Plumbing Connection 4-2015

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3 6 PLUMBING CONNECTION SUMMER 2015
into the project. This is particularly
important locally because in the ACT a
40% potable water reduction measure
is mandatory and water conserving
fixtures are essential to meet these
targets.
“The IP adopted assists to adjust
pipe sizing to suit reduced flows
apparent in both drainage and water
pipes due to water conservation in
buildings. On larger, more complex
projects, further analysis can
be undertaken using statistical
probability and numerical simulation
using the time and flow patterns as
was done on the Manhattan project.
“The IP is currently being accepted
on local ACT projects by the Private
Plumbing Plan Certifiers given it
stemmed from the R&D that was
undertaken on the Manhattan on the
Park development.”
News of such innovation and
thinking spreads across the industry
like wildfire and switched on suppliers
begin to ask questions.
“Sellick Consultants have been
approached by suppliers such as
Geberit to identify how the IP can
assist with pipe size reduction on
high rise residential apartments for
their Sovent system and we also work
closely with Studor who are also aware
of impact of water conserving fixtures/
fittings on drainage design.
“Despite engaging one of the world’s
leading drainage research teams, our
local regulator was still concerned
that the system would fail under an
extraordinary condition. To that extent
they asked us to investigate the impact
of a two minute window at halftime of
a State of Origin game, where every WC
was flushed in all 330 apartments.”
Sellick duly inputted this outcome
into its engineering brief, which
indicated that the 150mm pipe size
was adequate; however, since the
completion of the building it has been
using Switch Automation to remotely
monitor potable water consumption
to the entire building, logged every 60
minutes.
“We were pleased to review the data
output following State of Origin games
over the past three years and found
that there was no marked increase in
water consumption.
“The ability to monitor water
consumption has indicated that in
practice the amount consumed is
approximately half of the theory put
forward by HWU – possibly because
they used every fixture in every
apartment over a three hour window
whereas in reality this is rarely the
case,” Brad says.
“In fact the information we are
garnishing indicates that within the
apartments water consumption peaks
on a late Sunday morning when most
tenants are home doing their weekly
chores. It still doesn’t come anywhere
near the HWU statistical analysis. This
begs the question whether there is still
room for improvement in the design of
plumbing and drainage systems using
data derived from active buildings with
smart metering into the future.”
No doubt more research, innovation
and technology will spur more
opportunities to answer that and many
more questions in the future. Just as
more plumbers and consultants will
develop alternative solutions that
benefit the industry as a whole.
IMAGE 1: Brad Williams of Sellick Consultants. IMAGE 2: Assistant Professor
Dr David Kelly and Professor Lynne Jack, leader of Heriot-Watt University’s
Drainage Research Group.
Contact:
ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS
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