Water saving urinals
Urinals
can account for about 20% of office water use. The 1999 Water
Regulations stipulate that there should be a maximum water usage of 7.5
litres per urinal bowl per hour and that a device should be fitted to
prevent the urinals flushing when the building is unoccupied. However,
in practice, flush rates are often adjusted, in an attempt to reduce
odour or blockage, and flushing can continue for 24 hours a day, 7 days
a week. For some offices and buildings, this may mean that 76% of
flushing occurs when the building is unoccupied.
New flush control
technologies include timer controls, which can be set to match the
hours the urinals are in use. Infra-red or ultrasound sensors have also
been developed which work by detecting the presence of people,
providing supplies precisely when required. Similarly, some urinal
flushing systems may be triggered by variations in water pressure or
flow, caused by taps being used.
Waterless urinals
There are now also a number of
urinals that work without using any water. Potentially offering
significant financial and water savings, waterless urinals also offer
the advantages of being more vandal and frost-proof and less prone to
blockage. Instead of water, many use disposable cartridges, oils or
matts, which can involve significant environmental and maintenance
costs. With such products, according to the Water Regulations Advisory
Scheme, “It is necessary to evaluate the cost of cleaning chemicals and
manpower against the savings from fewer water fittings and the use of
water”.
A recent development has been the introduction of the AIRFLUSH urinal system (available from Green Building Store), which uses neither
water nor cartridges, oils or matts. Instead, the AIRFLUSH system,
designed by water conservation specialists Elemental Solutions,
combines the use of a low energy electric fan with
hygienically-designed urinal bowls.