PLUMBING & DRAINAGE
SUDS IN THE
SPOTLIGHT
Neil Hibbert, managing director of drainage, building and landscape supplies company, HB Supplies talks to Anjali Sooknanan about an evolving drainage industry.
T
wenty years ago, ‘sustainable drainage systems’ (SuDS) was an eco-buzzword, with its importance long debated by policy makers and government bodies. Now, in the wake of years of extreme flooding incidents and with a rapidly changing and unpredictable environment, it is undoubtedly the largest growing area within the drainage and civil engineering industry.
This is not solely for sustainability purposes,
but also for value, speed and improved quality. After the Flood and Water Management Act was passed in 2010 following serious flooding in the summer of 2007, a boom in innovative and sustainable products to prevent flooding and sewage pollution in the UK began. 13 years on, we’re now seeing the sales of these type of supplies overtake traditional drainage methods for the first time.
SuDS have been named as an integral part of the Government’s recently released 25-year
PUSHING THE GREEN AGENDA
Plastic push-fit technology can be a step towards a greener plumbing future, if it helps to save water and householders money, as BMJ finds out.
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eneral inflation and the seemingly ever-increasing energy prices are meaning many are looking to be more cost-effective at
home. Richard Bateman, product marketing manager at RWC says: “From swapping fast fashion for charity stores to adopting a more plant-based diet, there are many steps that we are all taking in our effort to be more environmentally friendly. Indeed, many people are set on having a more sustainable household overall, and one area that should certainly not be overlooked is the house’s plumbing system. Whilst the UK Government
is actively taking strides towards new sustainable targets - phasing out gas boilers in new build homes by 2025 is one example - there are no guidelines listing what materials should be used in plumbing systems.” Bateman adds that some sustainable alternatives are more expensive than their less environmentally friendly counterparts. “For example, tankless water heaters are more expensive than storage heaters. And, whilst plastic pipe is less expensive than copper pipe, plastic push- fit fittings can be slightly more expensive. However, the additional money spent on plastic fittings will be saved in the form of
reduced water usage and labour-costs.” He says that plastic push-fit fittings
can reduce the complexity in pipework by decreasing the number of connections required, which can save water long term by reducing the chance of leaks.
“One example would be the plastic push-fit plumbing manifolds, which by establishing a single central hub as a distribution point for either hot or cold water supplies, simplify pipework,” he says. “Without the need for additional fittings, a single run can be cabled
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net February 2023
flood plan, and in January it was announced that all new developments in England will now need to be fitted with sustainable drainage methods. Defra has confirmed that now even small and non-domestic developments should implement SuDS, a change which will have a knock-on effect for contractors, engineering companies and building suppliers in England. This is a huge win for the likes of ICE (Institute of Civil Engineers) and The UK Green Building Council, who have been campaigning
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