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Case Studies

Case Studies

Case Study: Low Isles Toilet Building Installation

  • Product:Clivus Multrum CM 14

  • Project: Low Isles Toilet Building Installation

  • Location: The Shire of Douglas, QLD

  • When: 2018

  • Background :
    Situated 15 kilometres north-east of Port Douglas, the Low Isles comprise a four-acre coral cay surrounded by 55 acres of reef within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Area.
    Low Isles is also a popular tourist destination and attracts thousands of visitors per year. Existing facilities on the island include a composting toilet installed 20+ years ago. The existing facility is not coping with the visitor numbers and needs upgrading.
    Low Isles is a highly sensitive site so any toilet system needed to have minimal impact on the site in order to preserve the integrity of the natural environment.
    • Challanges:
    The existing toilet facility is not coping with the number of visitors to the island. A new facility is required that can cope with existing usage and future growth.
    Low Isles is in a tropical cyclone area (Category 3) and can experience wind gusts up to 224kph. There is no electricity or water on the island, so any new installation had to be stand-alone. Low lsles is a remote site so the building kit had to be lightweight, easily transportable and easily assembled on-site with minimal equipment.
    The Island is surrounded by saltwater and is a highly corrosive environment. Therefore, the building, fixtures and fittings had to be non-corrosive and durable.
    Being a sand island, any new facility had to be 'self-cleaning' where possible and the stairs and floor material had to be non-slip.
    Low Isles is an environmentally significant site. Therefore, any new facility had to utilise the existing building footprint and have minimal to no discharges to the environment when operational.

    Solution:
    Ecoflo Wastewater Management supplied the complete kit with a local builder commissioned for the installation.
    The complete kit included: 2 high capacity eco-friendly composting toilets - Clivus Multrum CM40 - with a design capacity of 80,000 visits per year. These are dry composting systems so there is no requirement for flush water.
    A ‘Zero Discharge Facility’ incorporated into the design to create a ‘closed-loop’ system. The Facility is fully automated and operates using the supplied solar system.
    Ecoflos’ standard 4 cubicle building module was used for this project. This was delivered to the Island as complete ‘flat-pack’ kit and included ‘marine grade’ stainless steel fasteners and Colorbond ULTRA sheeting. Highly durable fibre composite material (FRP) was used for all structural components. Slip-resistant FRP grating for the veranda area and stair treads was used to for safety and minimise sand buildup. An FRP water tank stand with tank and the complete solar package was also supplied.

    Case Study: How to build a self-sustaining home

  • Customer: Stuart E. NSW

  • Product: Nature Loo Classic 850

  • Project: Build a self-sustaining

  • When: 2018

    • Where:

    The 100 m2 home with two bathrooms, designed for two plus guests, was built on the Sunshine Coast by Direct Portable Buildings and delivered to site on the northern coast of NSW on the back of a couple of trucks.
    Background:

    The location of the cabin’s site was chosen based on accommodating the waterless toilet tanks beneath the home. One of the bathrooms was well located for installing and servicing the loos. We went with the lower cost batch process Nature Loo 850 with aerator option. The other was in an awkward position with inadequate space to stand, surrounded by large rocks and 20 metres to drag a full bin when full. Whilst there would have been enough room to install the Nature Loo Classic 850, it would have required a lot of effort to service the bins. There were too many obstacles in the way; rocks and pillars and beams. We installed the continuous process Clivus Multrum CM10. Both toilets are working well.
    How about maintenance and how often do the bins need to be emptied?

    We rotated the first 850 compost bin after a year, but we could have left it several more months more. Whilst the bin was not too heavy I am glad I did not have to manoeuvre it over rocky or hilly ground although the wheels certainly aided the process.
    The CM10 has not needed emptying yet. We have just raked the surface to level the pyramid effect under the pedestal and added some water.
    What else did we do to save water?

    We managed to persuade our local geotechnical engineer to push through council the approval of the grease trap and Ecoflo GWS10 sand filter. This despite it not being approved by the NSW Government on account of there being no septic tank! Some geotechs and councils will approve the GWS10 despite a lack of state approval. The 300L grease trap is collecting grease but there is still no need to pump it out.
    The GWS10 looks just like a tank full of occasionally moist pine bark. To minimise grease build up we wipe plates with the paper towel before washing them. We installed water tanks with a capacity of 35000L (plus 20000L for the rural fire service). In Summer it was not enough. We had to call on reinforcements at a cost of $280 per 18000L delivery. This makes me glad we installed the waterless loos to save on our water consumption.

