Sustainability issue: Waste & Energy
An average ten-minute in a conventional shower uses 20 gallons or 75 liters of water. Conventional showers are not designed to recycle and reuse water when in use. Yet, water is a finite resource; one that needs to be safeguarded. The equal distribution and provision of water in cities is an increasing concern for cities around the world. Using copious amounts of water in showers is especially problematic in water-scarce areas. Those who can afford to use a large percentage of the available water resources do so at the expense of those who cannot meet basic needs. Furthermore, showers require substantial energy – another issue facing growing cities.
Technology:
- Orbital Systems is a solution to the conventional shower problem highlighted above.
- The technology is a closed loop shower that deliver up to 90% water and energy savings. The system releases approximately 5 liters of fresh water when the shower tap is turned on. This water is then recycled and reuse throughout the duration of the entire shower. According to the company this enables a guilt-free shower for as long as the person desires. Two minutes after the tap is turned off, the water used is released from the system. The following time the tap is turned on, a new 5 liters of fresh water will enter the system.
- The technology also includes purification capsules which enable a filtration system. Therefore, as the OrbSy recycles the water, it filters contaminants in the water thereby increasing the quality and cleanliness.
- The technology includes an integrated electric water heater.
Source:
Article title: The Tesla of Showers
Website name: Forbes
Link: https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelkanellos/2015/10/12/the-tesla-of-showers/#4bd86837bd12
Company website: https://orbital-systems.com
Stakeholders:
- Orbital Systems company
- Residential showers users
- Commercial shower users
- Governments
Deployment/Implementation Steps:
- Increase the budget to market and advertise the product in mainstream media channels.
- Develop one-on-one partnerships with key high-end/luxury chain commercial clients, such as spas and hotels. Once this is more established, target smaller commercial clients.
- Work with retailers to promote the product in stores that sell showers for residential users. Once well integrated into stores, conduct sales/discount on products to attract more customers.
makeasmartcity 
An exciting part of the technology is that the system actually makes the recycled water cleaner than the water that initially enters the shower through the water supply. The shower makes sure to eject the 5 liters of water after each shower so that you don’t have to shower “in someone else’s water”, but if it’s the case that the water ends up being even cleaner after recycling it compared to the new water, this shower could have a much greater impact by not ejecting the water after each shower. I also wonder what the limits to recycling the same water over and over again are and whether this has something to do with this.
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Reply about Solar Bike Paths post:
This initiative in the Netherlands is a fantastic innovation. This article suggests that one of the roads provided enough energy to meet annual household’s needs in the space of six months (http://www.triplepundit.com/2016/01/looking-at-the-dutch-solar-bike-path-after-one-year/). Two question remain: how often the solar cells would need to be replaced and what would the cost of that replacement be?
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