Sustainability has fast become a priority for high-growth businesses and savvy homeowners, with many developers sharpening their focus on delivering projects that hold positive legacies for the built environment.
As one of the driest populated continents in the world, Australia has long had a need for high performance water management within low carbon buildings, but remains one of the highest consumers of water on the planet.
Water efficiency remains an essential consideration for developers now factoring a broader shift towards healthier workplaces and places of residency due to the recent pandemic.
Water management provider Kingspan Water & Energy, renowned for delivering high-performing on-site water and wastewater treatment products, has continued to assist Australian developers, businesses and homes transition towards efficient outcomes.
“Sustainability is now a mainstream business practice and leading developers have made it a part of their repertoire for many years,” Kingspan business unit director Stuart Heldon said.
“It helps businesses achieve better commercial outcomes, and at the same time supports the ongoing health of the environmental and social systems in which they operate.”
“Meanwhile, those looking for new townhouses, apartments or homes are wanting to buy with the certainty their quality of life is at its highest and that the dwelling is cost-effective and future-proofed.”
Through a wide-range of made-to-measure water tank products, Kingspan—which has operated since 1934—has garnished a reputation for built-to-last solutions, now staple additions to sustainable projects across Australia.
“The company's wide-range of water systems can be used in a variety of different project types and scopes, with tailored solutions working to suit the specific needs of each project—whether it’s commercial, residential or industrial,” Heldon said.
The recently completed $40 million BVN-designed Marrickville Library and Pavilion, on the site of the former Marrickville hospital site, features recycled materials and reduced energy consumption strategies throughout the project.
In addition to the re-use of 27,000 bricks from the original hospital building, the 3,600sq m project—centred around a 1,200sq m landscaped outdoor garden and a 100sq m children's playground, also includes a number of sustainability features.
Within the landscaped garden sit six Kingspan Round corrugated water—three 7,660L tanks and three 11,250L tanks—designed to significantly add to the overall architectural design of the landscape.
The corrugated tanks are used as additional water storage collecting rainwater from the new building roof and the western side of the old hospital roof which is piped into the largest tank and then overflows to fill the remaining tanks.
“When full, the tanks overflow to the basement water retention storage tank, located directly below the Kingspan tanks,” Heldon said.
“Excess water is discharged to the street after flowing through a stormwater 360 filtration system. Harvested water is used for all toilets in the building and for irrigation.”
“When there is insufficient water stored the water supply automatically switches to mains water.”
The Kingspan tank system assisted the NSW government in achieving one of the 47 Environmental Sustainable Design Criteria for the community-focused development.
Kingspan's commercial solutions extend to large capacity water storage and on-site wastewater treatment for the hospitality, industrial, mining and agriculture sectors.
“Kingspan's range of Rhino water tanks offer up to 2.3 million litres of water storage for potable water, irrigation, fire-fighting and stormwater management,” Heldon said.
The BioDisc and BioFicient wastewater treatment plant range sets the standards for domestic and commercial wastewater treatment solutions, with more than 60 years of global innovation and manufacturing experience.
Tested and fully approved, the range is suitable for applications from 10 to 300 population equivalent in a single tank and up to 3000 population equivalent in modular form.
For more information on Kingspan’s commercial range, visit their website.
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