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Why does Aqua Libra Co have a reputation for excellence? Well, for a start, our water-dispense systems are durable, compact, economical, and great looking. They’re also designed for sustainability. From the materials they’re made of, to their low-energy usage, to their efficient dispense functions, our products are destined to leave only the faintest carbon footprint throughout their life. Yet another reason for Aqua Libra Co’s excellent reputation is its world-class service. We have a team of highly skilled technicians, located all over the UK, dedicated to customer care. From installation – including full staff training in the operation of equipment – to repairs and servicing, our customer-support team includes some of the most experienced technicians in the industry. What’s more, they carry with them a well-maintained stock of parts, including parts for brands other than our own. Our partners have faith in us Forgive us for a little bit of bragging! What we say about ourselves, however, isn’t worth a great deal without testimony from our clients and partners. When businesses choose to work in partnership with Aqua Libra Co, that’s our stamp of approval. In February this year, our exclusive agreement to service EauVation’s bottling systems came into effect. EauVation, a company that shares our commitment to sustainability, has a portfolio that includes some of the most respected restaurant groups in the UK and abroad, such as multi-Michelin-starred Gordon Ramsey Restaurants and Gourmet Burger Kitchen. Wahaca, which in 2016 became the first restaurant group in the UK to be carbon neutral, is also among EauVation’s clients. We look forward to building new relationships with these companies and many others. Aqua Bottlers Bottling systems are at the core of all that Aqua Libra Co believes in: Healthy hydration has a positive effect on productivity. Our mission is to provide easily accessible water sources to businesses and communities. Bottling systems present an attractive and logistical alternative to packaged water. Eliminating one-use plastic reduces the consumption of fossil fuel (in the manufacture and shipping of plastic), emissions of greenhouse gases, and the volume of plastic waste in the environment. Aqua Libra Co bottling systems take up less room than stored bottles, and the cost of providing highly filtered water is less than the bottled-water alternative. Our bottling systems are available in two forms. The Countertop Bottler is compact and robust, ideally suited to a busy office environment. The Undercounter Bottler fits neatly into a 600mm by 600mm cupboard, and you can choose, for dispense, an Aqua Alto or Mechanical tap. Depending on the capacity you choose, the Undercounter and Countertop Bottlers will dispense up to 60 or 120 litres per hour. Contact us To make an appointment to visit our London showroom, or to talk to us about Aqua Libra Co bottling systems, including our bottle branding service, give us a call on 0800 080 6696 or email [email protected]. Alternatively, complete the contact form and we’ll get back to you.  

We’re pleased to confirm that as of Monday 22nd February 2021, our exclusive agreement to service bottling systems of the EauVation business has come into effect. With over 500 assets to service, the customer base includes well-known restaurants and hospitality sites, including Gordon Ramsey, Wahaca, and Gourmet Burger Kitchen.   Aqua Libra Co’s reputation for excellence is founded on premium products and world-class customer care. We believe that our reputation, together with fantastic servicing opportunities, such as our partnership with EauVation, will be instrumental to the growth of the bottling offering. We believe that this growth will extend beyond the catering market. For further information on our bottling solutions, please click here.

