affected by them and conclude with providing background and intent on the provisions within these documents.
This is a required course to become a Certified Expert Pool Builder & Design Professional.
Learning Objectives:
- Acquaint building officials, health officials, pool contractors, and designers with the definition of 'standard', 'code', and 'ordinance' and how they differ in application
- Familiarize these stakeholders with the current provisions and requirements of the standards, codes, and ordinances governing swimming pool and spa construction
- Discuss and enable code officials to promulgate checklists for their review staff and their field staff regarding pools and spas
- Create a bridge between code officials and contractors to streamline the process of permitting by defining expectations
- Define swimming pool and spa regulations for a more consistent process across jurisdictions
- Provide learners with helpful graphs, charts, and spreadsheets to simplify the calculating and checking of calculations needed for pool and spa permits
- Examine document and educational resources available to them through PHTA and ICC
- Most importantly, to save lives
Instructor: Terry Brannon, P.E.
May 13, 15, 20, 22
6 p.m. - 10 p.m. ET
16 hours | 1.6 IACET CEUs | 16 PHTA CEUs
$1,690 PHTA Member / $2,190 Non-member
Description:
Develop a basic understanding of the hydraulic principles in order to design more efficient and serviceable hydraulic systems.
This is a required course to become a Certified Advanced Pool Builder Professional.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify physics of water: area, depth, volume, mass, pressure, velocity, flow rate, energy, and others.
- Discuss and apply the basic principles, code limitations, and guidelines to hydraulic design.
- Calculate GENESIS series of software worksheets.
- Calculate Total Dynamic Head (TDH) and electrical and gas heating operating costs.
- Perform the complete analysis of a basic pool/spa combination with a water feature.
Instructor: Travis Bozick, P.E.
Read our registration and cancellation policy.
On-Demand
Not every backyard swimming pool and spa project needs the attention of an engineer, but occasionally a builder finds himself over his head with soil foundation issues, cantilevered structures, pier supported pools, deep fills, adjacent structures, complex hydraulics, logistical issues such as remote access, elevated pool structures, and other, more complicated issues. This brief 1-hour seminar takes students through the ins and outs of hiring a consulting engineer to assist with swimming pool and spa design. Items discussed will include the qualifications a pool professional should look for in an engineer, the types of engineers and firms that routinely take on swimming pool engagements, fee structures, professional liability insurance, and division of responsibility. And finally, we will discuss training your engineer for your individual type of pool work and building relationships for the long-term.
CEUs: 1
Course Fee: $39/member and $79/non-member.
Hydraulic engineering cannot be explained in 1 hour and neither can proper plumbing methods. However, this program provides a good start by providing an overview of the design and engineering process as well as a good list of best practices for everything from layout to assembly to pressure testing. It is not a prerequisite for E101, E211, or E311, but it does combine some elements of all three programs to provide an excellent introduction to pool hydraulics and plumbing.
CEUs: 1
Course Fee: $39/member and $79/non-member.
In the field, the correct do’s and don’ts of a project are the difference between a properly built vessel and a failure that equates to wasted time and money. This program breaks down the engineering portions of a project with a checklist detailed from years of in-the-field experience. From plans and soils reporting to waterproofing and compressive strengths, students will leave with high-level information to easily relay these tips to your team.
CEUs: 1
Course Fee: $39/member and $79/non-member.
This course will provide you a high-level overview of the immediate need-to-know on ICC/PHTA/NEC Codes. We'll address the 2018 ISPSC and changes in the 2021 ISPSC Code; NFPA 70; and impending updates on PHTA/ICC/ANSI Standards. This course is designed for individuals familiar with codes and standards and not the novice student.
CEUs: 1
Course Fee: $39/member and $79/non-member.
