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Sensus
RESEARCH PROVES ECO-BENEFITS OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS
5th January 2011Around nine in ten water meters supplied by Sensus in the UK in 2011 will use advanced composite materials rather than brass for bodies, reflecting growing demand among utilities for technology that helps to reduce carbon footprint.
Currently, around 40% of meters supplied by Sensus in the UK include a patented composite/polymer material as an alternative to brass bodies – this figure is predicted to reach 90% over the next 12 months, boosted by the results of a new independent study that confirms the eco benefits that the technology is delivering.
“We are seeing significant growth in demand for composite meters, because they are now widely accepted among our UK customers as a credible alternative to brass bodied meters,” says Jamie Longman, General Manager, Water and Heat, for Sensus in the UK.
“Not only does this technology offer performance, strength and durability equal or better than brass equivalents, composite body meters also provide significant eco advantages in terms of sustainability.”
This environmental benefit is underlined in the study conducted by Cycleco, an internationally-respected French independent research consultancy specialising in life-cycle analysis.
Cycleco studied the environmental impact of brass and composite meters across all the steps in the product life-cycle, from raw materials extraction and product manufacture to transportation and delivery, installation and use through to the end-of-life.
The consultancy followed recommendations from ISO standards, the European Commission, and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) to apply life-cycle analysis methodology for this study, in particular analysing:
§ Resource depletion, primary energy expressed in megajoules.
§ Climatic change, expressed in kilograms of CO2.
§ Ecosystem health impact, expressed as an index of biodiversity or species loss.
§ Human health impact, expressed in life-years on the scale of the European population.
Results:
According to the Cycleco study, the improvements resulting from the use of Sensus composite meters, based on the meter volumes sold by the company in France in 2009, were equivalent to:
· 1,100 trips from Paris to Marseille by car (850 000 kilometers / about 530 000 miles), for the product's beneficial impact on climatic change.
· The electrical consumption of 100 families in France for a year, for product impact on resource depletion.
· 2.1 hectares of land unaffected, for product impact on ecosystem quality.
· 1.5 life-years gained on the scale of the European population for product impact on human life.
Says Jérôme Payet, Professor at the Polytechnic School of Lausanne, and founder of Cycleco:
"Life cycle assessment (LCA) is becoming the reference environmental tool for products in the European Union. By using this tool in the eco-friendly design of its water meters, Sensus is leading the way and was able to make informed decisions to improve the environmental performance of composite water meters. By integrating LCA in its environmental strategy, Sensus made a pivotal choice that will enable the company to substantially reduce the environmental footprint of its future products,"
Comments Jamie Longman: "This independent study provides tangible evidence of the environmental benefits of our composite technology which, when allied to exceptional performance in the field with improved whole life cost, will be of great interest to water companies and utilities concerned about sustainability.
“Composite meters will soon represent greater volumes in the UK than our traditional brass meters in residential sales – and will reach around 90% next year. The Sensus 620 domestic composite meter remains the best-in-class and most durable of the composite/polymer meters available, withstanding static pressure tests above 90bar. This advanced material is now also being applied to sub-metering product lines.”
Ends
Cycleco press contact
Michèle Mayard – Tel: +33 (0)4 37 86 07 12 – Email: michele.mayard@ekoconception.eu
Sensus UK press contact
Philip Colley, Harvest. Tel: 023 9244 9655 / 07785 306378
Email: philip.colley@harvestpr.co.uk
About Cycleco –http://www.cycleco.eu
Cycleco is an consultancy firm specialized in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Based in Ambériu, France, the company has a staff of about ten people. Cycleco concentrates its efforts on transforming knowledge into LCA for companies in order to reinforce the long-term impact of their environmental impact evaluations and to support sustainable practices in research and development. The loyalty of Cycleco's clients over time is a solid confirmation of this strategic direction.
About Sensus – www.sensusesaap.com
Sensus has over 150 years experience working with metering technologies and provides custom metering and data collection solutions for water, gas, and electricity around the world. With their innovation and field experience, Sensus teams enable partners to optimize their resources and improve customer satisfaction with reliable installations that leverage the latest technologies.
