Rooftop pool construction works best with a vessel that is light, fully welded, and tested watertight before anything goes on top of it. RenoSys designs, fabricates, and installs SummitSeries™ stainless steel pools and spas for hotels, multifamily towers, and mixed-use buildings. The building’s structural engineer of record and general contractor deliver the structure the pool sits on. RenoSys has supplied stainless steel pool vessels since 2006 and has served commercial aquatics since 1987. Every SummitSeries pool and spa is static and pressure tested so the vessel is proven watertight before surrounding finishes are installed.

Request a free project evaluation or call 800.783.7005 to discuss an elevated pool on your next project.

Stainless steel is preferred because it removes weight from the building and removes the most common leak paths. A fully welded vessel carries far less dead load than a concrete shell, and it does not rely on a separate waterproofing layer to keep water out of the floors below.

Weight drives the structural design of any elevated pool. The water weighs the same no matter what holds it, but the vessel does not. RenoSys has noted in AQUA Magazine that a concrete pool can weigh as much as 10 times more than a comparable stainless steel pool. Less vessel weight gives the structural engineer more room to work with on slab and framing design.

Leak risk is the other driver. At grade, a leak is a maintenance problem. Above occupied suites or residences, it becomes a building problem. A welded stainless steel vessel has no grout lines or cold joints, and each vessel is tested before it is put into service.

A SummitSeries system is a fully welded stainless steel pool or spa vessel with the perimeter, finishes, and features selected for the project.

Adding the 60-mil PVC Pool Shell over a stainless vessel adds a second watertight layer and a slip-resistant, textured surface in a range of colors.

RenoSys is responsible for the pool vessel. The design team and general contractor are responsible for the building. Settling this boundary early prevents disputes and change orders later.

RenoSys scope:

⦁ Pool and spa vessel design, shop drawings, and coordination details
⦁ Fabrication of the stainless steel vessel at the RenoSys facility in Indianapolis
⦁ Delivery, on-site welding of panels, and installation of RenoSys-manufactured gutters, grating, and interior finishes
⦁ Static and pressure testing of the vessel

Structural engineer of record, architect, and general contractor scope:

⦁ Verifying that the building can carry the pool, water, and deck loads
⦁ Designing and constructing the slab or framing that supports the vessel
⦁ Site access and logistics, utility connections, and mechanical room work
⦁ Surrounding deck finishes, waterproofing of the building, and final site work

The process runs in four stages, and RenoSys’s fabrication runs alongside the building’s structural work rather than holding it up.

⦁ Design coordination. RenoSys’s in-house team works from the architect’s drawings to size the vessel, locate support points and penetrations, and detail the interface with the structure.
⦁ Fabrication. The vessel is fabricated in large stainless steel panels in a controlled shop environment while the building rises.
⦁ Installation. Panels are delivered, set, and welded together on site, and the vessel is plumbed. RenoSys crews then install gutters, grating, and the selected interior finish.
⦁ Testing. Every SummitSeries pool and spa is static and pressure tested before the general contractor closes out the surrounding work.

Because panels are welded on site rather than lifted as a single piece, the vessel can suit buildings where access to the roof is limited.

Most rooftop pools are compact amenities designed around views and lounging rather than lap swimming. Popular features include:

⦁ Vanishing edges. Water spills over a leveled wall into a catch basin. The effect suits rooftop views well. See ⦁ vanishing edge vs. infinity pools for how they work.
⦁ Pool shelves. A wide, shallow ledge for in-water loungers, one of the most requested features at hotels and apartment amenity decks.
⦁ Spas and cold plunges. Stainless steel spas and ⦁ commercial cold plunge pools can be paired with the pool so the wellness deck shares one look.

Finishes can be matched to the building’s design, from brushed stainless to tile to a colored PVC interior.