SDG 6.3.4: Building standards to minimize water usage

Each of the project buildings has been equipped with separate bathrooms for men and women, as well as equipped with washbasins and the necessary cleaning materials for each wash. The bathrooms were distributed on all floors. See figure 1. 

The efficiency of water use increases greatly by ensuring controlled withdrawal operations by the presence of valves at all exits on the network with constant maintenance of the pipes. The used water network and tanks have also been provided with an automatic control system (see figure 2) to fill the tanks and monitor the daily intake movement.

Increasing efficiency 

The efficiency of water use increases greatly by ensuring controlled withdrawal operations by the presence of valves at all exits on the network with constant maintenance of the pipes. The used water network and tanks have also been provided with an automatic control system (see next figure) to fill the tanks and monitor the daily intake movement. The use of rainwater after treatment as an alternative to using drinking water reduces the need for other resources and provides it to the rest of the surrounding areas. 

In all WC rooms dual-flush toilets are used to reduce the service water loss.

Water Recovery:  

The university has built a rainwater recovery system for covering the flushing and irrigation for the whole campus. The rainwater fallen on the building roofs and on the roads is collected in 11 tanks (see next figure) having a total volume up to 4987 cubic meters. The collected water is used on the campus for irrigation and services purposes. 

Water conservation: 

The project depends on rain water in the main form as an alternative to the water received from the Ministry of Energy at a rate of 80% of use. Noting that the water of wells is not used except in days of scarcity, allowing the rest of the surrounding areas to benefit from the surplus water available.  

The university secures from its sources water for the agricultural areas surrounding the campus, (see next figure) in agreement and coordination with the municipality and the owners of neighboring properties. 

Sustainable water extraction technologies: 

The efficiency of water use increases greatly by ensuring controlled withdrawal operations by the presence of valves at all exits on the network with constant maintenance of the pipes. The used water network and tanks have also been provided with an automatic control system. 

The project depends on rain water in the main form as an alternative to the water received from the Ministry of Energy at a rate of 80% of use. Noting that the water of wells is not used except in days of scarcity, allowing the rest of the surrounding areas to benefit from the surplus water available.  

The university secures from its sources water for the agricultural areas surrounding the campus, in agreement and coordination with the municipality and the owners of neighboring properties. 

The university for its construction project incorporated architectural elements on the campus in which all the requirements related to the surrounding environment were developed and studied, including the lack of a source for use and drinking water, and the absence of an infrastructure that would cover the needs of the buildings included in the project. Consequently, the infrastructure was equipped with the development of four networks as follows: 

  • An internal network of drinking water that is distributed to all buildings 
  • A network to collect rainwater from the roofs of buildings 
  • A network for collecting rainwater from roads and land areas 
  • A sewage network and a treatment station (septic tank) 

 

Wastewater 

The wastewater from the bathrooms is collected by pipes to the sedimentation and treatment basins located at the outskirts of the campus, and after the sedimentation stage, the wastewater is discharged into the public piping network of the Ministry of Works. As for the waste in sedimentation basins, it is transported periodically throughout the year for treatment outside the compound. 

Treatment of wastewater and rain water 

Rainwater from the roofs and balconies 

Ground tanks (from R1 to R4 .in blue color) with total capacity of approximately 2900m3 were built distributed over the entire project. Ceilings were designed diagonally to collect water and deliver it to the tanks separately, see next figure, the consumption rate of each student: 

  • Capacity building 900 students 
  • Volume of upper tank 2000×7=14000litres 
  • The consumption rate for each student =2000×7/900= 15.5litres/day 

Rain water from the roads 

The project is equipped with seven ground tanks with capacity of 1400 m3 with a water collection system from the roads. The collected water is used in the irrigation system of the agricultural lands surrounding the project. 

Rain water treatment 

Rain water from roofs and balconies 

 It is collected in lower tanks distributed throughout the project, which work as sedimentation ponds as well. Then the water is drawn into the main upper tank, and from it is drawn into the upper tanks of all buildings after being treated with ultraviolet radiation. The ratio of treated water use to the total amount of water reaches 80 %. See next figure. 

Rain water 

 The rainwater that is produced from the roads and landscapes has been used in the permanent drip irrigation system to irrigate the trees and plantings inside the campus, especially during the summer days. See next figure.