A significant reduction in maintenance, as well as exceptional water savings delivered by DELABIE solutions
Wellington College, one of the UK’s leading co-educational boarding and day schools, aims to achieve Net Zero by 2050.
As part of this mission, they have turned to DELABIE’s products, due to the exceptional water savings offered, as well as the significant reduction in maintenance.
Kevin Proud, Senior Mechanical Engineer at Wellington College, who is responsible for the introduction of DELABIE products on-site, explains:
"Our journey to direct flushing toilets began in 2019, when we introduced direct flushing urinals here at the college. For years, we were experiencing high volumes of maintenance to our cistern fed urinals on site."
Issues that the college was encountering included leaks caused by pin holes in the copper pipework which fed the electronic solenoid; too much water feeding into the cistern, resulting in excess flushing; too little water feeding into the cistern, resulting in blockages; and, even with regular operation, blockages would still occur.
At the same time as the trial for the direct flush urinals, Kevin trialled the TEMPOMATIC 4 taps.
"We wanted to try something that looked smart and was not a standard time flow tap.
The feature that we liked about the TEMPOMATIC 4 was the flow rate adjustment - no more spraying water everywhere! Therefore, water was being saved."
The main benefit was the lack of contact between the user and the tap itself, which proved its worth significantly during the period of COVID-19. Another consideration, especially during the school holidays periods, was the inclusion of a duty flush, meaning that the water was still circulating, even in the students’ absence.
He adds: "The majority of our communal bathrooms are now fitted with TEMPOMATIC 4 taps."
In 2023, Kevin decided to trial direct flush for WCs, installing two DELABIE TEMPOFLUX 1 WC flush valves in one of the boys’ boarding houses. As was the case for the urinals, the primary issue was maintenance.
Issues such as limescale build-up leading to excess filling of the cistern and flooding; cisterns being slow to fill, also leading to blockages and water wastage; and leaking cisterns, which went undetected due to their installation behind IPS panels, were prevalent.
In some cases, leaks were caused by hairline cracks in the cisterns; flush valves working themselves loose, and leaks from the flush pipe where it entered the WC.
"Trialling the two direct flush mechanisms, we immediately had a significant reduction in blocked WCs." Kevin elaborated.
The flush valves were a huge success, resulting in a rollout across the site with a current total of 35 toilets fitted with the TEMPOFLUX 1 valves. "As yet, we have not experienced any leaks or any maintenance work to these valves."
The primary consideration in this rollout was the significant reduction in maintenance call outs for localised blockages, leaks and faulty flush valves, all of which contribute to water wastage. This has resulted in reduced maintenance costs, as well as a reduction in water use for clearing blockages.
A further consideration was the tendency of children to press either button on a previous dual control flush valve, meaning that, often, insufficient water was deployed from the cistern to clear the pan.
With the simplicity of the single push button TEMPOFLUX 1 control plate, a full flush is ensured every time, also contributing to reducing the risk of blockages.
The design of the washrooms was also a consideration during the specification of products. John Staunton, Regional Sales Manager- South for DELABIE, assisted the college in their specification, explaining that,
"A product which is both aesthetically pleasing, yet suited to intensive use can sometimes be difficult to find, especially in combination with a wish to save water and reduce maintenance. Within the DELABIE range, we have product offerings for a variety of aesthetic choices, whilst consistently delivering on durability and water savings."
In the case of Wellington College, Kevin combined the high-quality finishes of the DELABIE products with natural wood features, providing a premium aesthetic.
Accessibility has also been a consideration in Kevin’s installations across the school. Where traditionally a long-handled DOC-M WC flush would be required, he took the route of electronic controls. In the accessible bathrooms, TEMPOMATIC electronic control plates have been installed, allowing for ease of use, a sleeker finish and more standardised design across all of the facilities.
These electronic control plates activate a duty flush every 24 hours from the last use, preventing stagnation during periods of low user activity, which is especially important in accessible bathrooms, as well as in school holidays.
DELABIE products installed
TEMPOFLUX 1 direct flush kit - Ref. 761210
BINOPTIC electronic tap - Ref. 478035
TEMPOMATIC 4 electronic basin tap - Ref. 44000015
Control plate for TEMPOMATIC 4 for urinals - Ref. 430036