We all know how important it is to drink plenty of water. In fact, the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) cites access to drinking water as a basic human right. All over the world, in businesses of all sizes, water-dispenser units are important features of the workplace. But sometimes – in a board meeting, training session, or at a dining table – nothing will do quite as well as bottled water. It’s there on the table; people don’t have to keep jumping up for refills. Provision of drinking water also shows a certain level of forethought and courtesy. To cap it all, how about your company’s branding on the bottles! No more plastic At Aqua Libra Co, we’re constantly striving for sustainable production and environmentally friendly products. We understand that simply cutting out plastic bottles will only go so far towards our efforts to reduce plastic waste. Realistically, this measure won’t help us reach our ultimate goal of being part of a plastic-free society. After all, there’s a plentiful supply of plastic out there. If people want plastic bottles, they won’t have to look far. The best way to help our clients and suppliers along the road to a greener way of life and business is to provide a high-quality alternative. Just because we – and thousands of others – have a no-single-use-plastic policy, it doesn’t mean that bottled water is off the menu. There’s no reason at all why we can’t provide bottled water. Borosilicate glass Invented by German chemist, Friedrich Otto Schott (1851-1935), borosilicate glass is a tough kind of glass with exceptional durability and high resistance to thermal shock. It survives knocks and bumps far better than normal glass, and it can withstand temperature differentials of around 165°C without cracking. The main constituents of borosilicate glass are silica (SiO2) and boron trioxide (B2O3). These safe and environmentally-friendly chemicals make borosilicate glass more heat resistant than other forms of glass. Our bottles are made of borosilicate glass, designed and manufactured in the UK. Custom Branding Glass bottles of pure water – both still and sparkling – add a touch of style to a meeting room or dining table. There’s a certain wholesomeness to the weight and stability of a glass bottle. And a rich beauty in the way it reflects the light. Believe it or not, a good impression can be improved upon! Branded water bottles are the icing on the cake when it comes to presenting your organisation to visitors, subcontractors, new staff, or customers. They also make superb corporate gifts. Because we use a high-quality ceramic ink, your corporate colours can be accurately matched and faithfully reproduced in your chosen design. Fired at a very high temperature, our ceramic ink has excellent adhesive properties and produces sharply defined, scratch-resistant graphics. Offer your guests pure drinking water from an elegant bottle, printed with your brand logo, and you won’t be forgotten. Aqua Bottlers The Undercounter and Countertop Aqua Bottlers have been designed to dispense large volumes of sparkling and chilled ‘table water’.  A perfect solution for meeting rooms, hotels and restaurants. It eliminates the need for single-use plastic bottles and packaging. Check out the elegant Aqua Alto ensemble, comprising boiling-, chilled-, and sparkling-water dispenser taps; or the chic Aqua illi three-in-one tap (with extension available), ideal for refilling your reusable bottles, over and over again. Whatever water dispenser unit you have, whether it’s an Aqua Bottler or one of our taps - Aqua illi and Aqua Alto - it will serve a double purpose. Always available for single servings throughout every day, these stylish dispensers will provide you and your team with pure table water that’s so clear, it will stand the scrutiny of the harshest critic. Contact us now for more information about Aqua Bottlers or any of our other products.  

It will be tiring, stressful, and costly. The move itself will incur direct costs, and there’ll be numerous other costs – the result of downtime and reassignment of manpower. So why are you moving office? Maybe your staff team is growing, and you need more space for workstations and meeting rooms. Or are you looking to create a more hospitable environment for customers? In a business that relies on face-to-face consultation, the right setting can make a big difference. But this move might be primarily about location. It might be driven by footfall, parking facilities, visibility, or accessibility. Whatever your reasons for moving office, this exciting project is a big step forward – a landmark in your company’s history. Appoint a Project Manager Relocating to a new office is a huge project. And, like all projects, it must be headed up by a project manager – someone who’s dedicated to co-ordinating the move. The project manager will organise the logistics and establish the costs of moving, from early planning to choreographing events on moving day. Plan your workplace environment The new office has to work for your business. The way it’s set out, the way it looks, and the facilities it has to offer are all factors that ultimately play a part in productivity. The following issues need to be addressed: How much of your furniture will you be taking? What will a removal service cost? What additional furniture (e.g. desks, chairs, filing cabinets) will you need? Will you match new items to existing furniture? How much will the new furniture cost? Will you need additional IT equipment (e.g. PCs and peripheries, printers, copiers)? What will additional IT equipment cost? How will workstations be arranged? How will the position of windows, walls, and doors affect layout and orientation? Consider light – both natural and electric. Will you need blinds at the windows? Where are ceiling/wall lights located? Is there a need for additional lighting? How much will additional lighting and/or blinds cost? What sort of floor covering will the new office have? Is there a carpet already laid? Will you change the carpet? Do you want a hard floor? What effect will a hard floor have on acoustics and sound insulation? How much will a new floor covering cost? If you plan to create spaces for group meetings and/or client consultation, how will this be arranged? Consider privacy, access, dimensions, etc. How will you physically divide up your office space? How much will partition equipment (screens etc) cost? What about access to drinking water? If your firm already uses an undercounter unit, where will it be located in the new office? Might you need an additional unit? If you don’t already have access to chilled- and boiling-water dispenser taps, this is the ideal time to consider it. How much will an office water dispenser cost? Consider the number and position of plug sockets and light fixtures. Do you need more? And where should they be installed? How much will an electrician’s services cost? Consider security. Can you relocate your existing CCTV and alarms? Will you need additional equipment? What will be the cost of installing security equipment? Are there adequate toilet and kitchen facilities in the new office? Is there any work to do before you move in? How much will adaptations to toilet/kitchen facilities cost? Update your business address When you relocate, everyone has to know. And wherever your address is cited, contact details need to be updated. Arrange redirection of mail. Update business cards, headed paper, and other branding materials. Inform suppliers and customers of the new address and update contracts and subscriptions. Update social media accounts, other online accounts, your website, and email signatures. Inform service providers (electricity, water, gas, phone, broadband, managed services, cleaners, refuse collection) and make arrangement for location transfer. Update contracts of employment. Transfer insurance policies. Logistics of moving Set a day and time for moving. Consider: the location of the new office (is it in a busy street?); downtime (would it be best to move on a Sunday?); costs (balance the costs saved/incurred by making the move outside of business hours). Book a removals company. Consider the size of van and the number of removals staff you’ll need. Make sure you have adequate packaging: boxes, paper, bubble-wrap, polystyrene, parcel tape, labels, etc. Appoint a dedicated packing desk. If moving day is a normal work day, will you be conducting business as usual? Or will you close for the day? What will each member of staff be doing on moving day? Who will be working from home? Do you need to divert phone calls on that day? Who will be assisting with the move? If necessary, organise temporary external storage. Good luck! Relocation usually goes hand-in-hand with growth. Whether you’re a small start-up, moving into your first business premises, or an established company that’s outgrown its skin … you're growing. And that’s exciting.

