PRODUCT SHOWCASE Hydro Filterra™ engineers in nature’s way A
n innovative new sustainable drainage system, Hydro Filterra™, has been launched by Hydro International to introduce the pioneering principles of bioretention and biofiltration to the UK’s highways and car parks in an attractive, compact and predictable technology. Hydro Filterra™ is a SUDS-compliant drainage unit which harnesses natural biological and chemical processes to combine stormwater control with treatment of pollutants and sediments, ideal for both retrofitting and new developments. From the surface, the Hydro Filterra™ system looks like a tree box with suitable plants or a tree protruding through a decorative grating in a typical concrete slab at pavement level. Stormwater runoff is channelled through a kerbside inlet into a concrete container underneath filled with a mulch, plant and soil filter medium. “Often the most sustainable drainage solutions are those which engineer in nature’s way – combining the best of natural processes with a simple and practical technology,” said Alex Stephenson, Stormwater Director of Hydro International. “Hydro Filterra™ provides filtration in an attractive unit that enhances the landscaping and amenity of a street
scene, with the added advantage of keeping tree roots contained. “Often, achieving SUDS-compliant filtration can require a treatment train solution with a range of drainage elements, each providing a level of treatment and targeting specific pollutants. The beauty of Hydro Filterra™ is that it operates through an array of physical, chemical and biological processes simultaneously to provide a mini-treatment train in a single device.”
Underneath the pavement, the Hydro
Filterra™ system comprises a concrete container with a 75 mm mulch layer, 500- 750 mm of unique soil filter medium, an observation/clean out pipe and an under drain system, which is connected to the surface water drain, infiltration or soakaway system. Treated water can also be diverted into additional storage / infiltration systems using geocellular structures such as Hydro’s Stormcell® or the Stormbloc® systems. An emergency overflow bypass facility is used for extreme events. Filterra™ was developed as an engineered bioretention system to overcome the limitations of conventional bioretention and biofilter systems, due to
their large footprint and lack of design predictability. Hydro Filterra™ connects simply to drainage inlet and outlet systems, provides for ease of design against flow control and treatment parameters and performs consistently whatever the site characteristics. Hydro Filterra™ requires 90-95% less land-take than traditional systems, with predictable soils that provide higher levels of treatment for Phosphorous and Nitrogen, two of the most environmentally damaging causes of nutrient pollution.
www.hydro-international.biz Email:
enquiries@hydro-international.co.uk Tel: 0800 269371
SmartestEnergy powering a city’s streets
The streets of the City of Salford in Greater Manchester are now being lit by renewable energy following the first contract win of its kind by SmartestEnergy.
U
nder the two year agreement SmartestEnergy will supply more than 29 million kilowatt hours of energy to the city which is home to 220,000 people.
The contract is worth around £1.4
million a year and covers approximately 30,000 street lamps across the city where attractions include Salford Quays, one of the largest urban regeneration projects in the UK. The BBC is currently relocating a number of its departments from London to
a new ‘Media City’ development at the former Manchester docks site. The Salford City Council contract is the first for local authority street lighting to be won by SmartestEnergy which supplies electricity to a rapidly growing number of large energy users from its portfolio of independent generation projects. “We believe there is significant potential for street lighting across the UK to be powered by renewable electricity,” said Geoff Curtis, SmartestEnergy Key Account Manager. “Local authorities are under considerable pressure to cut costs but don’t want to reduce lighting because of its role in preventing crime and accidents. “By supplying renewable energy without a premium we are able to help councils maintain services within their budget and also reduce carbon footprint.”
www.smartestenergy.com
PUBLIC SECTOR SUSTAINABILITY • VOLUME 1 ISSUE 3 41
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