Vacuum Drainage - Innovation Report

Vacuum Drainage - Innovation Report

Bloomberg London 103938/KW/010817

Revision01

VacuumDrainage-InnovationReport

103938/KW/010817Revision01Sweco 1 Bath Road Maidenhead Berkshire SL6 4AQ +44(0)[email protected]/our-offer/building-services© Sweco 2010 This document is a Sweco confidential document; it may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part to any third party without our express prior written consent. It should be used by you and the permitted discloses for the purpose for which it has been submitted and for no other. Registered Office: Sweco UK Limited, Grove House, Mansion Gate Drive, Leeds, LS7 4DN. Company Registration No 02888385

Issue Date Reason for Issue Prepared Checked Approved

01 Aug2017 Forinformation(BREEAM2014)

KW 08/17 TCF 08/17 AJD 08/17

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Contents

1. ExecutiveSummary..............................................................................................4

2. Introduction..........................................................................................................5

2.1 Overview...............................................................................................................5

2.2 TheProblem..........................................................................................................5

2.3 TheBenefits..........................................................................................................6

2.4 TheSolution..........................................................................................................6

3. TheDesign............................................................................................................7

3.1 GeneralDesign......................................................................................................7

3.2 CoordinationwithOtherWaterSavingsSolutions...............................................8

4. TheBenefits..........................................................................................................9

5. WhyInnovative?.................................................................................................10

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01 Executive Summary



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1. Executive Summary This reportprovidesa summaryof theVacuumDrainage forWCsolution,also isanabstract from BREEAM Innovation credit application for the North Building of theBloombergLondondevelopment.

ThedevelopmentprovidesamixofofficeandretailspaceintheCityofLondon.Locatedbetween theBankofEnglandandStPaul’sCathedral, the siteprovidesapproximately1million square feet of sustainable office space, two new public spaces featuringspeciallycommissionedworksofart,aretailarcadethatwillreinstateanancientRomantravelroute,andananticipatedculturalhubthatwillrestoretheTempleofMithrastoitsoriginalsite.

TheuseofpotablewaterinWCservicesislongestablished,andyetisapracticewhichrepresentsanobviousareaforimprovementintermsofincreasingthesustainabilityandenvironmentalperformanceofbuildingdesign.Tothisend,therehavebeensignificantdevelopmentsinrecentyearsaimedattacklingthisproblem,includingtheuseofgrey-and rain-water for flushing toilets, and the development of low-flush volume WCcisterns.

The design team at Bloomberg London identified a number of solutions aimed atreducingtheunnecessaryconsumptionofpotablewater.BeingthefirstofitskindforacommercialofficebuildingintheUK,oneofthesesolutions,theprovisionforVacuumDrainage forWCoperation, is considered tobean innovation in the sustainable andenvironmentalperformanceofcommercialbuildingsintheUK.

TheVacuumDrainagesolutionfortheBloombergBuildingwasawardedanApplied

InnovationcreditunderBREEAM2014NewConstruction(non-domestic)scheme.

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02 Introduction

2. Introduction Bloomberg London is a new development in the City of London comprising two high-gradespecificationbuildings(namelytheNorthandSouthBuildings),withretailunitsatgroundfloorlevel.Whencompleted,itwillprovideapproximately1,000,000ft2ofofficeand retail space and includes a new entrance to the London Underground at Bankstation.

Fig.1LocationoftheBloombergLondonDevelopment

2.1 Overview

The design of the commercial office building at Bloomberg London has been ledthroughout by principles of environmental design, with an aspiration to developinnovative techniquesandpractices inorder to secure thesustainableperformanceofthebuildingduringthedesign,constructionandoccupationofthebuilding.

One of the areas that was identified as being appropriate for innovation was theconsumptionofpotablewater, forpurposesother than those related todirecthumanconsumption.

Tothisend,anumberofinnovativesolutionsweredeveloped,includingtheprovisionofVacuumDrainageforWCoperation.

2.2 The Problem

Theunsustainableuseofpotablewaterisoneofthekeychallengesoursocietyfacesintermsof itsconsumptionofnaturalresources. Even inatemperateandrelativelywetclimatesuchastheUK’s, it is importanttopreservecleanwaterandsecure itsuseforessentialneedssuchashumanconsumption.

WaterconsumingprocessesinbuildingdesignincludethoserelatedtoservicingofHVACequipment,aswellasthemorecommonlyrecognisedapplicationofWCflushing. The

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02 Introduction

unnecessary consumption of potable water represents a number of risk factors,including:

• Degradationoffinitequalitycleanwatersupplies

• Addedpressuresplacedonageingdrainagesystems

• Contributiontotheproblemsassociatedwithfloodrisks

Anyreductionintheconsumptionofpotablewaterforthispurposewillhavedirect,aswellasindirect,benefits.

2.3 The Benefits

Despite the difficulties in challenging established procedures and norms, particularlywhenfacedwithunderstandablyconservativeattitudestowater,recentadvanceshavedemonstratedthebenefitsinreducingtheunnecessaryconsumptionofpotablewater.

