Ramp up the pressure with cold water booster sets
With the nation facing the monumental task of bridging the gap between demand and supply for water, cold water pressure booster sets are becoming more important in both retrofit and newbuild developments. Jason Cox, Sales Director – Building Services at Wilo UK, outlines how smart water pumps could be the immediate fix to an emerging concern.
The fight for water supply is becoming an increasingly tough battle to win. It’s currently estimated that by 2050, demand for water will outweigh supply by almost five billion litres per day, which is more than a third of the 14 billion litres currently put into public supply.
Once required only for high-rise buildings, cold water pressure boosters are now essential in a variety of properties, both new and existing, that are unable to yield sufficient pressure. But why?
The reasons for insufficient pressure
It’s impossible to lay the blame on a singular factor. With developments cropping up in the nation’s busiest cities, the lack of available supply often results in a pressure reduction to Ofwat’s minimum stipulation of 0.7 bar.
The reality, however, is that certain outlets in high-rise buildings, and even those with two- or three-storeys, won’t even receive this, depending on their geographical position. The issue of outdated, failing water infrastructure in some areas of the country only exacerbates the challenge.
Many homes in London, for example, are served by old water infrastructure that provides a limited flow due to small-diameter pipes. What’s more, some water companies have been forced to reduce the water mains pressure simply to protect pipes from bursting. The culprit? Plastic pipes, which were fitted in the late 1970s and early 1980s, failing decades earlier than they were designed for.
It’s safe to say that neither of these issues can be solved with a quick fix, meaning an alternative solution is required for the building service engineers tasked with boosting pressure effectively and affordably. Cold water booster sets could be just that, delivering constant pressure at every extraction point throughout a building.
Smart, sustainable solutions
Besides this, the building industry is also facing the challenge of creating sustainable solutions against the nationwide focus on driving toward Net Zero. Hence, before specifying any solution, performing on-site energy reports can help relevant parties understand the importance of installing or retrofitting the latest pressure-boosting technology.
Energy reports are a sure-fire way of demonstrating the potential energy, carbon, and cost savings available from a suggested upgrade. Wilo offers this service as part of an end-to-end solution, plus an estimated payback period, so customers know when to expect these savings to come to fruition.
Product selection support is just as important to ensuring the long-term success and reliability of an upgrade. Specifiers and building service engineers who may require assistance with the selection, supply, and commissioning of pump equipment for their projects are encouraged to utilise the help made available by manufacturers like Wilo.
Specifying booster sets
When it’s time to replace existing boosters, selecting a smaller motor that can supply that same demand for water pressure will go a long way towards improving energy efficiency. For instance, replacing older, less efficient equipment with booster sets that feature IE5 motors can provide invaluable carbon and energy savings.
Wilo’s SiBoost 2.0 Smart Helix VE is the manufacturer’s most recent booster set for commercial applications. The heavy-duty system ensures efficient operation while being easy to use. This, in part, is made possible by its smart LCD, which is designed to make installation a simple task. Post-installation, the system notifies end-users of any issues, such as insufficient pressure, before they worsen.
Progress in practice
From schools and hotels to hospitals, insufficient water pressure is undeniably a nationwide issue pushing organisations across the country to act. A popular student residence in southwest England is just one example, as the building’s operators initially reached out to Wilo for an on-site energy report.
It was discovered that the building owners could save over £6,000 and more than 46,000kWh a year through efficient, straightforward improvements to the property’s booster set. It was also determined that an upgrade to Wilo’s SiBoost Smart Helix VE would pay for itself in just over three years, all while producing carbon savings of over 10,000kg per year.
This shows the hidden potential for savings that most owners or operators have within touching distance. A simple task like replacing outdated booster sets can make a significant difference, all while adding peace of mind to a building’s residents that their tap won’t be reduced to a trickle anytime soon.
Under pressure? Not anymore
To combat the issue of insufficient water pressure, the industry’s solution providers, like Wilo, guarantee an end-to-end service to ensure that suitable boosters are selected, commissioned, and, post-installation, serviced correctly, so that they perform at their best for years to come. Wilo has worked with the country’s largest housing associations, hospitals, and accommodation providers to gain the necessary experience required to help any business overcome what may be a unique water pressure issue.
Wilo can also select, build, and deliver a booster set within three to five working days, meaning that it won’t be long before tenants are once again receiving sufficient pressure and building owners are making long-term energy savings.
