Staffordshire University
Ureco Supports University’s Environmental Goals
Staffordshire University is committed to becoming a more sustainable university. To achieve this goal, the institution has been investigating a wide range of sustainable practices, implementing new technologies to improve efficiency and scrutinising how resources are utilised on campus.
Improvements that are implemented are often hidden technologies or adaptations to systems which students and staff have limited awareness of but they are an important part of the sustainability agenda.
This includes the Ureco washroom water conservation system, developed by HSG UK, which has been installed at the University and is already achieving significant commercial and environmental savings.
The Challenge
Most urinals flush four times per hour - so every 15 minutes - even at night when the building is empty, resulting in a mammoth 96 flushes per day. Staffordshire University's urinals were no exception.
Through discussions with HSG, Staffordshire University identified that installing the Ureco system in campus washrooms could reduce the water needed within the systems and improve the user experience.
In addition to the water and cost savings, HSG’s patented Ureco technology stops unpleasant smells and blockages which, in turn, negates the need for harsh chemicals being poured into the drainage system and sewerage system. The latter was a key point for Staffordshire University, as they are committed to being a low-chemical institution.
Our Approach
The HSG team met with the University to discuss the options and carried out a site survey before presenting to the Executive Board to outline the implementation and installation plans across both campuses.
A total of 116 Urecos and 60 Uretech water managers were installed over a short period in men’s washrooms by the HSG technical team who also provided training to the University’s cleaning service team. This has enabled the team to be skilled in this new technology and confident in new working practices.
The Result
In a three-year period, the installation of the Ureco system at Staffordshire University will reduce the among of clean water used by 27.5m litres which is the equivalent of 11 Olympic size swimming pools.
This will achieve more than £51,000 savings in water and maintenance costs and will save 28.99 tonnes of CO2.
Staffordshire University’s Head of Campus Facilities Management Helen Rutherford said: “The Ureco is a great fit for Staffordshire University and the reduction in carbon emissions align with our target of becoming net-zero by 2030.”
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