However, the Client and the team delivering Bloomberg project recognised thenumerousbenefitsthatwater-savingmeasurescandeliver.Theseinclude:

• SustainableuseofpotablewaterforWCflushing

• Costsavingsrelatedtowateranddrainage

• Preservationofcleanwatersupplies

• Alleviationofpressuresonexistingdrainagesystems

• Reducedriskoflocalandregionalflooding

Thesebenefitswereidentifiedasbeingconsiderableandappropriatefortheexplorationof bespoke solutions that would enable them to be realised. In light of this, theinnovativeVacuumDrainageforWCoperationsolutionwasdeveloped.

2.4 The Solution

TheteamdeliveringBloombergproject incorporatedanumberofwater-savingdesignsthat address the concerns associated with water consuming plant, while also drivingforwardanddeliveringrealandtangiblebenefits.

TheVacuumDrainageforWCoperationsolutionwasidentifiedasbeinganinnovativesolutionthataddressedalltheabove.

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03 The Design

3. The Design 3.1 General Design

ThedevelopmentofvacuumdrainagesolutionsforWCsofferssignificantwatersavingsoverconventionalsystems.

The solution relies on induced flushing pressures in the drainage pipework. Thefollowingillustratesthegeneralarrangementofthesystem.

Fig.1Generalarrangementofvacuumdrainage

Acloseupofthekeydesigncomponentofthesystemshowshowthissimpleprincipleoperates.

Fig.2Inducedflushingpressuresandtransportpockettore-form‘slug’

Vacuum drainage system uses difference in air pressure to transport of sewage fromtoiletstoavacuumunit.

In idle mode, a semi-vacuum (~0.5bar pressure) is maintained in the system. Whenflushed,approximately60-80litresofairand1litreofwaterissuckedthroughthetoilet,inturnsuckingthecontentsofthetoiletintothesystem.Thewaterandeffluentformsa ‘slug’ in the system, and is being transportedalong thepipework systemduring thedischargeperiod, to stopafter approximately 5-15m.When the toilet valve closes thesewage will flow under gravity to re-form the ‘slug’ in a specially arranged pipework

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03 The Design

section called ‘transport pocket’. Subsequent flusheswillmove the formed slug alongthenetwork,fromone‘transportpocket’tothenext.

During running, the pump generates vacuum within the drainagepipework transporting the sewage to a macerating chamber todischargethesewagetotheexternalseweragesystem

Thesystemasawholeusesbetween0.8and1 litresofwaterperWCflush. This is incomparisontotraditionalgravitysystemsthatuseandupto6litresperflushor4.5litresonaveragefordualflushoption.

3.2 Coordination with Other Water Savings Solutions

Asnoted,anumberofwater-savingmeasureshavebeen incorporated into thedesignfor Bloomberg North Building. These include the recycling of cooling tower water,rainwater harvesting and the recycling of grey water from showers and hand washbasins.

These solutions, together withVacuumDrainage forWC operation, enables allWCflushingtobeundertakenthroughtheuseofrecycledwaterandrainwateronly.Therewill be no consumption of potable water for operating WCs at Bloomberg NorthBuilding.

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04 The Benefits

4. The Benefits Thebenefitsofthisinnovativesolutionareclearandvarious.

• Over 19,000m3 per year saving of potable water consumption compared to atraditionalgravitydrainagesysteminidenticalbuildingofthatsize

• Over 15,000m3 per year reduction in sewerage discharge due to reduced flushvolumesofWCs

• Theapplicationofthis technologycombinedwithwaterrecyclingwilleliminatetheuseofpotablewaterforWCflushingpurposes.

• Costsavingsrelatedtowateranddrainage

• Preservationofcleanwatersupplies

• Alleviationofpressuresonexistingdrainagesystems

• Reducedriskoflocalandregionalflooding

The first installation of its kind in a commercial office development in the UK, thisinnovative solution will also act as a clear and forward looking case study for otherdevelopments seeking to encourage and support the sustainable use of clean potablewater.

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05 Why Innovative?

5. Why Innovative? ThedesignshouldbeconsideredInnovativeforthefollowingreasons:

• A nationwide first for the specification in a large scale commercial officedevelopmentofvacuumdrainageforWCflushing.

• Thissolutionwillreducebyupto80%theconsumptionofwaterforoperatingWCs,

• And the application of this technology combinedwithwater recycling systemswilleliminatetheuseofpotablewaterforWCflushingpurposes.

• Supportingthisdesignwillreducetheriskofregionalfloodingandhelptoalleviatethe strains on local drainage infrastructure, someofwhich dates back to the 19thcentury.

InnovativeVacuum

Drainage

Bloomberg

NorthBuilding

Nationwidefirstforcommercialofficedevelopment P P P

EliminatingtheuseofpotablewaterforWCs P P P

Reducedriskoffloodinganddrainageproblems P P P

80%reductioninWCwaterconsumption P P P

TheVacuumDrainage solution for theBloombergBuildingwas awardedanAppliedInnovationcreditunderBREEAM2014NewConstruction(non-domestic)scheme.

Vacuum Drainage - Innovation Report

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