Building Performance with Vacuum Toilets

Cloudfarms Consulting © e [email protected] Sydney, Australia – September 2015

The Case for Vacuum Toilet Systems in Multi-storey Buildings

WTorre São Paulo, a 30-‐storey office block: Rua Funchal, 418 Vila Olimpia, São Paulo, Brazil – completed December 2007


The Case for Vacuum Toilet Systems in Multi-storey Buildings It is important for architects and engineers to use ESD Solutions that contribute significantly to the ROI for clients, while improving or solving existing problems. The water/energy relationship is interdependent: water and energy use in buildings is considered an urgent issue for ESD solutions. The magnitude of water demand by Gravity toilet flushing in buildings is substantial and accounts for over 40% of all indoor water use. Water must also be pumped continually to be available on all levels. Therefore, reducing the amount of water with Vacuum toilets is a key consideration for efficient buildings. The water demand problem is not solved with low-‐flush toilets: reduced water flows exacerbate network issues. This applies in particular to sites with high numbers of occupants, and future increases in infrastructure charges are likely. Vacuum toilets are an advanced ESD solution for buildings, now operating successfully at Melbourne Water Head Office. Potable water use has been reduced by an enormous 95%, with Vacuum toilets using around 0.8 Litre/flush. The low embodied energy of the system further reduces costs, contributing significantly to the ROI. Installation cost-‐savings are 30% less compared to Gravity flush, with fewer components, less time and labour. Although relatively new in Australia, Vacuum Toilet systems have been in operation successfully in multi-‐storey buildings internationally for a number of decades. Examples such as Uninove University in São Paulo, Brazil are evidence of impressive ROI and a highly efficient method of dealing with black waste when compared to traditional Gravity flush toilets. The example below is Melbourne Water Head Office, purpose built with Vacuum toilets for 1,200 daily occupants, in successful operation since 2013. The base building greenhouse gas emissions are 45 kgCO2/m2 per annum. NABERS Energy rating of 5.5 – Expiry June 2016 Waters rating of 6.0 – Expiry June 2016 The Case for Vacuum Toilet Systems in Multi-storey Buildings


Melbourne Water Head Office – Vacuum Toilets 990 La Trobe Street, Docklands, Melbourne, completed end 2013

Vacuum Station installation, Melbourne Water Head Office: 1,200 occupants

The Case for Vacuum Toilet Systems in Multi-storey Buildings


With a 30% saving on installation costs and impressive ROI, examples such as Uninove University in São Paulo, Brazil, are evidence of this highly efficient system for dealing with black waste compared to traditional Gravity Flush Toilets. A further example, the WTorre 30-‐storey office block in São Paulo, Brazil, with the Jets Vacuum toilet system installed, paid for itself in 5 years. Analysis of Vacuum toilets over a 25-‐year Life Cycle reveals real advantages over Gravity Flush Toilets, such as less Capital and Operational expenditure, Energy and Water use, Maintenance and Repair. It is worth noting that: • Energy cost for Gravity Flush Toilets is 3 times higher compared to Vacuum toilets over a 25-‐year period. • For Gravity Flush Toilets, Operational costs including maintenance and repairs, are double compared to Vacuum toilets. • Ongoing cost of Embodied Energy is nearly 6 times more for Gravity Flush compared to Vacuum toilets. A market assessment of economic, technological, environmental and sociological benefits of Vacuum Toilets in multi-‐storey buildings reveals how this advanced ESD solution delivers tangible Triple Bottom Line benefits. The real cost of Gravity flush is much higher than currently believed. Vacuum Toilets are also suitable for residential buildings. Retrofitting existing buildings is straight-‐forward. The uptake of Vacuum Toilet technology in new multi-‐storey buildings will meet primary business objectives of cost saving, gaining competitive advantages with ongoing environmental performance. Therefore a project feasibility of Vacuum toilets is an imperative. Please contact Marion de Courçay at Cloudfarms Consulting for project evaluations and to access the full business case.

Building Performance with Vacuum Toilets

Engineering

Transcript of Building Performance with Vacuum Toilets