Let’s invent a fictional company. We don’t know what product or service the company sells. We’re only interested in staff refreshments. This company employs 18 full-time staff, and they all work in one large office. The office operates Monday to Friday for 50 weeks in the year. (The staff take a two-week break over Christmas and New Year.) We’ll call the company CashSave Ltd. The boss’s name is Sophie. CashSave Ltd has always provided the staff with refreshments at work. Sophie believes that good hydration is key to health and wellbeing, and she knows that if she looks after her workers, productivity will be high. CashSave Ltd is located in a fictional county called Averageshire, where electricity charges are always set at the UK average. For the past two years, in Averageshire, the standing charge has been 20.58p per day, and the electricity unit rate 14.4p per kWh. Kettles and bottles (Year 1) Until a year ago, the CashSave staff made their hot drinks by boiling the three office kettles. Sophie also provided each member of staff with a 2-litre bottle of water daily. Each of the three 2kW kettles held 1.5 litres of water, which provided 6 servings. Four times a day, all three kettles were filled and boiled for hot drinks. Each kettle consumed 0.1 kWh at each boil. Every day, the cost of boiling 12 (4 x 3) kettles was 17.28p. Sophie would buy bottled water in bulk, and each 2-litre bottle cost the company 50p. The daily cost of water was 900p. In Year 1, the daily cost of drinking water at CashSave Ltd was 917.28p. Aqua illi – the world’s smartest touch tap (Year 2) Exactly one year ago, Sophie made a radical change at the office: she had a new water dispenser unit installed. It was the Aqua illi tap, designed and built in the UK by Aqua Libra Co – an industry leader in commercial boiling- and chilled-water dispensers, and the industry’s No.1 for after-sales service. Built in modular form, Aqua illi can be adapted to requirements. At present, the office model dispenses boiling and chilled water, but Sophie is planning to add sparkling-water to the unit in the near future. The Aqua illi tap in the CashSave office is switched on for 12 hours a day, five days a week. In standby mode, the boiler consumes 0.1kWh of energy per hour. In full operation mode, it consumes 1.1kWh per hour (constantly in use). At each tea break, the boiler is in operation mode for approximately 10 minutes, consuming 0.183 kWh. In a day (a total of 40 minutes), the boiler consumes 0.732 kWh in operation mode. During the 11 hours and 20 minutes in standby mode, the Aqua illi boiler uses 1.13 kWh of energy. The daily running cost of the Aqua illi boiling tap is 26.8p. The Aqua illi cooler delivers up to 600 deliciously chilled cups of pure water every hour. In full operation mode, the cooler consumes 0.15kWh. To say that the cooler is in operation mode for 50% of the 12-hour day is surely an exaggeration, but we’ll use this figure in the knowledge that we’re in no danger of under-estimating the running costs. Therefore, over a period of six hours, the cooler consumes 0.9kWh, at a cost of 12.96p. All water dispensed by the illimani taps is purified – a process that consumes 0.432kWh in each 12-hour day, at a cost of 6.22p. In Year 2, the daily cost of drinking water at CashSave Ltd was 45.98p. Comparisons In Year 1, Sophie spent £2,293.00 on drinking water. The total cost of drinking water in Year 2 was £114.95. How does Year 2’s figure compare to Aqua Libra Co’s competitors – the best of the rest? It’s approximately 50%. How does it compare to the total cost of drinking water in Year 1? It’s approximately 5%. How do you provide drinking water at the office?  

