Water Saving Requirements
Water Saving Products
Conserving natural resources, saving money.
Armitage Shanks is committed to the conservation of our planets limited water resources. We believe it makes good environmental and financial sense to use water efficiently, maximising its benefit and minimising its wastage.
Delivering a water efficient commercial bathroom or washroom has never been easier, thanks to our innovative water saving products. Our designers and engineers have produced a collection of sanitaryware and fittings whose water saving credentials are matched only by their style and performance, it includes:
Dual flush WCs that flush on either 4 or 2.6 litres of water, a saving of up to 52%.
Waterless urinals that do not use water to flush, reducing overall washroom consumption by 20%.
Electronic washroom water management solutions that ensure water is only used when required.mixers fitted with regulators which reduce their flow down to 5 litres/min at 3 bar.
Mixers that feature CLICK technology with “half” and “full” flow rate stops.
Non-concussive taps that stop water flow after a pre-set time, saving 15%.
Each product has been developed to meet the current standards of best practice defined by BREEAM, the Water Technology List and the Water Efficient Product Labelling scheme. The result; the most effective water saving bathroom products on the market today.
BREEAM
The Building Research Establishment set up BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) as a way to determine the environmental performance of buildings. As the worlds longest established and most widely used assessment scheme, it “sets the standard for best practice in sustainable development” and measures each buildings level of achievement.
A dedicated section of BREEAM (www.breeam.org) focuses on the use of water in buildings. Points, which count towards the assessment rank, are awarded depending on the level of environmental efficiency achieved. Most building types can be specified and assessed using one of BREEAM’s defined categories which include courts, healthcare, industrial, prisons, retail, education, offices and several types of domestic dwelling. BREEAM will also prepare bespoke assessments for any other category of building.
BREEAM’s remit goes beyond water saving, it addresses energy usage, material suitability, occupier comfort and other environmental impacts. The benefits of a BREEAM building extend to both designer and client; the client receives a building that is economic to run and the designer can clearly demonstrate compliance with environmental requirements.
The Water Efficient Product Labelling Scheme
The Water Efficient Product Labelling Scheme (www.water-efficiencylabel.org.uk) is an independently run program endorsed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). It is a fast and reliable method of comparing water efficient bathroom and washroom products driven by a regularly maintained database.
Each product on the database has been tested and awarded a colour coded label. A simple scale ranging from low to high water use provides an at a glance indication of its water saving performance.
The Water Technology List
Successive UK governments have been keen to support organisations that invest in water efficient technologies. A key part of this on-going program is the Water Technology List (WTL), a single source of approved water efficient products. The Water Technology List was first published in 2003 following lengthy consultation between DEFRA and HM Revenue & Customs. Available on the web (www.eca-water.gov.uk) and updated monthly, the WTL describes both the products and practices that DEFRA believe will make a positive impact on water saving within any organisation. Specifying products on the list can reduce the annual consumption of bathrooms and washrooms by 50% according to their estimates.
The Enhanced Capital Allowance scheme (www.eca.gov.uk) works in conjunction with the Water Technology List. Any commercial operation that pays UK corporation tax can claim 100% first year capital allowances on investments in water efficient products (and their installation) chosen from the WTL.