Our Benefits
Sustainability
With the succesful ISO 14001 certification for environmental management in 2012, and the additional ISO 50001 for energy management in early 2013, we have committed ourselves above and beyond the legal requirements to maintain and protect the delicate balance of our immediate environment.
aquatherm receives first Environmental Product Declaration for piping supplied in NZ
aquatherm New Zealand Ltd is proud to announce their polypropylene (PP-R) piping systems now carry a product-specified type III Environmental Product Declaration (EPD).
The EPD identifies the lifecycle environmental impact of aquatherm’s piping systems and provides transparent environmental impact data for building and construction standards.
Independently verified by NSF Sustainability, aquatherm’s product-specified type III EPD was developed in compliance with international environmental management guidelines (ISO 14025). It benchmarks the environmental impacts of aquatherm green pipe, aquatherm blue pipe, aquatherm lilac pipe, aquatherm red pipe, and the aquatherm black system for potable water, mechanical heating, hydronic, reclaimed water, fire sprinkler and industrial piping applications, and ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC),
Neil Purdie, Building Services Team Leader for Harrison Grierson, says: “An EPD is a third party verification of the environmental integrity of a product. It is a first for piping products available in New Zealand and I am not aware of any other piping suppliers globally that have an EPD.
“The EPD can be used to help comply with, and tick boxes for, green rating schemes - for example, the New Zealand Green Building Council’s Green Star. It looks at the lifecycle of a product – the manufacturing process, material used and the ability to recycle it when required, to ensure a better environmental result.
“This adds value to an already quality product and shows real commitment to the environment from aquatherm as a manufacturer.”
Stephen Derig, Sales and Marketing Director for aquatherm New Zealand Ltd says: “We are proud to bring an EPD for piping to the industry. What’s great is that we did not need to change anything about our products to achieve this, as we were already utilising material and processes of a high environmental standard, and this is recognition of the fact.
“This puts aquatherm in a unique leadership position, supplying the only certified environmentally-friendly piping systems for New Zealand building applications.”
Derig says aquatherm chose to undergo the certification process through NSF International as they have been testing and certifying products for safety, health and the environment since 1944.
aquatherm will tick another environmentally-friendly box later this year with the introduction of DZR/Zero lead fittings as standard connectors, supporting the reduction of lead content in potable water systems and improving corrosion resistance of brass components in aggressive water areas.
Watch the video
Water, our most precious resource
From production to installation to recycling, our systems are designed to impact the environment as little as possible.
By volume, a piping system is not a large part of a building, but the wrong piping system can have a huge impact on sustainability.
Piping systems that leach chemicals into drinking water affect both people and the local water table over time.
Pipes that corrode or scale reduce energy efficiency, and eventually need to be replaced, shortening the life of other building components that must be removed for the retrofit.
Pipes that leak waste water and cause mold, reducing indoor air quality. Using aquatherm pipe avoids all these issues and can help contribute to green building programs.
aquatherm's pipes are non-leaching and fully recyclable, so the piping material isn't wasted. And PP-R doesn't corrode or scale, so the systems will usually outlast the buildings they are installed in. And the heat fused connections last even longer, without leaks or maintenance.
The environmentally friendly material polypropylene fusiolen® PP-R can be ground, melted and reutilised for various applications e.g. motor-protections, wheel linings, laundry baskets and other kinds of transport boxes. There are no polluting substances with PP-R either in its processing or in its disposal.
On top of all that, aquatherm adheres to the strictest production standards for sustainability, using the lowest impact manufacturing processes available, and constantly working to improve further. Even polypropylene random itself is relatively clean to make, requiring only two steps of refinement after the petroleum cracking. And only 3% of petroleum is used for plastics production, giving it a much lower impact than the mining and smelting operations used to created metals.
In the end, aquatherm's pipes and fittings are low-impact to produce, extremely long-lived, and fully recyclable. This helps builders get the most out of the material, which is the key to sustainability.
Sustainable building means doing things right the first time.
Studies have shown that from raw material to installed end-product, aquatherm's polypropylene piping systems require less energy to produce than any comparable alternative. There is also significantly less waste created during production and installation, making it the most environmentally friendly pressure-piping system available.
Minimising environmental impact during production is just one of the ways aquatherm helps protect the environment.
The aquatherm pipe systems are chemically inert and the fusion connections contain no foreign materials, resulting in a system that will not gradually contaminate its source water. The reduced heat-loss within the pipe helps save energy throughout the life-cycle of the system.
Because aquatherm's systems are designed to last for over 50 years, they need to be replaced less frequently than most other systems, helping conserve resources even more.
Future-Proof Building
aquatherm NZ Ltd is proud to be part of the Future Proof Building program.
FPB is all about creating a better, safer, more comfortable home for you and your family. A better home for you to live in now, that's worth more in the future.
This concept continues to gain momentum worldwide. By incorporating Future-Proof Building solutions you will be using quality products, services and practices to create a higher quality home that will be worth more now and into the future.
The 8 Principles of FPB
The Future-Proof Building principles are your guide to understanding FPB and better building through education on these principles. The essence of Future-Proof Building focuses on investing in better building to improve the quality of New Zealander’s lives:
Energy Smart long-term reduction in energy costs, more efficient use home heat
Health & Safety health control with future-proof materials and systems
Life-Cycle life-cycle evaluation of product or service costs
Quality special attention to quality in key home components
Sustainability minimising our impact on the planet
Smart & Secure future-proofing the home with automation
Sound Control managing noise pollution
Space Management making the best use of the space available
For more information follow this link to fpb.co.nz or you can download this brochure 
fpb brochure (5.6Mb)
Greenbuilding
For building owners and developers who are concerned about making a real difference, aquatherm is the clear choice.
aquatherm NZ are proud to be associated as a member of the NZ Green Building Council (NZGBC) and to be currently involved as the environmental plumbing choice.
The basic material, polypropylene, and the included additives (colour pigments and stabilisers) have been tested by independent laboratories with reference to their environmental compatibility.
The ecological advantages of fusiotherm®-pipes are the additive share of the material fusiolen® PP-R(80) is below 3%, PVC free, free from unhealthy heavy metals, love lived and recyclable.
Some of the green buildings that aquatherm are a part of are:
- 6 star Geyser Building Auckland
- Meridian Energy Head Office
- Customs House Wellington
- Deliottes Head Office and AMP Head Office on Queen Street, Auckland
- Christchurch City Building
- Rodney Council Buildings
- NZI House Auckland
- Eden Park Auckland (pictured right)
- Whangarei Court House
- Manukau Court House
- Mission Heights Primary School (pictured left), Albany High School, Hobsonville Primary and High School
Click here for more information about NZ Green Building Council http://www.nzgbc.org.nz/