On Monday and Tuesday, 13th and 14th September, Aqua Libra Co was represented by Specification Manager Craig Brownlee at the UK Platform Catering Event at Heathrow, in the London Borough of Hillingdon. Platform Catering Event UK Organised and hosted by Platform Events UK, this dynamic two-day commercial networking event brought together buyers and suppliers in the catering industry to fulfil new supply needs and to develop effective business relationships within the sector. The Platform Catering Event UK is formatted like a super-organised speed-dating event! Tailored, pre-selected meetings between suppliers and procurement teams across catering sectors take place during the two days, and there’s also plenty of opportunity for casual networking over meals and evening drinks. During 20-minute-long face-to-face meetings, suppliers and procurement teams can form new business relationships, or cement existing ones, achieving in two days what might otherwise take months. Aqua Libra Co water dispensers In his role as Specification Manager, Craig is the person responsible for matching each client with the perfect hydration solution. He has an in-depth knowledge of Aqua Libra Co’s dispense systems, working with architects, interior designers, and consultants to bring specifications to fruition. Craig found that many of the hospitality providers and specifiers he spoke to were impressed by Aqua Libra Co’s innovative designs and beautifully simple aesthetics. Aqua illi’s gorgeous matt black or chrome finish, Aqua Alto’s infinite choice of colour, and our custom bottle-branding service (which works so well with undercounter or countertop Aqua Bottlers) were all admired. Shared experiences In tandem with well-organised, structured meetings, this event also offered a more social level of networking. It was a platform for shared experiences. Craig says, “We talked about evolving consumer fashions, developing technology, and increasing opportunities for environmentally friendly solutions. And there were plenty of horror stories about the pandemic!” It seems there was no shortage of fun. “There was this fantastic magician. He performed illusions really close up to his audience, but none of us could work out how he did them. He was fascinating. There was a rather scary moment, though, when he did a trick involving my credit card!” Craig met a lot of interesting people, and he laid the foundations for some promising new business relationships. This was a superb event, and we look forward to attending future UK Platform Catering Events.

The hosts Morgan Sindall Group describe themselves as “eight complementary businesses with one unified culture […] working to create long-term, sustainable value in the built environment.” Covering multiple disciplines within the fields of construction, maintenance, and interior design, the company received an A score from CDP in their 2020 Climate Change report; and they were among the first companies in the world to gain accreditation from the World Resources Institute (WRI) by the Science-Based Targets Initiative. Morgan Sindall Group recognise and address the challenges that businesses face as they strive for sustainability – challenges such as the growing demand for action against climate change, the need to reduce waste, and the task of delivering social value. Always proactive in cultivating relationships with suppliers, the Group hosted their “Meeting the Challenge” event on Tuesday 28 September at Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire. Meeting the Challenge Aqua Libra Co were represented by our wonderful Head of Development, Kevin Winchester, our lovely Specification Manager, Craig Brownlee, our stunning signature tap, Aqua illi, and the utterly fabulous Aqua Alto. We were one of 126 exhibitors in the Market Place, surrounded by a diverse range of suppliers – some we knew; some we didn’t. “We made some great new contacts,” says Craig. “Lots of people were interested in our products, and some of them will be paying us a visit at our London showroom.” “We also gave away some of our branded bottles,” adds Kevin. (Aqua illi made no comment, and Aqua Alto continued to look utterly fabulous.) This one-day event was a fantastic networking opportunity, attended by businesses who share Morgan Sindall Group’s commitment to sustainability. This was a day for working together in response to the climate emergency. It was a day that brought home the fact that we’re all striving to enhance communities and nurture innovation. Tuesday 28 September was a day to identify market synergies. … And Aqua Alto was looking utterly fabulous!

