Specify Water-Efficient Systems that Contribute to BREEAM Credits

Accreditation from the Building Research Establishment environmental assessment method (BREEAM) helps owners and managers to “demonstrate corporate social responsibility and sustainable business leadership”.

BREEAM accreditation provides businesses with:

• the means to gauge their own sustainability performance;
• a clear route towards even higher levels of sustainability.

The scope of the system includes all commercial premises in all stages of development, from planning to construction, to refurbishment and fitting out.

Most relevant to the provision of drinking water is the BREEAM In-Use standard, which, for permanently staffed buildings or office areas, sets a baseline requirement that a chilled, mains-fed point-of-use water supply (or point-of-use water cooler) is provided in each staff kitchenette or in a suitable location on each floor level and in any staff canteen.

So, when it comes to specifying a workplace water-dispenser system, what factors will affect the organisation’s BREEAM credits?

Minimising the carbon footprint

The impact human beings have on the environment is determined by the amount of greenhouse gases that we produce. The degree of pollution caused by the emission of greenhouse gases is calculated as a carbon footprint, a concept that can be associated with a product or service, an individual, family, business, event, nation, or, in fact, the global population. A business’s carbon footprint is measured by the sum of its parts.

When specifying a drinking-water system associated with low emissions of greenhouse gases, the major consideration must surely be that the product offers a high-quality alternative to bottled water.

The manufacture of plastic bottles involves numerous processes that emit greenhouse gases (such as carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide) into the atmosphere. These processes include:

• extraction of raw materials (mainly oil)
• production of plastic resins
• transportation (from source to plant to factory to wholesaler to retailer to consumer to landfill/recycling centre)
• (potential) incineration

With the capacity to dispense hundreds of cups of boiling, chilled, or sparkling water every hour, the Aqua illi tap or the Aqua Alto tap can provide pure, top-quality drinking water to large workforces. Hand in hand with a company’s own environmental policy, these units can play a major part in eliminating disposable plastic in the workplace.

Improved health and wellbeing

According to the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), access to drinking water is a human right.

Many employers, however, go that step further and actively promote good hydration, because they recognise that supporting the health and wellbeing of employees equates to long-term investment in productivity.

Along with natural light and fresh air, good hydration is essential for wellbeing. Through the provision of attractive, modern water dispensers, installed in prominent locations throughout the workplace, employers encourage good hydration and nurture a culture of health and wellbeing.

Each Aqua illi and Aqua Alto tap is capable of dispensing hundreds of cups of pure drinking water every hour.

But for times when table water is required, we have the Aqua Bottler, which will dispense more than 100 litres of still or sparkling chilled water per hour. This system comes as a countertop or undercounter unit, and our own borosilicate glass bottles are available for stylish decanting. Many of our customers choose to have their bottles branded with their own company logo, a service provided by our highly skilled in-house team.

For bulk volumes of hot water, have a look at the Aqua Boil wall-hung boiler with full touch-button LCD display screen.

Lowering the running costs

The running costs of Aqua Libra Co’s water-dispenser systems are approximately 5% of the cost of providing drinking water by means of chilled bottled water and kettle-boiled water.

Compared to our leading competitors’ products, our systems run at around half the cost.

Zero limescale is a factor in low running costs. All our systems incorporate the Aqua Pure water purifier, meaning that every drop of water is 100% purified at the point where it’s sourced from the mains. Maintenance costs are cut by a massive 90%.

For large corporations, hotels, or conference centres, Aqua Link is the world’s most advanced single-source, energy-saving drinking-water system for multiple dispense locations. The master unit, incorporating a dual pump, Aqua Pure purifying system, and Aqua Link Control Unit (smart reporting technology), is installed in a plantroom environment – for example, an attic or basement. From here, it feeds as many hydration points as you choose, on multiple floors of the building.

As a company grows, the Aqua Link network can grow too. The greater number of outlets, the lower the proportionate cost of operation.

Smart reporting means immediate response from our maintenance team, and minimal downtime. The Aqua Link Control Unit provides dynamic reporting on:

• incoming mains water pressure
• volume of water dispensed
• flow rate
• leak detection
• water temperature
• CO₂ replacement management
• pump malfunction

Contact Aqua Libra Co

Aqua Libra Co is proud to have been always at the forefront of environmental initiatives within the water industry.

Our aim is to help our clients achieve their sustainability goals – in terms of the natural environment, staff wellbeing, and economy.

Our water-dispenser systems are designed for sustainability, and any one of them will contribute considerably to an organisation’s BREEAM credits.

If you’d like to talk to us about any of our products, or if you’d like a copy of our 2021 product brochure, please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.