Everything you need to know about education washrooms that prioritise functionality, durability and sustainability 04 | 2026 Key development areas within the education design and build sector INSIGHT In association with
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3 INSIGHT | Welcome to INSIGHT, the education design & build washroom special report. The education sector covers a wide range of buildings, covering different purposes, abilities and facilities. It is therefore essential when specifying washrooms for education facilities to consider provision for all, whilst considering environmental standards, durability and resistance to vandalism. Education washrooms must be able to withstand the footfall and wear-and-tear associated with the daily functions of an educational building. Through our thorough product development approach that prioritises functionality, durability and sustainability, DELABIE-DVS solutions are ideal for specification in all types of education facilities. In this issue, we aim to provide you with everything you need to know. INTRODUCTION INSIGHT Editor: Andrew Pring Design: Gemma England Sales: sales@stable-media.co.uk Sarah Hennessy Head of Marketing & Communications UK at DELABIE-DVS from education design & build magazine (edb) Stable Publishing Limited SBC House, Restmor Way, Wallington SM6 7AH T. 020 8288 1080 www.stable-media.co.uk In association with
| INSIGHT 4 Birkbeck, University of London
no. of urinals saving /week saving across estate/week per year (x52) £ 50 12.97 648.5 33,722 m3 50 5.205 260.25 13,533 A recent trial to reduce water consumption - following the installation of DELABIE-DVS’ TEMPOMATIC 4 intelligent urinal control plate - demonstrated 99% in water cost savings at Birkbeck, University of London, and is set to transform not only how men’s urinals are managed going forward but also, men’s and female toilets across the estate. Birkbeck’s Building Services Manager, Spensa Wheeler, is responsible for technical services contracts and facilities. Constantly striving for improved sustainability and savings, he doesn’t hold back when he declares: “It’s fair to say the results have been outstanding and exceeded our expectations.” Birkbeck is a large estate of 18 separate buildings in central London, including a mix of Grade 2 listed town houses and eightstorey 20,000sqft more modern buildings, where much of the learning is delivered during the evening, with its premises used during the day on a commercial basis. Fluctuations in attendance means there’s always a requirement to have buildings ready for an influx and full occupancy. Gaining control Spensa says it was during the pandemic that things came to a head: “We became even more conscious of our water usage and in particular the urinals’ near constant water flow, although functioning with no occupancy for extended periods. There would always be a trickle and then an automatic flush and we had no control systems to manage this. So, we started a conversation with DELABIE-DVS to gain greater control over water usage in our urinals and investigate the potential for significant savings.” Outstanding results For one week’s test normal water consumption was 10.5 m³. After installation of DELABIE-DVS’ TEMPOMATIC 4 urinal flush valve it was 0.102 m³ - a 99% water saving, which represents a saving of £25.93 per week for just two urinal installations (based on 154.15p for water and 94.88p for wastewater Thames Water 2022 pricing). Spensa continues: “The results were significantly better than we imagined. We were saving an eye-watering amount of water and when we look at potentially rolling TEMPOMATIC 4 across 18 buildings, that’s probably millions of litres of water in a year, which translates to several thousands of pounds worth of cost savings in water consumption alone, as can be seen here in this calculation: Spensa Wheeler and Alex Wishart from the technical services team sought greater control over water usage 5 INSIGHT | DELABIE-DVS set to deliver £30k+ annual cost savings at Birkbeck, University of London
“These figures just reflect the water savings. In addition, we know there will be a reduction in on-going maintenance costs. We don’t expect to be having to react to leaks etc. Installation and maintenance are low. Plus, with a system that has no manual intervention it’s also more hygienic for users too. “In terms of payback, we are looking at 10 months for these two installations to have paid for themselves. Each system cost just a few hundred pounds to purchase, and we used our in-house labour. This means TEMPOMATIC 4 is a really viable option. Our business case is going to the business panel with a recommendation to roll out installation across all 18 buildings, with a payback period of just six months, and a potential saving of over £30k per year. The trial has more than convinced us to progress with this, coupled with the ongoing support DELABIE-DVS has provided throughout.” The TEMPOMATIC 4 - intelligent rinsing The TEMPOMATIC 4 urinal control plate is an intelligent urinal valve that detects highfrequency periods and no activity, adapting its rinse accordingly. During peak periods, only the urinal bowl is rinsed between two users. At the end of the busy period, an additional rinse takes place to clean the bowl completely and renew the water in the trap. The TEMPOMATIC 4 urinal valve offers three programmes according to the urinal type, each with an optional hygienic duty flush. The duty flush can be programmed to take place every 12 to 24 hours after the last use to flush the pipework and prevent the crystallisation of uric acid, water stagnation and back flow due to system vacuums. The trial Birkbeck chose to retro fit and trial the TEMPOMATIC 4 urinal plate in two locations in one building. One was in the Men’s toilets on the 5th floor, where there was a higher Rolling out TEMPOMATIC 4 urinal valves across the estate will deliver a potential saving of over £30k per year | INSIGHT 6
use facility with access to the library and from staff, and the second was in a much smaller footfall area. Birkbeck measured the output during a normal term-time/ working week, taking metre readings to quantify the results. Full roll-out – more savings “We are very pleased,” reaffirmed Spensa. “This one product will deliver significant savings, and it looks nice and is easy to install – I can’t find a downside to the system. The range comes in multiple streamlined finishes that work well in all our buildings and with multiple colour schemes. All maintenance is accessible from the front. All in all, we would recommend the product. I’m a member of the Association of University Engineers and I will be sharing the positive results we have achieved within that forum, as well as endorsing a roll out across our multiple sites. “We will also be looking forward to other DELABIE-DVS systems that can bring us further benefits and savings, which will include direct flush for all facilities. We are keen on minimising water storage and all that goes with that, including minimising the legionella risks. We are currently amid a survey of all our assets with a view to plan some big revisions and bring both environmental benefits and cost savings to Birkbeck.” A meter installed on the original installation allowed for a pre- and post-installation comparison TEMPOMATIC 4 urinal valve features intelligent rinsing to adapt to usage patterns and save water 7 INSIGHT |