    Case Study: Tiny Home to be used for short term stays

  • Customer: Aimee and Ben Stanton @tiny.stays

  • Product: Classic 750 Low Profile

  • Project: Tiny Home to be used for short term stays

  • Location: Yarra Valley, VIC

  • When: January 2019

    • Challenge:

    With such a small space to work with, a model was needed that didn’t have a large footprint. They were also looking for a unit that was small enough to have enough clearance under the Tiny Home to provide for easy access to maintain the toilet and change the chambers. Often for this reason collection toilets are favoured over true composting toilets but Aimee and Ben wanted a sustainable and easy to maintain toilet.
    Solution:

    Our Low Profile model ticks the boxes and provided easy access underneath the constructed Tiny Home.

    "So easy to install, totally off grid and doesn’t smell!”

    The toilet looks like a regular flushing toilet but doesn’t require any power so is suitable for completely off-grid living. The results are a that this Tiny Stays Home is a unique experience that combines the facilities of a hotel with an immersive nature escape.
    Contact Details:

    If you are interested in experiencing a luxury getaway in this beautiful Tiny Stay then look no further.

    www.tinystays.co

    Case Study: Kiabola beach primary school Trobriand islands, Papua New Guinea

  • Product: Clivus Multrum CM 40

  • Project: Kiabola Beach Primary School

  • Location: Trobriand Islands, Papua New Guinea

  • When: April 2017
    • Challenge:

    A 250 person School previously using pit toilets.

    Poor impact on sanitation, the environment and the senses. Sanitisation was a concern of whole school community.
    Solution:

    Consultation, provision and installation of three new Clivus Multrum composting toilets, requiring no water for flushing while providing the school with fertiliser for gardens.

    Case Study: Helping the island of Rambutso in PNG

  • Product: Clivus Multrum CM 20

  • Project: help the villages of Rambutyo to install their first community composting toilets.

  • Location: The island of Rambutyo, Papua New Guinea
    • Most of us, when we think about the ocean, palm trees and sandy beaches, we think of an idyllic holiday spot. Swimming into crystal clear water and diving under the waves can bring a relaxing sense of calm and quietness to the mind.
    Whilst the inhabitants of the tiny island of Rambutyo in Papua New Guinea certainly look like they live in an island paradise, the fact they didn’t have a working toilet on the island meant their bathrooms were simply rooms built over the shore. This meant all the inhabitants went to the toilet directly into the ocean which was having health implications and causing obvious issues with the sanitation of the water they lived so closely to.
    Women and children had to walk a quite a distance to go to the toilet and privacy was also an issue, so you can imagine the relief when a solution was found.
    Working with Friends of Rambutso, Clivus Multrum have helped the villages of Rambutyo to install their first community composting toilets. This means that men, women and children will have a healthier standard of sanitation and also a usable compost after a few months of use.

    Case Study: Toowoomba second range truck stop

  • Product: Clivus Multrum CM14

  • Project: Toowoomba second range truck stop

  • Location:The second range crossing at Toowoomba

  • When: April 2018
    • Ecoflo has recently helped with the provision and installation of a new toilet building and composting toilet in a truck stop on the way up to Toowoomba.

    The toilet building has been made predominantly out of FRP (Fibreglass Reinforced Plastic) building materials that won’t rust, corrode and is resistant to fire and termites.
    Installed in the toilet building was one of our CM 14 units that require very little maintenance and will only need to be emptied between 2-4 times per year (depending on usage).

    It’s expected that many truckies will stop at this rest stop to refresh before making the long descent along the new highway into Brisbane or to peel off towards the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast.
    Here are some of the photos of our toilet building installation project.