Aqua Libra Co is working towards minimising human impact on the environment. Our products are helping to reduce the demand for single-use plastics, and our technology consumes a fraction of the energy used by kettles and refrigerators. At Aqua Libra Co, we’re committed to promoting and facilitating a refill culture. “From little ripples, mighty waves flow” This is the mantra of City to Sea, the environmental agency campaigning to prevent plastic pollution by eliminating the demand for single-use plastic products. City to Sea was established in Bristol, six years ago. The small group of passionate environmentalists, whose geographical parameters were initially restricted to Bristol, have already made a huge and far-reaching impact on public attitudes to single-use plastic. Through dedicated campaigning and gritty determination, City to Sea have become a global influencer. The Refill Revolution In 2016, Nat (City to Sea founder), Olivia, Thomas, and Gus won the Geovation Water Challenge. The team pitched their idea of an app to pinpoint and endorse free tap water refill points nationwide. With the Community Award prize of £1,000, City to Sea were able to develop the app and the campaign. This is how the scheme works. Organisations sign up as a refill station – for cold and hot drinks, take-away food, groceries, cleaning products etc. They put a sticker in the window to signal their participation, and the venue is featured on the app. Reduced packaging costs and increased turnover from the free advertising are having a positive financial impact on many of the businesses taking part in the Refill Revolution. As of June 2021, there have been approximately 300,000 app downloads, and more than 30,000 locations have joined the Refill Revolution. Single-use bottles and coffee cups In 2019, the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee reported that 2.5 billion coffee cups were being thrown away each year in the UK, and that just 0.25% of them were being recycled. Recycling, though, isn’t a solution to the problem of plastic pollution. Plastics are made of polymers that break down as they’re melted and restructured, so a certain amount of virgin material is required in every batch. Plastics take many years to decompose, and as more and more plastic is made, the net amount is rapidly increasing. Now for some good news. As a result of the Refill Campaign, an estimated 100,000,000 bottles have been prevented from entering the waste stream. And there’s more good news. A single Aqua illi or Aqua Alto tap will dispense as much as 45 litres of hot or cold drinking water per hour. That’s the equivalent of 90 500ml plastic bottles or up to 180 disposable coffee cups. For more information about how Aqua Libra Co water dispensers can contribute to a plastic-free world, call us on 0800 080 6696 or email [email protected]

Between 31 October and 12 November, the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) was held in Glasgow, Scotland, under the presidency of Alok Sharma MP. Approximately 25,000 delegates from 197 states attended the conference, which was policed by 10,000 police officers. To date, almost 200 countries have signed the Paris Agreementof 2015, a legally binding commitment to act against global warming by reducing the concentration of atmospheric greenhouse gases. The main goal is to maintain a mean global temperature of no more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. A longer-term goal is to achieve net zero – an equilibrium where anthropological emissions of greenhouse gases are negated by anthropological sequestering of greenhouse gases. Six years on from the Paris Agreement, global efforts are gaining momentum, and leaders from all over the world are raising the stakes. International efforts to halt global warming The first international step towards reversing anthropological damage to the environment was the United Nations’ 1972 Conference on the Human Environment, held in Stockholm, Sweden. The introduction to the report states, “To achieve this environmental goal will demand the acceptance of responsibility by citizens and communities and by enterprises and institutions at every level, all sharing equitably in common efforts.” Held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the Earth Summit, was the launchpad for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). A few months later, 154 nations signed the UNFCCC treaty, committing to the goal of “preventing dangerous anthropogenic interference with Earth’s climate system.” The first UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP1) took place in Berlin, Germany, in 1995, and there’s been one every year since, excluding 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. COP26 With 25,000 attendees to cater for, over a period of 13 days, hospitality was an important aspect of the planning schedule. About 95% of the food served at the conference was sourced from the UK, mostly from Scotland. The local sourcing of food was intended to promote environment-friendly food production and to put sustainability at the heart of catering for the summit. In fact, each dish was labelled with its carbon footprint score so that people could choose the most sustainable option. However, environmental groups criticised the COP26 menu for its lack of sustainability, claiming that almost 60% of the menu comprised meat- and dairy-based food. The conference covered a huge range of environmental issues, which were categorised into four key areas of action: To secure global net-zero by 2050. This will be achieved by accelerating the phase- out of coal, curtailing deforestation, speeding up the switch to electric vehicles, and encouraging investment in renewables. To adapt to protect communities and natural habitats. This will be achieved by protecting and restoring ecosystems, and by building sea defences, warning systems, and resilient infrastructure and agriculture to avoid loss of homes and To mobilise finance. To deliver the first two goals, developed countries must make good on their promise to mobilise at least $100 billion in climate finance per year by To work together to deliver. Action to tackle the climate crisis can be accelerated through collaboration between governments, businesses, and civil society. During the UNFCCC 26th Conference of Parties, some important decisions and commitments were made: Breakthrough Agenda, 2 November On 2 November, Boris Johnson laid out the Glasgow Breakthroughs. Modelled on the UK’s landmark Net Zero Strategy, the Glasgow Breakthroughs are the first set of global leader-led common targets under the Breakthrough Agenda. The five goals, which collectively cover at least 50% of global emissions are: Clean power will be the most affordable and reliable option for all countries to meet their power needs efficiently by 2030. Zero-emission vehicles will be accessible, affordable, and sustainable in all regions by Near-zero-emission steel will be the preferred choice in global markets by Affordable, renewable, and low-carbon hydrogen will be globally available by Sustainable agriculture will be the most attractive and widely adopted option for farmers everywhere by 2030. Phase out coal power, 4 November A 190-strong coalition agreed to phase out coal power and end support for new coal-power plants. Five of the world’s top 20 coal-power-using countries were among 23 nations to make new commitments to phase out coal power. The UK generates more electricity from offshore windfarms than any other country, and the UK government plans to increase offshore wind capacity four-fold by 2030. Young people, 5 November Young climate leaders joined senior figures at the conference, and Alok Sharma urged ministers to consider youth priorities in COP negotiations and national climate action. The views of more than 40,000 young environmental activists were presented to negotiators, and 23 countries made national climate-education pledges, which included putting climate at the heart of national curriculums and striving for net-zero schools. Sustainable agriculture and land use, 6 November A pledge to shift to more sustainable farming methods was made by 45 governments, and 26 countries set out new commitments to invest in the science needed for sustainable agriculture. Leaders of more than 100 countries, representing around 85% of the world’s forests, agreed to end deforestation by 2030. Germany plans to achieve a 25-million-tonne reduction in emissions from land use by 2030. The UK’s aim is to engage 75% of farmers in low-carbon practices by 2030, and to be planting 30,000 hectares of trees, per year, by 2025. Zero-emission vehicles, 10 November As one of the Glasgow Breakthroughs, 30 countries have agreed to work together to make zero-emission vehicles the new normal by 2030. This will be achieved by making zero- emission vehicles accessible, affordable, and sustainable. The UK has pledged to end the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030 and to accelerate the transition to more active and sustainable public transport by investing in rail and bus services. Several governments stated their intent to support the establishment of green shipping corridors (zero-emission shipping routes), which will involve deploying zero-emission vessel technologies and putting in place adequate charging infrastructure. COP26 Outcomes Important takeaways from COP26 include: The world’s two biggest emitters of CO2, the United States of America and China, have pledged to boost climate cooperation over the next Leaders representing more than 100 countries have promised to stop deforestation by More than 100 countries have agreed on a scheme to cut 30% of current methane emissions by 2030. Over 40 countries have committed to shift away from coal, the single biggest contributor to climate Approximately 450 financial organisations have agreed to back environmentally friendly Sustainable water-dispense technology Aqua Libra Co water dispensersconsume only a small fraction of the energy it takes to boil kettles and refrigerate drinking water, and our propriety filtration system, Aqua Pure, eliminates all limescale, ensuring full functionality and longevity. Energy saving, however, is only half the story. Through Aqua Libra Co’s community-based hydration solutions, we provide opportunities to reuse and refill, and to reduce the demand for single-use plastics. To talk to us about energy-efficient, inclusive water dispensers for workplaces, call 0800 080 6696 or email [email protected]. For a quote, please complete the online quote form.