Wellington College, one of the UK’s leading co-educational boarding and day schools, aims to achieve Net Zero by 2050. As part of this mission, they have turned to DELABIEDVS’ products, due to the exceptional water savings offered, as well as the significant reduction in maintenance. Kevin Proud, Senior Mechanical Engineer at Wellington College, who is responsible for the introduction of DELABIE-DVS products on site, explains: “Our journey to direct flushing toilets began in 2019, when we introduced direct flushing urinals here at the college. For A significant reduction in maintenance and exceptional water savings delivered by DELABIE-DVS solutions Wellington College Wellington College aims to achieve Net Zero by 2050 | INSIGHT 8
years, we were experiencing high volumes of maintenance to our cistern-fed urinals on site.” Issues that the college was encountering included leaks caused by pin-holed pipes in the copper pipework which fed the electronic solenoid; too much water feeding into the cistern, resulting in excess flushing; too little water feeding into the cistern, resulting in blockages; and, even with regular operation, blockages would still occur. At the same time as the trial for the direct flush urinals, Kevin trialled the TEMPOMATIC 4 taps. “We wanted to try something that looked smart and was not a standard time flow tap. The feature that we liked about the TEMPOMATIC 4 was the flow rate adjustment - no more spraying water everywhere! Therefore, water was being saved.” The main benefit was the lack of contact between the user and the tap itself, which proved its worth significantly during the period of COVID-19. Another consideration, especially during the school holidays periods, was the inclusion of a duty flush, meaning that the water was still circulating, even in the students’ absence. He adds: “The majority of our communal bathrooms are now fitted with TEMPOMATIC 4 taps.” In 2023, Kevin decided to trial direct flush for WCs, installing two DELABIEDVS TEMPOFLUX 1 WC flush valves in DELABIE-DVS' electronic urinal valves offer an intelligent adaptive flush, reducing water usage DELABIE-DVS' black range of products pair well with a natural wood finish 9 INSIGHT |
one of the boys’ boarding houses. As was the case for the urinals, the primary issue was maintenance. Problems to be tackled included limescale build-up leading to excess filling of the cistern and flooding; cisterns being slow to fill, also leading to blockages and water wastage; and leaking cisterns, which went undetected due to their installation behind IPS panels. Also to be addressed were leaks caused by hairline cracks in the cisterns; flush valves working themselves loose; and leaks from the flush pipe where it entered the WC. “Trialling the two direct flush mechanism, we immediately had a significant reduction in blocked WCs,” says Kevin. The flush valves were a huge success, resulting in a rollout across the site with a current total of 35 toilets fitted with the TEMPOFLUX 1 valves. “As yet, we have not experienced any leaks or any maintenance work to these valves.” The primary consideration in this rollout was the significant reduction in maintenance call outs for localised blockages, leaks and faulty flush valves, all of which contribute to water wastage. This has resulted in reduced maintenance costs, as well as a reduction in water use for clearing blockages. A further consideration was the tendency of children to press either button on a previous dual control flush valve, meaning that, often, insufficient water was deployed from the cistern to clear the pan. With the simplicity of the single-touch TEMPOFLUX 1 control plate, a full flush is ensured every time, which also helps reduce the risk of blockages. The design of the washrooms was a key consideration during the specification of products. John Staunton, Regional Sales Manager – South for DELABIE-DVS, assisted the college in their specification, explaining that “a product which is aesthetically pleasing, yet suited to intensive use can sometimes be difficult to find, especially in combination with a wish to save water and reduce maintenance. Within the DELABIE range, we have product offerings for a variety of aesthetic choices, whilst consistently delivering on durability and water savings.” In the case of Wellington College, Kevin combined the high-quality finishes of the DELABIE-DVS products with natural wood features, providing a premium aesthetic. Accessibility has also been a consideration | INSIGHT 10
in Kevin’s installations across the school. Where traditionally a long-handled DOC-M WC flush would be required, he took the route of electronic controls. In the accessible bathrooms, TEMPOMATIC electronic control plates have been installed, allowing for ease of use, a sleeker finish and more standardised design across all of the facilities. These electronic control plates activate a duty flush every 24 hours from the last use, preventing stagnation during periods of low user activity, which is especially important in accessible bathrooms, as well as in school holidays. Building on this success, Wellington College specified DELABIE-DVS’ BeLine® grab bars for their latest washroom refurbishment. Offering a low-profile, inclusive design with an ergonomic flat front to improve grip, the Be-Line range is exceptional in its ability to provide a design-for-all approach, whilst considering the needs of all students within the school. No maintenance work has been required since the installation of the TEMPOFLUX 1 flush valves 11 INSIGHT |
Find out more at delabie.co.uk TEMPOMIX 3 Mechanical time flow washbasin mixer COMMITMENT Water and energy savings, environmentally friendly design, compliance with regulations… DELABIE-DVS, experts in water controls and sanitary ware for Public and Commercial Places, offer expertise and high-performance solutions which meet and exceed the most demanding environmental standards. Choose sustainable, responsible design! from the source WARRANTY YEAR REPAIRABILITY YEARS
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