Radisson RED London Heathrow makes 84% water savings

The Client

Radisson RED London Heathrow is an upscale 258-room hotel with emphasis on modern design and technology.

The Radisson RED brand presents a playful twist on conventional hotel stays, offering hangouts with a casual feel, buzzing social scenes and bold design personality.

Radisson RED London Heathrow also has access to Radisson’s two conference centres with 41 meeting rooms accommodating up to 700 delegates. Located just 10 minutes from the Airport and 15 minutes from Central London via the Heathrow Express.

The Brief

The hotel wanted to reduce water consumption on their urinal systems in the Aviator washroom, located next to a conference centre. The urinals were old and had no form of attenuation on them, resulting in frequent cistern flushing throughout the day. Radisson consulted with Vicky Moors, SaveMoneyCutCarbon Major Accounts Manager, who then brought the challenge to the SaveMoneyCutCarbon Sustainable Washroom Team to solve.

Radisson wanted to adopt a trial methodology for the installation of the solution. Jorge Martin, Chief Engineer, carried out an A/B test – water meters were put onto two sets of urinals for two weeks. The A set were then converted with the smart water-saving solution and the B set remained untouched. This enabled before/after data to be collected as well as comparative data to compare and contrast the solution against the current urinal system.

The Sustainable Washroom team identified the Cistermiser Direct Flush Discreet (DFD) urinal valve as the optimum solution for water reduction and efficiency. The DFD is a mains-flushing valve that is activated only when the urinal is used. The DFD has an infrared sensor that is positioned above the bowl and which activates the flush when used.

The flush dispensed is a low volume of water that, with the smart activation, ensures water flushing is kept to a minimum, so no water is wasted. This efficiency significantly reduces water consumption and also provides greater mitigation against urinal blockages and flooding. The DFD automatically flushes individual urinals after use, ensuring the highest level of hygiene from the minimum volume of water.

The Results

The two-week trial delivered the following results:

84% reduction in water use
Water savings 5500 litres / 5.5 M3
Carbon reduction 0.002 c02 tonnes / 2000 grammes

“The month-long trial at the Radisson Red Heathrow clearly showed the benefits of the Cistermiser system and achieved the savings that we were promised – an impressive 80% reduction in water used by the urinals. A key goal of Radisson Hotel Group’s Think Planet strategy is to reduce our overall energy consumption significantly and I believe that this technology will assist with this. While water is not our biggest challenge as we move towards the science-based net zero target in 2050, reducing consumption through these types of technologies will play a big part in developing our carbon-neutral footprint.”

Simon Pearson, Area Chief Engineer, UK and Ireland at Radisson Hotel Group

“We are delighted to have collaborated with SaveMoneyCutCarbon and Radisson RED who are committed to reducing water wastage and carbon emissions. For an independent, simple trial to clearly demonstrate, the substantial water, energy and carbon savings that can be achieved by installing our Direct Flush Discreet (DFDs) is testament to our craftmanship and inspires us to remain focussed on innovating water saving solutions for commercial washrooms. We applaud Radisson RED for achieving a phenomenal 84% water saving and for taking their social responsibility seriously.”

Martyn Andreoli, National Sales Manager at Cistermiser

“We are very pleased to have helped Radisson reduce their urinal water usage with the sensor technology that puts the hotel back in control. It goes to show that old urinal systems are very inefficient and there is scope to reduce most of the water used without compromising on performance – as the Cistermiser solution clearly demonstrates.”

Chris Brooks, Business Stream Manager - Sustainable Washrooms at SaveMoneyCutCarbon