The Craft Guild of Chefs The Craft Guild of Chefs (CGOC) is the UK’s leading professional association for chefs. More than 1,200 members, from every corner of the food and hospitality industry, are supported by CGOC throughout their careers in terms of training, employment, and business development.   CGOC presents competitions, awards, festivals, food markets, seminars, and training opportunities, pulling together the UK’s most passionate chefs and the guild’s 100-plus Business Partners.  Shared values  Two of the UK’s most prestigious cooking competitions are the CGOC’s National Chef of the Year and Young National Chef of the Year. These events put heavy emphasis on sustainability. CGOC’s Competition briefs require chefs to produce nutritious dishes based on the Knorr Future 50 Foods list.   This commitment to sustainability is perfectly aligned with Aqua Libra Co’s own values. Like many other companies, we’re striving to help the world reach Net Zero by 2050; and, like CGOC, we believe that the best way to achieve this goal is to work closely with our corporate partners.   Supporting CGOC members   CGOC members share a commitment to reshape the way the global population eats, drinks, and produces food. Water, of course, plays an important role in our diets. How drinking water is provided has a massive impact on the environment.  It’s estimated that 7.7 billion plastic water bottles are purchased every year in the UK. Approximately half of these bottles are used once and disposed of. But even those that are reused will take hundreds of years to decompose.   Aqua Libra Co has been working with companies all over Europe to eliminate the demand for single-use plastic bottles and to change the way their staff, visitors, and customers are offered water.   Aqua Alto, Aqua illi, and the Aqua Bottlers dispense highly filtered chilled, sparkling, and boiling water. Built in modular form, these units can fit into any installation, saving space without limiting dispense capacity.  We’re proud to be part of the CGOC family, and we look forward to working with many of the association’s members over the coming years.  Andrew Green: “ We are so delighted to welcome Aqua Libra as one of our newest Business Partners, their ideals match just what we are about, and the values mirror our own goals. To have a Business Partner who adds value to both us as an organisation, and to our members is something we are very proud to have. ” 

