Award-winning sustainable architects ‘totally convinced’ by ES4 and Airflush water savings

‘Sustainable Architect of the Year - 2007’ winner Architype has specified Green Building Store’s water-saving ES4 WC and Airflush Urinals for its own offices at Upper Twyford in Herefordshire and now specifies them ‘as standard’ in all new developments.

The design of the Upper Twyford barn is an exemplar of Architype’s ‘eco-minimalist’ approach, with an emphasis on careful analysis to develop effective solutions, and the avoidance of techno-fixes and eco-clichés. Eco-design features of the project include: orientation and the use of daylight and sunlight for light and solar gain; use of ‘breathing’ timber construction; use of thermal mass and high levels of insulation; minimisation of cold bridging; wood-chip biomass boiler for heating and hot water; innovative low energy purpose-made light fittings; and landscaping to extend local biodiversity.

State-of-the-art water efficiency measures were also an important part of the Upper Twyford specification. Architype’s approach to water saving is to use less rather than recycle, due to the amount of equipment involved in rainwater/ greywater recycling. An Airflush urinal was specified to save water and consumables and also eliminate odours. A low voltage fan connected to a 50mm pipe draws air down through the urinal preventing any smell from entering the room, having the additional advantage that there is no need to throw open windows and lose heat in the winter. Three ES4 dual flush WCs were also specified at the Upper Twyford office. Architype was persuaded by the arguments against valve dual flush toilets and in favour of reliable and real long-term water savings with the ES4’s 4 litre siphon flush. Previous on-site experiences had also made them consider valve dual flush toilets to be too flimsy and delicate, often broken or displaying water trickling down the back of the pan.

According to Leah Dempsey, Associate at Architype “Having observed the ES4 WC and Airflush Urinal in our own offices, we are totally convinced of their robust efficiency as well as their architectural merits. We now specify them as standard in all the projects we work on”. Architype is currently working on a £5.5 million new build primary school in Wolverhampton, for which 30 ES4s have been specified. The compact size and two height positions means that ES4 can be positioned to suit all ages at the school, with the only exception being the very youngest nursery stage.