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INTERIORS
reducing cost. WCs can be another problem; leaks often only appear as small trickles down the back of a loo which can be diffi cult to spot. But a single leaking toilet can waste up to 400 litres daily. Traditional drop-valve systems rely on seals that lie below the waterline. This means they are prone to deterioration as scale and debris builds up. Choosing a fl ushing valve that doesn’t have a fl ush seal below the waterline means the seal won’t degrade and it won’t leak.
Leaking cisterns are another frequent
Washrooms may be a relatively small proportion of total construction cost, but they have a disproportionate impact on water consumption
issue, because the standing water makes them vulnerable to scale and impurities, which can quickly accumulate and compromise the watertight seals. Direct fl ushing removes the need for a cistern entirely. Instead, it uses mains pressure to give an effective, controlled fl ush. Without a stored volume of water, the risk of leakage is removed along with many maintenance requirements associated with cisterns. Part G of the Building Regulations sets out requirements for water effi ciency, hygiene and safety. Compliance is often achieved at handover, but performance needs to be maintained over time, and that depends on the durability and suitability of
the installed systems. The growing use of smart metering will make this more visible. As more buildings are closely monitored, actual usage will become harder to ignore. Continuous fl ow, excessive fl ushing and undetected leaks will all appear in the data. This has implications beyond utility
costs. ESG reporting is placing greater emphasis on operational performance, with water use forming part of broader environmental metrics. Buildings that fail to perform as intended may fail to meet client expectations or regulations over time. As the industry responds to tightening targets and greater transparency, water effi ciency is likely to receive the same level of attention as energy performance. Washrooms may be a relatively small proportion of total construction cost, but they have a disproportionate impact on water consumption. Early specifi cation decisions carry long-term consequences. Selection must involve assessing how systems will operate over time, how they respond to real patterns of use, and how they contribute to overall building effi ciency.
Richard Braid is managing director at Cistermiser
WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK
ADF JUNE 2026
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