Recipe for success Ingredients: The UK’s premier magazine for commercial interiors A luxury events venue 1,400 guests from the commercial-interiors industry The UK’s very best designers and producers of commercial interiors High-profile sponsors Excellent food and drink Mix all ingredients together, and you have the annual Mixology Awards. The 2021 Mixology Awards Evolution London is a purpose-built 5500m2 events venue in the London Borough of Wandsworth. On Thursday 16 September, Evolution London was home to the celebrated annual Mixology Awards, organised and hosted by Mix Interiors, the UK’s leading publication for the commercial-interiors community. Aqua Libra Co was one of the sponsors. The Mixology Awards, launched in 2005 by Mix Interiors, are the Oscars of commercial interiors. As 1,400 beautifully turned-out guests filled the huge, glittering room, there was a warm glow of anticipation. A frisson of excitement crackled around the 140 immaculately dressed tables. Aqua Libra Co was represented by Liam Caulfield (Commercial Manager), Andrew Reeve (Sales Director), Steve Wooldridge (Head of Food Service and Hospitality), and Craig Brownlee (Specification Manager). The four shared a table with industry peers from BDG Architecture and Design, Gensler (winner of the Mixology Workplace Interiors Award 2020), and DV8 Designs (winner of the Mixology Bar and Leisure Interiors Award 2019). Hotel Interior Awards 2020 and 2021 presented by Aqua Libra Co Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was no Mixology Awards event in 2020. So, this year, there were awards for both 2020 and 2021. Craig Brownlee had the rather nerve-racking task of presenting the Hotel Interiors Awards for 2020 and 2021. Conran and Partners is an architecture and interior-design practice renown for designing contemporary living spaces with distinctive personalities. This company was the winner of the 2020 Hotel Interiors Award for their Hotel Maximilian project in Prague, Czech Republic. Conran and Partners also won the 2021 Living Interiors Award for their Luma Hammersmith hotel project. THDP, constructor of beautiful hotels that thrive in their local culture and heritage, was the winner of the 2021 Hotel Interiors Award. The award recognised their full interior design services for the refurbishment of the Terme di Saturnia Natural Destination in Tuscany, Italy. Craig says … “It was a lovely evening. The hospitality was marvellous, and it was great to catch up with old colleagues and friends from the water-dispense industry. After the awards ceremony, there was music, and most people got up and danced. I did! I’d been quite nervous, earlier on, about presenting the Hotel Interior Awards, and I’d been careful to drink very little. Having presented the awards – which was an incredible honour – I indulged in a few glasses of wine and really let my hair down.” [Editor’s note: no sniggering, please.] “One of the many highlights of the evening was the extremely entertaining Radio 6 DJ, Huey Morgan, from Fun Lovin’ Criminals. He was great.” Aqua Libra Co taps TTSP is an architecture and design practice that creates high-performance environments and thriving workplaces. For their work on the SAP London office, TTSP won the 2021 Workplace Interiors Award (15-30k sq ft (1394-2787m2)). Craig, Steve, Andy, and Liam were proud of this award, as the SAP London office includes Aqua Libra Co water systems. Contact us To talk to us about energy-efficient water dispensers, including the gesture-controlled Aqua Touchless, call 0800 080 6696 or email [email protected]. For a quote, please complete the online quote form.