    Case Study: The Nature-Loo Classic 850 – the best Nature-Loo yet

  • Product: Nature Loo Classic 850
  • When: February 2018

    We’ve had considerable success with the remarkably eco-friendly Nature Loo Classic series throughout Australia in the past 20 years. Not being satisfied with resting on his laurels, Manager Peter Vollert, who has an engineering degree, has been conducting research & development on a new and improved Nature-Loo 850 for the past 2 years. There have been many prototypes, lots of testing and an extensive round of improvements to make our best Nature-Loo yet.
    • We have added robust wheels to make the chambers easier to move and a new and improved compost mixer within the chamber which makes it easier to rotate & requires minimum maintenance.
    This new design means you won’t need to open the chamber to turn or rotate your compost. We’ve also increased the capacity & efficiency of the chambers.
    Clients in colder climates have told us that a heating pad would be a great addition, so we’ve added that as an optional extra when a Classic 850 is purchased.
    Take a look at our new Nature-Loo 850 - click here

    Case Study: Charles Sturt University

    Charles Sturt University is well known for reducing it’s carbon and environmental footprint.


    Challenge
    When we found out that the Charles Sturt University, Albury Wodonga campus was looking at reducing their environmental impact we knew that our range of composting toilets would easily meet their standards, be large enough to handle the capacity of the university and reduce the maintenance needed when compared to their current systems. Below is a run-down of how the system was implemented.
    Number of units installed and size:
    • 2 x CM14 with one pedestal
    • 4 x CM14 with two pedestals
    • 1 x CM8 with one pedestal
    • 3 x CM14 with two pedestals
    • 2 x CM40 with four pedestals
    • 2 x CM8 with one pedestal
    • 1 x CM14 with two pedestals
    • 2 x CM20 with two pedestals
    Facilities in which units are installed:
    There are a total of 12 buildings with various combinations of toilets installed in each. Some bathrooms that were more frequently patronised needed larger storage units and needed to be able to handle shock loadings (large groups of visitors).

    Was there any user resistance?
    Overall the feedback has been very positive to the change of composting toilets. There was some initial apprehension to install these types of toilets in the cafeteria area & function centre but other than that the feedback has been very positive.
    What are the maintenance requirements?
    - Addition of bulking agent (Daily/Weekly)
    - Raking & turning over of the humus as required.

    What is your disposal method of Humus?
    At this point we’re looking at putting it into an open trench on the property, treating it with UV & then we will spread it over the property.
    What are your disposal method of excess fluids?
    Excess liquids go into a greywater/blackwater wetland area. We use a pond stage water system & recycle on campus for irrigation.

    What do you do with the grey water?
    We use reed beds with three ponds to filter our grey water. Water flows into the first pond for UV treatment, we then filter it through the second & third ponds by which time it is perfectly OK to use on the property.
    The last word:
    Overall the experience is very positive, the toilets are working well & there are no problems or dramas.

    Website:
    http://www.csu.edu.au/about/locations/albury-wodonga

    The Environmental Management Plan for the campus which covers composting toilets
    https://www.csu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/704346/report159.pdf

    Case Study: Ikurangi Eco Retreat installs Nature-loo composting toilets

  • Product: Nature Loo Classic 750

  • Project: Ikurangi Eco Retreat installs Nature-loo composting toilets

  • Location: Cook Islands
    • When the Ikurangi Eco Retreat were looking for a composting toilet system for their eco-friendly cabins they wanted something that looked and felt as close to a ‘normal’ toilet as possible.

    This would allow their guests to have a great experience at the resort without freaking out a little about the bathroom situation!
    The Nature-loo range was the perfect compromise on style, usability and ‘eco-friendliness’ that co-owner Matt Scowcroft loved.

    “We’ve had a few guests who weren’t so sure about the composting loos when they first arrived, but after a day or so they come and tell us how ‘normal’ it feels, with a few folks even looking into putting similar systems in their own homes.”

    Reducing the impact on the pristine environment was a high priority for the Ikurangi Eco Retreat – finding a waterless toilet system that was low maintenance and used little to no energy was a bonus!
    Talk to us today about our low impact, eco-friendly toilets.

    Case Study: ESPOIR School of Life

    The ESPOIR School of Life needed a toilet solution that didn’t need running water & wasn’t going to contaminate groundwater.

