Vacuum technology sets the pace for low-carbon buildings with Vac toilets that deliver tangible Triple Bottom Line benefits: installation savings, building performance, flexible floor plans and competitive ROI compared to Gravity flush. Retrofitting is straight forward. For real performance, change the black waste network to Vac toilets

1. Cloudfarms Consulting ©
e cloudfarms@gmail.com
Sydney, Australia – September 2015
The Case for Vacuum Toilet Systems in
Multi-storey Buildings
WTorre
São
Paulo,
a
30-­‐storey
office
block:
Rua
Funchal,
418
Vila
Olimpia,
São
Paulo,
Brazil
–
completed
December
2007

2. Cloudfarms Consulting ©
e cloudfarms@gmail.com
Sydney, Australia – September 2015
The Case for Vacuum Toilet Systems in Multi-storey Buildings
It
is
important
for
architects
and
engineers
to
use
ESD
Solutions
that
contribute
significantly
to
the
ROI
for
clients,
while
improving
or
solving
existing
problems.
The
water/energy
relationship
is
interdependent:
water
and
energy
use
in
buildings
is
considered
an
urgent
issue
for
ESD
solutions.
The
magnitude
of
water
demand
by
Gravity
toilet
flushing
in
buildings
is
substantial
and
accounts
for
over
40%
of
all
indoor
water
use.
Water
must
also
be
pumped
continually
to
be
available
on
all
levels.
Therefore,
reducing
the
amount
of
water
with
Vacuum
toilets
is
a
key
consideration
for
efficient
buildings.
The
water
demand
problem
is
not
solved
with
low-­‐flush
toilets:
reduced
water
flows
exacerbate
network
issues.
This
applies
in
particular
to
sites
with
high
numbers
of
occupants,
and
future
increases
in
infrastructure
charges
are
likely.
Vacuum
toilets
are
an
advanced
ESD
solution
for
buildings,
now
operating
successfully
at
Melbourne
Water
Head
Office.
Potable
water
use
has
been
reduced
by
an
enormous
95%,
with
Vacuum
toilets
using
around
0.8
Litre/flush.
The
low
embodied
energy
of
the
system
further
reduces
costs,
contributing
significantly
to
the
ROI.
Installation
cost-­‐savings
are
30%
less
compared
to
Gravity
flush,
with
fewer
components,
less
time
and
labour.
Although
relatively
new
in
Australia,
Vacuum
Toilet
systems
have
been
in
operation
successfully
in
multi-­‐storey
buildings
internationally
for
a
number
of
decades.
Examples
such
as
Uninove
University
in
São
Paulo,
Brazil
are
evidence
of
impressive
ROI
and
a
highly
efficient
method
of
dealing
with
black
waste
when
compared
to
traditional
Gravity
flush
toilets.
The
example
below
is
Melbourne
Water
Head
Office,
purpose
built
with
Vacuum
toilets
for
1,200
daily
occupants,
in
successful
operation
since
2013.
The
base
building
greenhouse
gas
emissions
are
45
kgCO2/m2
per
annum.
NABERS
Energy
rating
of
5.5
–
Expiry
June
2016
Waters
rating
of
6.0
–
Expiry
June
2016
The Case for Vacuum Toilet Systems in Multi-storey Buildings

3. Cloudfarms Consulting ©
e cloudfarms@gmail.com
Sydney, Australia – September 2015
Melbourne
Water
Head
Office
–
Vacuum
Toilets
990
La
Trobe
Street,
Docklands,
Melbourne,
completed
end
2013
Vacuum
Station
installation,
Melbourne
Water
Head
Office:
1,200
occupants
The Case for Vacuum Toilet Systems in Multi-storey Buildings

4. Cloudfarms Consulting ©
e cloudfarms@gmail.com
Sydney, Australia – September 2015
With
a
30%
saving
on
installation
costs
and
impressive
ROI,
examples
such
as
Uninove
University
in
São
Paulo,
Brazil,
are
evidence
of
this
highly
efficient
system
for
dealing
with
black
waste
compared
to
traditional
Gravity
Flush
Toilets.
A
further
example,
the
WTorre
30-­‐storey
office
block
in
São
Paulo,
Brazil,
with
the
Jets
Vacuum
toilet
system
installed,
paid
for
itself
in
5
years.
Analysis
of
Vacuum
toilets
over
a
25-­‐year
Life
Cycle
reveals
real
advantages
over
Gravity
Flush
Toilets,
such
as
less
Capital
and
Operational
expenditure,
Energy
and
Water
use,
Maintenance
and
Repair.
It
is
worth
noting
that:
•
Energy
cost
for
Gravity
Flush
Toilets
is
3
times
higher
compared
to
Vacuum
toilets
over
a
25-­‐year
period.
•
For
Gravity
Flush
Toilets,
Operational
costs
including
maintenance
and
repairs,
are
double
compared
to
Vacuum
toilets.
•
Ongoing
cost
of
Embodied
Energy
is
nearly
6
times
more
for
Gravity
Flush
compared
to
Vacuum
toilets.
A
market
assessment
of
economic,
technological,
environmental
and
sociological
benefits
of
Vacuum
Toilets
in
multi-­‐storey
buildings
reveals
how
this
advanced
ESD
solution
delivers
tangible
Triple
Bottom
Line
benefits.
The
real
cost
of
Gravity
flush
is
much
higher
than
currently
believed.
Vacuum
Toilets
are
also
suitable
for
residential
buildings.
Retrofitting
existing
buildings
is
straight-­‐forward.
The
uptake
of
Vacuum
Toilet
technology
in
new
multi-­‐storey
buildings
will
meet
primary
business
objectives
of
cost
saving,
gaining
competitive
advantages
with
ongoing
environmental
performance.
Therefore
a
project
feasibility
of
Vacuum
toilets
is
an
imperative.
Please
contact
Marion
de
Courçay
at
Cloudfarms Consulting
for
project
evaluations
and
to
access
the
full
business
case.