Gulf Construction Online - Grohe helps mosque save water

Water Technology

Abou Hamed Al Gazali Mosque ... green initiative.

Grohe helps mosque save water

01 September 2010

GROHE has helped a mosque in the UAE go green, helping it achieve significant water savings with its self-closing mixers, which it donated as part of a water-conserving initiative.

Teaming up with the Dubai Water and Electricity Authority (Dewa) and Sesam Business Consultants, a key organiser of sustainability conferences in the UAE, Grohe undertook the project in 2009, donating and installing 20 Contropress self-closing mixers at the Abou Hamed Al Gazali Mosque in Dubai.
“Grohe realised the importance of sustainable practices long ago,” says a company spokesman. “All Grohe products are of the highest quality with an emphasis on superior technology, reliable materials and perfect design. The combined efficiency of the product design and internal parts help reduce water and energy consumption without sacrificing comfort enabling the end-user to enjoy this gift of nature with peace of mind.”
As part of Grohe’s WaterCare campaign – The more you save, the more you enjoy – the company is aiming to increase the awareness of water-saving possibilities, and one successful campaign is this ‘green’ mosque.

The UAE is said to consume more than 500 litres of water per person per day in comparison to France’s 250 litres per person per day. It also is estimated that flushing of toilets may be using as much as five per cent of available fresh water in the UAE.
As one of the most visited locations in the UAE, mosques face issues of efficient water usage. And with press reports highlighting how visitors turn on taps long before they actually need to, Grohe realised that a self-closing mixer like Contropress would be the best possible solution to this problem.
The Contropress mixer can be adjusted to a flow time of 7.15 and 30 seconds, which guarantees no water is wasted in the Abou Hamed Al Gazali Mosque’s ablution rooms. The water flow stops without the user needing to turn off the mixer.
Following the installation, Dewa monitored the mosque’s water consumption compared to the same months in the previous year and the results spoke for themselves.
The mosque’s average consumption per month prior to installation of the 20 Contropress mixers was 45,509 gallons. The average consumption in the same months of the year after the installation the mixers was 30,205 gallons, an average saving per month of about 30 per cent.
From an investment point of view, 20 Contropress mixers cost approximately Dh8,400 ($2,287). With water costing Dh0.035 per gallon, the return on investment is achieved after just 15 months, the spokesman explains.
And with water charges for private households higher at Dh0.3 per gallon, Grohe mixers with water-saving mousseurs at home can save up to 50 per cent of water consumption, he says.
And with leaky mixers capable of wasting up to 140 gallons a month, the spokesman says quality fittings such as Grohe’s flow limiters, self-closing devices for public areas, and water-saving mousseurs can help save water and costs.
A leading provider of premium bath faucets, showers and kitchen mixers, Grohe supports local authorities wherever possible. In the UAE, it supports initiatives such as Dewa’s Child Education Campaign and Water Days sustainability conferences while conducting educational seminars, reflecting its commitment to the environment without sacrificing on performance or design.