    The ESPOIR School of Life started in summer 2016 in Siargao, south of the Philippines. This important school will give children a set of core skills & values that will be useful in everyday life and help them to secure employment once their studies are completed. The school teaches children life skills such as respect, team-work, family, pride, love, tolerance & compassion.
    The initial site where the school was built wasn’t really adequate for a proper learning environment as the facilities were too small and in a bad location. Nicolas Gontard & his wife (the founders of the school) approached the local mayor with the concept to build a new and better school.

    The mayor was supportive and donated a parcel of land for the project. Nicolas & other private donors provided the funding whilst ESPOIR members sourced the materials and the labour to make it happen. The arrangement with locals was that the ESPOIR team would supply materials and expertise whilst the local families contributed sweat equity and elbow grease.

    Here’s a few fast facts about the school:-

    • A new school for the poorest of the poor.
    • Stage 1 will have one classroom and a Clivus Multrum (CM40) composting toilet. When complete the school will have 12-13 classrooms with 260 children at full capacity.
    • It is a free school that provides food and uniforms & well as a high standard of education.
    • It is in a central location so kids can easily & safely walk to school.
    • Funded through private donations.
    Why ESPOIR chose a composting toilet?

    When the project team looked at all the different toilet options they knew there were some challenges they had to overcome. There was no sewage system operating in the area, the predominant toilet systems that were in use were septic tanks & pit toilets. The problem with these solutions was that in combination with high rainfall and water table close to the ground surface, contamination of groundwater was a major problem.
    The project team did not want to contribute to this ongoing problem, so a composting toilet system provided a logical alternative. It was inexpensive to buy and install and low tech it was easy to use and crossed language barriers. In addition, a composting toilet system is a great way to demonstrate better and more sustainable approaches to managing human waste.

    Case Study: Krawarree House by Strine Design

  • Product: Clivus Multrum CM 8

  • Project: Krawarree House by Strine Design

  • Photographer: Cameron Wilson
    • Challenge:

    Incurring no electricity, sewage or water bills seems like an unattainable dream, but that was the brief to Strine Design for Krawarree House.

    Designed for a young family, the brief was to create a warm, sunny and modest holiday retreat for extended stays.

    Minimal energy requirements and a house operating off the grid were highly sought after initiatives.
    Solution:
    Central to the house’s energy and resource efficiency is the need for effective utilisation of water and integral to this is a waterless composting toilet from Clivus Multrum, a CM8.

    The Blackwater system is suitable for remote locations, and only requires a moving fan powered by solar energy. The system is aerobic, as opposed to anaerobic, and the fan ensures that fresh oxygen is always moving through to facilitate optimum composting and minimal odour.

    Waste is collected in the composting chamber along with carbon rich material, such as wood shavings and garden waste. Here, the materials gradually decompose in the ventilated environment.
    Baffles and air channels in the tank distribute air flow, helping to aerate the pile. This promotes the aerobic composting process. A small electric fan in the vent pipe also creates airflow within the system and ensures that the toilet room is always kept clear of any odours.
    Benefits:
    This rural retreat is completely off the grid and a waterless toilet helps to ensure a minimal energy footprint.

    The toilet helps owners save up to 60,000 litres of water each year that would be required for a conventional flushing toilet.

    Case Study: Kata Tjuta National Park

  • Product: Clivus Multrum 14 standard and 2 disabled toilets with four CM40 tanks

  • Project: Kata Tjuta National Park

  • Location:Uluru NT

  • When: 2009
    • A World Heritage Area recognised for both its natural values and cultural values.

    Background:

    Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is internationally recognised for its spectacular geological formations, rare plants and animals and exceptional natural beauty. Importantly, it is Aboriginal Land and is internationally acclaimed for its cultural landscape.

    A very popular tourist destination, the park is located in a desert and receives an average rainfall of around 300 millimetres per year. Temperatures range from up to 45°C during the summer and -5 °C during winter.
    Challenge:

    The park needed toilet facilities that would cope with the extreme temperatures as well as the peaks and troughs in visitor numbers. Importantly, the cultural significance of the area and its fragile environment called for toilets that would leave a minimal footprint on the land.

    Solution:

    14 standard and 2 disabled toilets with four CM40 tanks were installed at the visitor centre in 2009.