Saving water in public buildings thanks to the right faucets

As long as we have been footing the bill for our own water consumption, we have been aware of the need to conserve water. By now, there is an awareness in every household that we need to use our drinking water responsibly. Logical, since only 3% of the water present in the world is actually drinkable.

The water consumption in public buildings is very different. We pass by and have no idea how much water is consumed in total, by everyone. Any defects and leaks in the water system are less likely to be detected there, resulting in waste. As much as 40% of the water used simply flows away. Fortunately, there are now sustainable solutions to this. The French brand Delabie is at the forefront of professional water conservation.

An ecological approach
Delabie participates in an ecological approach to buildings according to the environmental labels HQE, BREEAM, LEED, DGNB, et cetera. By optimizing the flow rate and interrupting and controlling the running time of taps, water and energy consumption can be reduced. Delabie has developed self-closing mechanical and electronic faucets especially for utilities, which far exceed the performance described as the highest standard in labels such as WELL, WEPLS, EU Ecolabel, European Water Label, and so on. These labels particularly describe domestic use. With Delabie's faucets, however, utilities also achieve the very best results when it comes to these labels.

Deutsches Haus in Hô-Chi-Minh-City (Image: Tom Jansen).

Three pillars for saving water
Achieving water conservation in public areas rests on three pillars. These are: limited flow, intermittent use and guaranteed automatic self-closing. For maximum control over water consumption, Delabie supplies faucets with limited flow rates of up to 1.5 liters per minute for the sink and 6 liters per minute for the shower. This provides Delabie faucets with the lowest flow rates in the world. Wastage and user negligence are negated by interruption of the water jet and automatic closure. Sink faucets close automatically after 7 seconds. The 3-second urinal flush and the "mass mode" on the electronic urinal faucets are good examples of water volume optimization.

Delabie is always close by!
Delabie has been active in the Netherlands since 2009. Starting with one man, Ton van Dorst, over the years Delabie in the Netherlands has grown into a strong team of 5. Standing up to established values in times of economic crisis was not always easy. Today, however, Delabie notices that the Dutch market has an ear for a strong brand with expertise. At the end of 2018, Delabie decided to further strengthen this team. Ton van Dorst, Carl van Wietmarschen and Frank Laumen warmly welcomed their new colleagues Vincent van Wijck and Michiel van Bree. With this, Delabie is always nearby, for the right advice and the best products. 

The team at Delabie is at your service. From left to right: Frank Desmet, Michiel van Bree, Carl van Wietmarschen, Frank Laumen, Ton van Dorst, Michiel van Wijck and Bart Defraeije.

In the spotlight: Deutsches Haus in Hô-Chi-Minh-City
The new "Trends by Delabie" magazine reports on the new building of the German consulate in Hô-Chi-Minh-City, in Vietnam. This building is a paragon of sustainability and was awarded a LEED Platinum certificate, as well as a DNBG Gold certificate for High Quality Environmental Standard. Partly thanks to the use of Delabie cranes, these certificates could be achieved, thanks to the enormous water savings. Something Delabie can rightly be proud of.