Across the globe, water supplies are becoming increasingly scarce and potable water has become a precious resource. We are all therefore encouraged to consider cutting down on water consumption and of recycling wherever we can, for example by harvesting rainwater. However, on a domestic scale, such systems have been quite large, overly costly and often incorrectly sized for their application. Until the arrival of the e-cube, that is.
- View e-cube literature
- Contact your local Burdens depot for more details
Launched at the 2011 Big Green Home Show, the e-cube modular composite rainwater harvesting unit will enable you to contribute to the wise management of water by wasting less treated water every time you wash your car, flush the loo or water your garden. As water metering becomes more prevalent in Europe, using free rainwater in this way is a simple cost-saving solution available to all by taking filtered rainwater from the roof and housing in a holding tank until required.
With a choice of three sizes – 1000, 1500 and 2000 litres – the e-cube is either supplied in panels for assembly on site or fully assembled ready for positioning and installation. The size is determined by the size and needs of the home. Specify the smallest e-cube and you only need to dig a small hole, so pay less for installation and disposal of dug material.
The cube is available in two forms: as a pressurised system and a gravity-fed system. With the pressurised system, stored rainwater is pumped at normal pressure from the holding tank direct to the services. A mains connection fitted to the holding tank acts as a substitute when rainwater is depleted. The mains back-up is configured to ensure that the absolute minimum of mains water is used. This system omits the requirement of an elevated header tank and is a suitable option where space is restricted for an elevated tank.
With the gravity system, stored rainwater is pumped at normal pressure directly from the holding tank to an elevated header tank or attic tank, from where the services are fed by gravity. The header tank is fitted with control devices to switch to mains water if required. The gravity system is a superior solution if an uninterrupted supply of water is required. The controls within the header tank are not electrically dependent and therefore are operational during a power cut, unlike many other systems on the market.
The reduction of mains water consumption is virtually obligatory in all new construction and hence rainwater harvesting helps meet new government consumption limits. According to Part G Building Regulations in April 2010 “if you are building a new home, you must ensure that it will have a predicted water consumption of less than 125 litres per person per day”. Water consumption inside the home is one of the compulsory aspects of the Code for Sustainable Homes to achieve minimum standards at levels 1–6, although this is under constant revision.
Contact your local Burdens depot for details.
