The Pool of Tomorrow Label

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Are you familiar with the Tomorrow's Pool Label? It serves as a powerful tool to recognize the efforts made by public pool managers, especially regarding the sustainable development of the facility, as well as the well-being and positive experience of swimmers. Why and how can you become certified? Answers.

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Heritage, a lasting legacy... As we see with major international sporting events such as the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the sports facilities built for the occasion must continue their life long after the competitions are over. This is certainly the case for aquatic facilities.
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In an article titled "Swimming Pools in France, a History of Lengths," journalist Marie Crabié reminds us that "the history of swimming pools on the European continent is primarily that of public baths and dedicated thermal spas, used since Antiquity not only for swimming but also for body purification and cleansing. It is also, from the late 18th century onwards, the history of learning to swim, a term that first appeared in France in 1785.... The first "excavated pools" in France appeared around 1870, exemplified by the pool at École Saint-Nicolas
in Issy or that of Lycée Michelet in the Château de Vanves park. In Paris, the Château Landon pool was commissioned as early as 1882 by the French Society of Aquatic Gymnastics."
Aren't these facilities part of the history of our country's towns and rural areas? Don't they serve as witnesses and evidence of the evolution of our societal model through changes in practices? In other words, aren't they places of sports memory, intrinsically linked to regional planning, becoming vibrant community spaces?
Let's hypothesize that aquatic bathing establishments are indeed part of the national heritage. And let's suggest the legitimacy of the concept of sports heritage, encompassing both a visible and identifiable material aspect (infrastructure and facilities) and an intangible and invisible one (all the good practices taking place within them). Just as with cultural and natural heritage, we also propose the idea that these sports heritage establishments deserve to be highlighted and protected through a specific instrument or technique. This tool would serve to enable elected officials to enhance their establishments by giving them remarkable and identifiable value. But it would also be responsible for their protection, ensuring they are better passed on to future generations. Furthermore, it would represent an opportunity to initiate a project approach that is internal to the facility and visible externally.
We are talking about a heritage label dedicated to aquatic facilities, perceived as a dynamic project committed to guiding the establishment towards greater economic, social, and environmental performance: the Tomorrow's Pool Label.
Owners of aquatic heritage now have the opportunity to "Achieve Label 1" to highlight these arenas of sports initiatives.

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PART 1: Why certify an aquatic facility

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1- Reward commitment to the effective management of heritage assets

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1 Yvon LAMY, Article titled « Labeling the Memorable – A 'Bet' for Protected Public Cultural Assets and Sites? – Labels in the Field of Cultural and Natural Heritage – CAIRN / Collection: The World of Standards

Aquatic facilities require constant attention from their owners. The concept of a "value chain" is crucial for the successful execution of an operational process or an equipment project. It is defined as a sequence of interconnected actions where the combination and interactions between partners are the key success factor. The fluidity of actions taken to develop projects within the chain represents a commendable effort. The 'Piscine de Demain' Label begins with this recognition and rewards efforts made to create sports heritage value within a territory.

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2- To encourage continuous improvement

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The lifespan of aquatic facilities spans several decades. With the label, owners officially acknowledge this necessary and vital involvement in protecting their assets to ensure their longevity. The establishment of upkeep and maintenance processes
and anticipating the gradual obsolescence of equipment necessitates a commitment to progress and continuous improvement. Therefore, labeling an aquatic facility will involve recognizing the resources needed to ensure its protection and longevity.

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3- To create a bridge between territories and the network of Public Pool stakeholders

Paradoxically, aquatic facility owners can feel isolated within their territory. The labeling process allows them to join a network of labeled owners. This community fosters exchanges and the sharing of experiences. The openness and availability of members give owners facing challenges the opportunity to share them and find solutions collaboratively. The system aims to be inclusive and supportive. But it's not just about sharing problems. This network shares best practices and experiments with new processes.

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4- To develop a communication tool for owners towards their users

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The label also represents a powerful communication tool for owners looking to enhance their assets. By certifying compliance with specific standards—whether health, environmental, social, or quality-related—the label reassures users.
Obtaining the label is also an effective way to communicate the owner's commitment to certain values, particularly regarding sustainability, social responsibility, and cost control. By highlighting the 'Piscine de Demain' label, the community strengthens its brand image and conveys positive messages about these facilities. The label therefore goes far beyond a technical certification: it becomes a key element of the owner's communication strategy within their territory. It helps to legitimize commitments made and amplify the positive message surrounding the values promoted.

