Sustainable water management projects
For many years water efficiency and sustainable wastewater treatment was the main focus of our work. Since shifting focus to energy efficiency we are not taking on new wastewater projects but do continue to design solutions for existing clients or particularly interesting or challenging projects. See also the publications page which includes books and guidance on sustainable sewage treatment and water efficiency. We no longer design compost toilets but have set up NatSol Ltd to manufacture the waterless toilet we always wanted to be able to specify.
Richmond Park Public Toilets 2014 with NatSol
The Isabella Plantation is a Site of Special Scientific Interest with high ground water and heavy clay soil where no foul discharge to ground is permitted. Waterless toilets seemed like the obvious choice but we have long held reservations about composting toilets as an appropriate technology for very high use public sites because of the need to manually remove compost. In consultation with The Royal Parks (TRP) and the design team of engineers and architects we developed a waterless system with individual tanks beneath the toilet pedestals. These are emptied by tanker three or four times a year.
Gibson Mill 2005
With Eco Arc York, for the National Trust. A former cotton mill now serving as a café and visitor centre with no connection to mains services other than telephones. The brief required all sewage to be treated on site with no export of sludge. Elemental Solutions were responsible for all aspects of water supply, efficient use and final disposal.
New Offices Architype 2006
A local and regular client offered the chance to try some new ideas including two types or water and chemical free urinals, a dual flush ES4 WC with odourless vented pan and a living soakaway (pictured) for the sewage effluent. Elemental Solutions also designed the energy efficient lighting with Colin Chetwood and contributed to the renovation strategy.
Dry Compost Toilets
Developed originally for allotments and remote utility sites this self contained dry toilet system was developed with Andy Warren and is now manufactured and sold by NatSol Ltd. This design is the culmination of many years of experience. There are over 300 Natsol compost toilets in operation and they are spreading fast with many repeat orders. This bespoke example is by Chris Morgan, Locate Architects.
Innovative ‘trench arch’
This system was a spin-off from a 3 year R&D project which looked into sludge-free domestic sewage treatment. Raw effluent from a single WC discharges into a vermicomposting filter bed installed under the path. Here it is being viewed by John Griggs of the BRE and Mark Moodie. See NatSol website for an alternative solution. We no longer provide advice on Trench Arch systems but there is some information here.