Introducing Aqua Libra Co Known for world-class service and innovative, energy-efficient products, The Boiling Tap Company has become a dynamic and trusted presence in the water-dispense industry. Acquired by Britvic Plc in June 2020 as part of their progressive sustainability programme, we now have greater opportunity to work together with other organisations that share the same commitment to a sustainable future. We continue to deliver the same high standards, and we continue to support the principles of a circular economy. Only one thing has changed. Our name. And in line with this fresh brand identity, our products, too, have new names. Aqua Libra: healthy hydration for physical and mental balance “Aqua”, of course, is the Latin word for water. Aqua is in our company name and in our product names. For us, water is a passion. “Libra”, also Latin, means balance. More than half the human body is water; without water, we can’t survive. To maintain a healthy balance in all physiological functions, we must keep hydrated. Aqua illi: our company’s pearl Aqua illi, previously known as the illimani tap, is Aqua Libra Co’s flagship product. Built in modular form, this undercounter unit fits into a 600mm by 600mm cupboard space. Aqua illi, available in satin black or chrome, will dispense chilled, sparkling, and boiling water – all from one single tap. Aqua illi is named after the magnificent Illimani mountain in Bolivia, South America. At 6,438 metres above sea level, Mount Illimani is the highest mountain in the Cordillera Real, part of the Andes mountain range. The first recorded ascent of Illimani’s peak was achieved by British mountaineer, William Martin Conway (1856-1937), in 1898. Mount Illimani is a cherished landmark for the Bolivian cities of La Paz, founded in 1548, and El Alto, Bolivia’s second-largest city, which developed during the 20th century and was formally incorporated in 1994. There are many folk songs about Illimani. One of the most famous goes something like this: Illimani, Illimani, you are the sentinel of La Paz!Illimani, Illimani, you are Bolivia’s Andean pearl! Aqua Alto: the height of economy, functionality, and style Aqua Alto is the new name for the TaoZen tap. These elegant, swan-like taps are usually installed as a trio, each tap dispensing one kind of water – chilled, boiling, or sparkling – and all fed by one undercounter unit. You might choose to have one of each; or three chilled; or two chilled and one boiling; or two chilled and one sparkling … the choice is yours. And the colour? Any colour you like. Aqua Alto’s namesake is Mount Alto San Juan, an Andean mountain that borders Argentina and Chile. Aptly named (Alto is Spanish for “high”), Alto San Juan stands at 6,148 metres above sea level – more than 2,000 metres higher than the average Andean peak – and is a popular challenge for mountaineers. The first ascent of Alto San Juan was by four German climbers in February 1944. Aqua Bottler: refill, reuse, reduce A major part of our commitment to sustainability is the elimination of one-use plastic, and our cost-effective, energy-efficient products provide practical, attractive alternatives to packaged drinks. But there are times when bottled water is called for. That’s where the Aqua Bottler – Undercounter or Countertop – comes in. The Aqua Bottler, previously called the TaoHydration Station, is designed to dispense high volumes of pure, chilled drinking water – still or sparkling. This unit is ideal for environments where people are on the move, when bottled water is the most convenient option. In providing the means to refill, our clients are promoting a recycling culture and contributing to a reduction in one-use plastic. The Aqua Bottler is also great for table water in meeting rooms and restaurants. For an added touch of luxury, we provide a bottle-branding service. Stylish glass bottles imprinted with your company logo will make a lasting impression on your guests. Aqua Boil: 200 hot drinks per hour We’re the only company in the industry to purify water before boiling. That’s why this wall-hung water boiler remains free from limescale. Capable of dispensing 200 cups of near-boiling water per hour, Aqua Boil is simple to use, with a timer and a touch-button LCD display screen. With features such as staged heating, leak protection, and a sleep-mode setting, Aqua Boil (previously TaoBoil) is extremely energy efficient. Aqua Touchless: helps keep your team COVID-safe Help prevent the spread of COVID-19 with Aqua Touchless (the new name for Touchless Dispense). Aqua Libra Co’s gesture-controlled technology allows users to interact with the Aqua illi or Aqua Alto tap without touching shared surfaces. Smart reporting helps you to monitor your sustainability performance. Aqua Pure: for zero limescale Aqua Libra Co’s own Aqua Pure system (the renamed TaoPure) ensures that all chilled and sparkling drinking water is filtered to an exceptionally high standard. Boiling water is 100% purified, keeping our products totally free from limescale. Aqua Libra Co is the only company in the industry to provide water with this level of purity. Aqua Link: the world’s best centralised water distribution system Aqua Link (the new name for TaoLink) is a centralised water distribution system, proven to be up to 45% more cost effective and 55% more energy efficient than individual water-dispense units. Aqua Link’s smart control unit is installed in a plantroom environment, where water is filtered and purified before being fed to any number of hydration outlets within a building. Because water is filtered at source, the whole system is kept totally free from limescale. Contact Aqua Libra Co To talk to us about our products and services, or to discuss your project with us, give us a call on 0800 080 6696 or get in touch via our contact form. We look forward to hearing from you.

Hydration in Colour through biological and cultural influences, we've built psychological relationships with colours. Designers and homeowners alike use different colours to give different moods throughout certain rooms and interior spaces. In this article we look at the way certain colours affect our lives. 

Aqua Libra Co's Flavour Tap, the UK's first pure water and flavoured digital dispense tap, was nominated as a finalist for the Mixology Product of the Year Award. 

Aqua Libra will join the Blue Earth Summit next month as their headline partner.

As we sail into 2023, we look back on some of the company's highlights from 2022. And what a year it was! 

Aqua Libra launced Waste Shark in Canary Wharf to collect and remove plastic waste from the waterways around the area. 

Litter picking is an effective way to reduce the amount of waste in our environment, and at Aqua Libra we are proud to be at the forefront of environmental initiatives.