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5- To offer motivational and confidence-building elements for the operational team

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The label serves as a unifying tool for teams around a short-term project with real impact. Labeling a facility plays a key role in staff motivation. This process engages them in a project with immediate results. Obtaining a label is official recognition of the efforts made by all staff. It enhances the image of the organization, which channels positive energy towards achieving this recognition. Whether through adopting more ecological practices, improving safety conditions, or generating new ideas, these positive changes directly benefit the teams. Furthermore, the labeling process often involves training and the acquisition of new skills. These development opportunities strengthen the commitment of individuals who feel more invested. This upskilling also allows staff to play a more active role in the establishment's evolution and to be more autonomous in their tasks.
Ultimately, pursuing a label creates a unifying common goal. Working towards a label strengthens cohesion, involving everyone in collective success. The process generates positive momentum, where every employee actively contributes to the protection and revitalization of heritage.

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6- To guide and chart a course to address tomorrow's "Challenges" today

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Just like the events organized by Piscine de Demain, the label aims to define the future shape of facilities. Labeled facilities de facto represent the foundation upon which we will collectively build the future. The collaborative system constantly focuses on innovating processes and methods shared by communities. Interactions among market players within the global value chain allow owners to take calculated risks, whose innovative nature forms the groundwork for tomorrow's standards. The heritage label is forward-looking and avoids stagnation. Obtaining the label is not an end in itself. On the contrary, it signifies the owner and teams embarking on a journey of progress for their heritage.

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7- To apply for grants and secure investment and operating budgets

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The label can facilitate access to grants and funding solutions. Obtaining it demonstrates the owner's commitment and diligence in the project. This commitment attracts the attention of public and private organizations offering assistance. Grants are often awarded to labeled facilities, as labels ensure that facilities meet criteria such as energy efficiency, responsible resource management, or safety. Local, regional, or national authorities may thus consider these projects as priorities when they are supported by a value-adding tool. Finally, the interest of private companies sensitive to specific values, who see these facilities and projects as an opportunity to promote themselves, should not be ruled out.

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8- To pass on one's heritage to future generations in the best possible conditions

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Recognizing aquatic facilities as elements of heritage remains one of the label's essential objectives. This recognition confers value and commits owners to the act of passing it on to future generations. Labeling for transmission becomes a foundational axiom. The path laid out is that of heritage, thanks to the mobilization of ideas, actions, and people dedicated to this purpose. It is the noble cause, the one that guides everything else. The label exists because heritage, envisioned as a focal point, requires instruments to achieve it. The label represents one such instrument.

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PART 2: Labeling Criteria

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The labeling aims to determine the Identity Value of Aquatic Facilities, the VIE-A (see box). It is awarded to sports, educational, leisure, or mixed sites that demonstrate a proven universal sporting character and/or remarkable importance (e.g., transcending the local boundaries of their location).
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1- Objective of the VIE-A:

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The objective is to preserve these sites for future generations, ensuring they remain protected for their universal and irreplaceable sporting character. This also involves long-term management and conservation efforts, often with the help of the community and other public and private stakeholders. In summary, VIE means that the facilities have an identity correlated with the values championed by Sport and sustainable development at the local, regional, or national level. They represent a common good for all, thus justifying their preservation and enhancement. Participating communities will need to address three major challenges, which will enable the consultants of the "Piscine de Demain" label to analyze questionnaires and submit their report to the label's independent jury.

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2- Address three major challenges

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- Preserve a common heritage, within a sustainable development framework, to promote its transmission to future generations;
- Enhance the social and societal impact of a public swimming pool: a key role in local development, learning to swim, sports practice combating sedentary lifestyles…
- Stimulate a dynamic of innovation and progress (water management, energy optimization, economic performance, etc.) to improve facilities within a collective framework.
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The label will be valid for 2 years and offers the following levels of distinction:

3- Five levels of certification

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- 1 star: committed pool
- 2 stars: responsible pool
- 3 stars: high-performing pool
- 4 stars: exemplary pool
- 5 stars: pool of excellence

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For more information:
Website: www.labelpiscinededemain.com
Email: a.martinez@lapiscinededemain.com
Phone: 07 77 93 08 85

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