In preparation for all new homes to be zero carbon rated by 2016, WPL’s range of rainwater harvesting solutions automatically rates a new home at the highest level for water efficiency, code level 6, as set by the Code for Sustainable Homes.

Apparently house builders and developers are assured of achieving the highest levels in this category with products from the company’s domestic rainwater harvesting range, RainRetain. Top quality pumps, filters and tanks ensure performance, together with simple installation and excellent value.

For smaller developments, the WPL Diamond domestic sewage treatment plant can cope with population equivalents from 1-55 and benefits from having no internal moving parts. This offers the end user significant savings on maintenance and has up to 3 year de-sludge intervals.

More information: http://www.wpl.co.uk.

When installed with the company’s cavity and slab edge protection system, the GDB10 membrane provides a continuous barrier for protection of buildings against both gas and damp at ground level. When used as an oversite membrane below floor slabs or suspended floors, it provides a complete solution in line with Building Regulations Part C and BRE Report BR 414 2001 Construction of buildings on gas contaminated land.

The multi-layer reinforced polyethylene/polypropylene membrane with integral continuous solid aluminium foil is supplied with full fixing instructions. Tough and durable, it provides tensile strength and enhanced puncture and tear resistance, yet it is easy to cut and, at only 15kg/roll, is lightweight to handle. Each roll is 40m x long and 2.5m wide.

Matt McAndry, Z-Led senior product manager explains, “Harmful soil gases such as, methane, carbon dioxide and radon can enter properties through routes including cracks in floors and walls, construction joints and wall cavities. These have to be addressed to ensure compliance with Approved Document C, which states that ‘reasonable precautions shall be taken to avoid danger to health and safety caused by contaminants on or in the ground covered by the building or any land associated with the building’. This is on top of other requirements for protecting the building from damp.”

The PROTECT GDB10 is complemented by a range of accessories to ensure effective installation of the membrane, including Slab Edge Protection Trays, Joint Protection Tape, and Universal Pipe Seals. A range of sub floor depressurisation products is also available to ensure effective ventilation of gases from below suspended floors.

More information: www.z-led.com

Perhaps not surprisingly, environmental organisations often lead the push for more sustainable drainage. At Stamford Brook, near Altrincham, the National Trust sold 28 hectares of land (part of the Dunham Massey Estate) for a major housing development by Redrow Homes and Bryant Homes.

A condition of this sale was that the development must implement a longstanding plan to restore Sinderland Brook, the canalised stream that runs through the site and that a Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS) should be incorporated.

Hydrological consultants Haycock Associates Limited were brought in by the Trust to design and implement the connected river restoration and drainage schemes. The SUDS comprise a series of swales and storage basins designed to enhance ecology and increase amenity value, whilst ensuring that surface water runoff from the development into Sinderland Brook does not exceed that of a greenfield site.

Meanwhile the wider, shallower river floodplain that was created was unusual in increasing the level of flood protection both to the existing housing and the new development, whilst also being more “natural” – the scheme won the recent Waterways Renaissance Awards. This provides a contrast to the common assumption of flood protection being achieved through more engineered control of drainage and rivers.

The developers were initially sceptical of the benefits of either scheme but with the successful increase in aesthetic and recreational value, the homes in the later part of the development were repositioned to face the river, as those with a view of the scheme achieved substantially greater prices than they had predicted.

The project has therefore become a flagship illustrating that managing drainage and rivers in a naturalised manner can benefit developers, residents, and wildlife alike, rather than seeing these as competing interests.

More information: www.haycock-associaties.co.uk

The pump station, which is designed for sewage and groundwater, can be installed at a depth of up to three meters – by using an extension shaft. Flexible and reliable, Compit is complete on delivery and ready for immediate connection to inlet and outlet pipes. The pre-fabricated pump station is made of high-density polyethylene (PE-HD). The pump capacity ranges up to 10 l/s.

Andrew Barry, ITT Flygt’s market manager, says: “All internal discharge piping is made of stainless steel and its bowl-shaped base and smooth inner surface ensures that solids cannot settle out in the bottom of the tank.”

With ITT Flygt ENM10 level regulators included as standard, Compit has the added benefits of a check valve and shut-off valve, stainless steel lifting chain and DN 150 inlet and is also available with concrete access cover suitable for pedestrian (Class A) or 5 tonne loadings (Class B).

Each pump station can be equipped with up to two pumps and is available with different pump types such as: Flygt submersible grinder pumps 3068, 3085 and 3102, each of which have an impeller unit specially designed for handling the rigours of sewage pumping.

Flygt submersible 3045 and 3057 sewage pumps are suitable for greywater (generated from domestic processes like bathing, laundry and washing dishes), while DX pumps handle groundwater.

Compact, flexible and robust, these pumps can be used in almost any regulatory environment. ITT Flygt can also provide system planning, design and installation assistance for sewage systems.

More information: www.flygt.co.uk

There is a solution for both light to medium and heavily trafficked areas such as open car parking and access roads and for verge reinforcement and landscaped areas.

The system is quick and easy to install. It comes in lightweight interlocking square sections of recycled plastic, designed to receive pervious infill material for surface water drainage.

The 500 x 500mm units are secured by pins to ensure full system stability and integrity so that, once assembled, it is extremely strong and can withstand vehicle traffic and parking.

There are two versions. AquaGrid 50 is a 50mm deep version and AquaGrid 75 is a 75mm deep version.

The former is suitable for gravel and landscape environments with light to heavy traffic.

The latter is recommended for areas of regular heavy traffic loading or where premium grass quality is of the highest priority.

The 75mm version includes features such as lateral arches to optimise grass root growth and protection.

If you need additional selection advice, Wavin Plastics can advise on the suitability of each version depending on the application. Wavin additionally tests every AquaGrid unit for strength, loading and durability.

Both versions of AquaGrid are suitable for grass, soil or gravel infill. White marker blocks can be supplied to denote parking spaces. When assembled, both products allow lateral flow and offer up to 90% of their surface area for water permeation through the chosen pervious infill.

The system can be used to drain captured rainfall and stormwater either into the underlying ground or into an underground attenuation structure.

By contributing to sustainable drainage systems in this way, the AquaGrid supports the aims of Part H of the Building Regulations.

More information: www.wavin.com