How smart water solutions can safeguard our buildings’ future

Extreme weather, flooding and environmental concerns are challenges which are becoming more pressing each year. Kevin Devine, from Xylem Water Solutions UK & Ireland, explains here how the latest water tech developments can prepare our buildings for whatever the future holds.

Here in Ireland, five extreme weather events were recorded during 2021 due to the escalating climate crisis, according to the World Meteorological Organisation, which warned that four key climate change records were broken that year1. In order to cope with these extraordinary conditions, scientists have advised that our country’s infrastructure, buildings, supply routes, public services, health system and work practices all need to be adapted.

There is a growing need for our buildings to rise to the challenge and protect both lives and livelihoods as events from heatwaves to flash flooding become more frequent … and their impacts more costly.

So, how can we future-proof buildings, including public amenities like hospitals and care homes, to prioritise the safety of our most vulnerable, in readiness for the capacity needed in years to come?

Smart steps to boost reliability

Technology is helping to drive prioritisation of safety in building systems of all scales, to protect both occupants and structures. A range of smart measures can create the most effective and reliable buildings, from improving management of wastewater and stormwater to boosting the safety of drinking water.

The benefits are wide-ranging in terms of cost and precious resources: intelligent equipment capable of sensing environmental conditions to adjust its operation accordingly can bring energy savings of up to 70%, while advanced data analytics enable pre-emptive optimisation that allows systems to use water and energy in the most effective way.

Tackling the challenge of flooding Pumping systems for managing waste, stormwater and drainage to prevent flooding can be tailored for each individual facility, allowing for a future-roofed design to meet both current and predicted demands with consistently reliable performance.

Easy installation and serviceability are essential for any environment where downtime is not an option. The latest intelligent equipment is capable of sensing the operating conditions of its environment, adapting its performance in real time and providing feedback. In addition, self-cleaning technology can bring peace of mind while reducing operational costs by saving energy.

More efficient handling of wastewater

For any public building, handling wastewater safely and efficiently is a critical factor, particularly where added hazards may come from a medical environment such as a hospital site. Intelligent equipment can manage solids, fat, paper and other objects thanks to its innovative self-cleaning impeller that can lower energy use and reduce unplanned service callouts to avoid interruptions in service.

Protecting precious water supply

The latest developments in UV and ozone treatment have a growing role to play in tackling chlorine-resistant pathogens such as cryptosporidium. UV systems are among the most effective method for disinfecting bacteria from the water – the ultraviolet rays penetrate harmful pathogens and kill them, rendering them inactive.

Safety that ensures sustainability

Whether preparing for flooding or drought, our buildings have to become even more adaptable and resilient to ensure they cope with the changing needs of the populations using them, and the evolving environmental circumstances.

From better wastewater management to water disinfection that puts safety first, installing the most reliable and effective systems can safeguard the future. In addition, smart monitoring options mean building systems can be operated and supervised remotely if necessary, thus allowing potential failures to be predicted and rectified before they occur for even greater peace of mind.

See more information on water technology solutions across the lifecycle of use at https:// www.xylem.com/en-ie/

References

1. https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/ five-extreme-weather-events-recorded-26998655

2 https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/ ireland-not-ready-for-more-frequent-and-extremeheatwaves-flooding-and-coastal-surges-expertswarn-41853920.html