Saniflo provides the
solution for sunken homes
Archetech - Page 38
An award-winning housing
development in Ealing, London
was made possible thanks
to an innovative pumping
solution from Saniflo. Heath
Lodge is a row of 9 mews
houses built on a narrow strip
of land that previously wasn’t
approved by planners due to
intrusion into neighbouring
properties. However, a design
by London-based Autor
Architects that sunk the
houses into the ground by
1.5m was passed by planners;
overcoming all objections.
The partial submersion of the
properties was designed to
minimise noise whilst cleverly
angled windows eliminated
eye level views of the rooms by
passers-by.
The design was not without
its challenges; the discharge
of black and grey water waste
being a key issue. With mains
drains a storey up the architect
researched potential pumping
solutions and found the
heavy duty Sanicubic 2 lifting
station from Saniflo. With the
capability of taking waste
from multiple sources – and
with two pumps for failsafe
operation - the Sanicubics were
installed into the basements
of each mew house providing
the facility to accept waste
from a downstairs cloakroom,
kitchen with washing machine,
dishwasher and basin, plus a
full bathroom with shower,
WC, bath and basin. The 32mm
discharge pipes – cleverly
concealed in the walls and
basement ceiling – connect to
the mains drains at street level
via a larger outlet pipe.
Without the Saniflo solution to
pump away waste the project
may not have been viable
financially. The prohibitive
cost of civils work to create
submerged drainage would
have added both a time and
cost constraint that would have
prevented the build.
Current residents are very
happy with their new
properties in the upmarket,
leafy suburb of the capital and
don’t even notice the pump
is there. Apart from routine
servicing and maintenance
to keep the Sanicubics in
prime working order, there
is no inconvenience for
homeowners who consider
the pumps ‘a small price to pay
for the ability to live in a prime
area of London’.
www.saniflo.co.uk