RAINWATER MANAGEMENT HARNESSING RAINWATER
TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE Sean Robinson, business development director, Water Management Solutions, Polypipe, believes now is the time for merchants to join the Green Infrastructure Revolution.
M
anagement and protection from rainwater and flooding is of increasing concern, but SuDS and flood control doesn’t have to be
only about moving water to safety. As weather in the UK becomes more extreme, solutions to harness the changing conditions need to be adopted by the built environment sector. In July, the Westminster Sustainable Business Forum (WSBF) released its Bricks and Water report on housebuilding, water management and planning policy. This was closely followed by the latest National Adaption Programme on climate change being released by Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which requires local authorities to take greater account of climate change in their planning decisions.
Developers should now be looking to harness rain to maintain green spaces and ease the increasing pressure on the water supply. And with 1.5 million new homes needed to be built by 2022, up to 2.5 million properties could be developed in areas susceptible to heavy rainfall.
What’s more, climate change could leave our biggest water reserves struggling to service the country each year. The WSBF predicts a severe swing from a water surplus of 12% to a water deficit of 22% by 2050.
Blooming popularity
According to the WSBF, the use of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) on new projects still hasn’t become the norm, with the industry preferring the use of legacy materials and tried and tested below ground solutions. This is despite above ground Green Infrastructure (GI) solutions becoming more sophisticated and up to 86% cheaper than below ground systems. Developments with the intelligent use of water at the heart of the design are not just about aesthetics and the environment. They can help to increase value and attract greater demand in properties, while providing widespread flood protection.
Future-roofing tomorrow’s built environment
Polypipe have developed products and systems to provide water management solutions to combat the impact of climate change and urbanisation. Our geocellular products, for
Alumasc Rainwater: New AX SnapFix Extruded Aluminium Gutter System
example, can be used in urban areas to create Blue-Green roofs, which use water management systems to support plant life, to cut pollution and increase biodiversity. We’ve developed systems that support vegetation, while our engineered water management solutions combine with soft SuDS techniques to regulate attenuation around water features. These systems help to deliver the highest water efficiency and resilience standards and can be compatible with proposed future frameworks such as the WSBF Bricks and Water Sustainability code.
What’s in it for merchants? Builders’ merchants are in a prime position to supply GI systems. If they get involved at an early stage, savvy merchants can begin to discuss rainwater options with customers and generate further sales opportunities. With customers proving something of a captive audience, merchants and manufacturers should work together to provide information that ensures customers consider GI products and systems at the earliest opportunity. Merchants should reach out to GI specialists to ensure that their messaging is reaching as broad a customer base as possible. Most manufacturers would be keen to work with merchants to achieve this. BMJ
January 2019
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net
GUTTERS ALL OVER the UK and beyond have been filling up with debris and dead leaves all year, and now, things are going wrong. However, changing a gutter in the dead of winter is not only a freezing task; it can be a time-consuming and potentially dangerous one too. Alumasc Water Management Solutions is launching the new AX SnapFix Extruded Aluminium Gutter System, this January, 2019. This lightweight, 100% recyclable, aluminium gutter eliminates the need for nuts, bolts and washers, and hours spent up a ladder. With a life span of up to 40 years Ben Green, divisional marketing manager for AlumascWMS says: “The crucial difference with this gutter system, is that it is fastened together with an integral ‘Snap Fix’. It has been engineered to provide a quality rainwater solution, without a lengthy installation time.”
How does it work? The AX SnapFix was designed to offer professionals a cost-effective, lightweight, durable and highly corrosion resistant alternative to uPVC, that’s able to fully accommodate thermal movement at every joint.
Available in three profiles—Beaded Half Round, Beaded Half Round Deep Run and Moulded—it is ideal for both traditional and modern buildings, and suited to flush and projecting eaves applications alike. Installation is quick and easy. Fascia brackets are fixed to the fascia board or rafters. The gutters are then ‘snap fixed’ into the fascia brackets, and sealant is added to the unions, outlets and stop ends. They are also ‘snapped’ into position without the need for nuts, bolts and washers. This system requires less sealant than previous versions from the AX range, but is even more durable.
The complete AX range is offered in a range of twenty-six colours and finishes with BBA approved polyester powder coatings. While additional BS or RAL colours are available to special order, the gutters can also be supplied in a plain mill finish for on-site painting. BMJ
25
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64
