Smart device reducing water and energy wastage- CombiSmart – SWIG 2013 Winner

Dec. 3, 2013 - PRLog -- SWIG was conceived in 2008 by a group who came together with the idea of applying 'whole system thinking' to sustainable water management; pulling together several strands to give a better and more sustainable result.

Participants include manufacturers, installers, professionals, consultants, designers, academics and others from across industry. This year there were six different categories: Domestic Building, Non-Domestic Building, Communication, Open Spaces & Agriculture, International and Product, being decided by a panel of Industry experts. Awards are given for extraordinary projects combining, the practical with the imaginative to deliver projects promoting sustainable water use.

In the product category there was a shortlist of 4 finalists:

Hand on Car Wash
Eco Washout Tub
RBKc - SuDS Tool Project
Save Water Save Money Ltd – CombiSmart

The Judges said there was ‘one clear overall winner’ CombiSmart. The Judges were impressed with the submission; in particular they highlighted the thorough approach Save Water Save Money Ltd had taken in bringing CombiSmart to market.

What the Judges highlighted:

Getting WRAS approval
Creating an installer proposition for household which allowed other water saving devices to be fitted at the same time, educating households about sustainability and the need for water efficiency
Working with Water Companies and Housing Associations to bring this product to a wide audience (through the Sustainable Communities Partnership)

More about CombiSmart:

The patented CombiSmart is a clever new eco product that works by holding back the hot water to a lower flow rate c.3 litres per minute while the water is heated to the right temperature, delivering hot water quicker without the waste. In doing this, it is able to dramatically reduce water and energy wastage, and utility bills, cushioning householders from rising fuel prices

CombiSmart can be retrofitted to most combination boilers either at install of a new boiler or to an existing boiler in situ – Save Water Save Money Ltd has developed a simple online search facility to check boiler suitability prior to installation. The product is an inline device, so it can be easily fitted within no more than 15 minutes without adjusting existing pipework. CombiSmart is available to trade buyers, Housing Associations and Councils through the Sustainable Communities Partnership (SCP).

Tests by independent consultancy Enertek International (Hull) indicate the following savings when installing CombiSmart:

7.63 litres and 0.1683kWh saved every time the boiler is fired up from cold
Up to 32,000 litres and 727 kWh saved every year
This is the equivalent of £32.64 saving in gas and £83.62 saving in water, a total of £116.26 every year
And a saving of around 159KgCO2 every year.

Andrew Eagles, Managing Director, Sustainable Homes says:“If you have a combi-boiler you wait for the water to heat up. All that time as the water heats up, water is being wasted down the sink. Residents throughout the UK are suffering from rising water and energy bills. Practical and useful devices such as this are welcome to reduce those costs to residents. It is good to see the benefits of CombiSmart being recognised by the industry.This is a great award for a super product.”

Andrew Tucker, Water Strategy Manager at the Energy Saving Trust says: “We are pleased that the CombiSmart has been recognised for its water and energy efficiency by winning the SWIG (Sustainable Water Industry Group) award. One of the best ways that households can reduce their energy bills is through saving on hot water, so always welcome products like CombiSmart that help households achieve these savings.”

For further information, please see www.combismart.co.uk

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