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A school of thought: washroom specification is no easy task for schools tasked with hot water safety and infection control
A school of thought on water-saving W
ith Britain’s schools under increasing pressure to streamline operations and save on costs, Chris Tranter product manager at Bristan explains how something as seemingly simple as the choice of tap can make a big difference to the bottom line. Water saving is a hot topic for school facilities managers and head teachers alike. It is currently estimated that schools in the UK spend £70 million annually on the provision of water and water treatment.1 This equates to a hefty annual water bill going into the thousands for the average primary school, and well over twice the amount for the average secondary school.
Thus, against the backdrop of government cuts and the need for careful budgeting, water reduction presents a simple yet effective way to deliver tangible cost savings. In fact, it is estimated that an effective water management programme could reduce a
secondary school’s water consumption from 11 cubic meters per pupil per year to 4 cubic meters, which could save a school of 600 pupils roughly £5,000 a year.2
However, it’s not just about the cost; as a public body schools and all other educational institutions have a duty of care in terms of environmental responsibility, setting an example to the wider society by embracing sustainability.
Of course, a holistic water-management programme, covering not only all the latest water-saving technologies but also water harvesting, can take time and a lot of money. To begin with then, it is often best to start with smaller, low-investment solutions, which can still make a big impact in terms of water efficiency.
A good starting point lies with the humble
tap. At Bristan, for example, among other taps innovations we have recently launched a new suite of soft-touch timed-flow taps specifically designed to aid water saving and, in turn, functionality, in schools and other educational applications.
On the pulse; the new infrared tap range offers the ultimate solution for water safety and optimised hygiene
For optimised water saving, an integrated time flow valve restricts use to a 9-20 second shut off period after activation, depending on incoming water pressure. Given that a typical basin tap running at mains pressure can easily deliver 12 litres per minute, the result is vast scope for water savings and assured BREEAM compliance when the included five litres/min flow regulator is fitted.
In addition, there is the benefit of reduced maintenance as the risk of taps being left dripping, or worse still running – a very regular occurrence for schools – is eliminated. To put the issue into context, dripping taps waste at least 5,500 litres of water a year;
March 2015
enough to fill a paddling pool every week for the whole summer. By preventing this, schools could look to save £18 per tap per year alone3, not to mention negating the untold wastage caused by a flooded washroom in the case of taps left running. At the next level there is non-touch technology. A good option here is the brand new range of infrared timed flow electronic basin taps from Bristan which has been designed to offer a cost-effective, entry-level non-touch option for schools and other commercial applications.
These new taps use infrared technology to detect human presence and switch on the water flow for a set amount of time to eliminate unnecessary wastage. In this way, the taps offer significant scope for water saving and, in turn, cost efficiencies, while also ensuring compliance with the Building Regulations and BREEAM.
As another core benefit, the non-touch mechanism alleviates the risk of cross- contamination, making the range ideal for use in all schools seeking to optimise hygiene levels and ensure duty of care to the public. Style is also accounted for. In keeping with Bristan’s ethos on combining substance with style, the range comprises a sleek, modern design guaranteed to complement all school and other educational building setups. Water is an important, natural resource which we, as a nation, cannot afford to take for granted. Thus, amid cost cuts and the growing need to embrace sustainability, schools need to be doing their bit – and by simply switching their taps to water-saving versions, they can at least look to alleviate some of this pressure.
uwww.waterwise.org.uk www.education-today.co.uk 29
Innovation on tap: manufacturers such as Bristan offer many innovations to aid water safety
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