Water systems - design approach

Water is essential to life and health.

In the case of 60L, a significant new benchmark has been set for water consumption in commercial buildings.

60L's approach to water conservation can be summarised through the following:

    • minimise the demand for water by providing water efficient fixtures & fittings, including water-less urinals and low flush volume toilet pans;
    • use collected rainwater to replace 100% of normal mains water consumption whenever possible;
    • 100% on-site treatment and reuse of grey-water (basins and sinks) & black-water (sewage) streams to produce reclaimed water for flushing toilet pans and irrigating the roof garden and landscape features;
    • use of reclaimed water for flushing toilet pans and irrigating the rooftop gardens.

In an average rainfall year, only water required for testing the fire sprinkler system will require the use of mains water. 60L will use 90% less mains water when compared to a traditional commercial building of similar size and function.

The building relies principally on rainwater. This is collected from the roof, stored in two 10,000 litre tanks on the ground floor, filtered and then sterilised prior to use by tenants in taps and showers. More than 500 kilolitres of rainwater will be collected in an average rainfall year.

Water efficient fixtures & fittings have been used throughout.

 

 

Two 10,000 litre tanks collect and store rainwater

Waste water generated within the 60L building will be processed in a biological treatment plant as part of the commitment to the principle of dealing with the waste one produces rather than passing it on for someone else to deal with. Recycled water from the waste water treatment plant will be used for flushing toilet pans and irrigating the roof garden and landscape features.

Rainfall from the roof is harvested, then transferred into the holding tanks via a 'Syfonic' system, which uses gravity to create a syphon effect, which means water transfer is faster and pipe diameter can be greatly reduced.

There are three basic sub-systems which go to make up the 60L water system:

    • Potable water system: harvesting, collection transfer and sterilisation of water for use by tenants and building systems (view/download simplified pdf schematic of potable water system);
    • Sewage treatment system: biofiltration and clarification of waste water for use within the building and transport of treated waste to city system (view/download simplified pdf schematic of sewage treatment system);
    • Reclamation system : reclaimed water, treated to appropriate standards, will be used on 60L's roof garden, in toilets and in the final part of the system, a reed-bed water feature in the atrium which filters water before it returns to the city system (view/download simplified pdf schematic of reclamation system).