know- ow h - geberit...frank jansen van vuuren is not unlike geberit with his commitment to giving...

Customer MagazineMarch 2016

Know- how

Geberit urinal system

Flexible in every wayReference object

Market hall for the 21st century

32

Quality of life runs through it

Published byGeberit Southern Africa (Pty.) Ltd.Lincolnwood Office Park6 Woodlands Drive, WoodmeadZA-Johannesburg

Phone +27 11 444 50 70Fax +27 11 444 59 [email protected]

→ www.geberit.co.za

Issued: quarterly.The reproduction of individual articles, in part or in full, is subject to approval from the editorial staff.

PhotosStefan Thurmann (cover picture, pages 7, 8 and 11)Ben Huggler (page 3)Fotolia (page 16)Tomas Muscionico (pages 18–21)Ossip van Duivenbode (pages 24/25)Scanderbeg Sauer (page 26)

On the coverGeberit urinal system with integrated control unit

New urinal systemProducts & solutions 6

Go west, young man!Plumbers in charge 18

Contents

↑ Suddenly, everyone’s mind turns to the toilet facilities: a break in play at the ice hockey stadium.

For decades, the sanitary technology from Geberit has been consistently setting new standards in public and semi-public areas.

ContentsNews/agenda 5

Geberit flushing systems 10

New flush plates 12

New pressing tools 14

BIM data for Geberit products 16

Sustainable products 22

Reference object 24

New premises as of

29 March 2016

Geberit Southern Africa (Pty.) Ltd.

6 Meadowview Lane,

Meadowview Business Estate,

Longmeadow, Linbro Park

ZA-Johannesburg

54 Customer Magazine March 2016

Editorial

Mark Schurr, Managing Director

Dear customers,

A company owner is looking to buy a new delivery van. While the price naturally plays an important role, the owner is more interested in the fuel and running costs, as these can add up to a tidy sum over the years.

The same logic applies when it comes to public and semi-public toilet facilities. The construction costs here can usually be figured out just as easily as a van’s purchase price. But what about the running costs, such as the water for flushing, the cleaning staff, the maintenance of the flushing systems, express repairs in the event of clogged discharge pipes, and so on? Because they know that a public building’s running costs are several times higher than the pure construction costs when measured over decades, more and more building owners and investors are interested in the answer to this question.

Thanks to their exceptional reliability, simple cleaning, ease of maintenance and guaranteed spare parts availability, Geberit products have an excellent reputation in public and semi-public areas – and the new Geberit urinal system is certainly no different in this regard. Take a look for yourself.

I wish you an enjoyable read.

News

1

Exciting Umhlanga Sands Hotel revampGeberit Southern Africa were proud to be part of the exciting and ambitious revamp project. The physical work was scheduled to take place over a short, 3 month period, during off peak periods as the Hotel never closed for business during the revamp. Thanks to everyone’s dedication and team-work and with the excellent supervision of Lisette Keightley from Betts Townsend Construction Project Management, the project was delivered on time. There were 237 rooms with 276 bathrooms to be re-vamped, including changing the water pipes to Geberit Mepla – this called for some creative inspiration. The Geberit Monolith sanitary module for floor standing toilets was the product of choice. This was the perfect solution to ensure a quick and easy revamp without compromising on quality, design and style.

2

Geberit’s own cycle fanaticFrank Jansen Van Vuuren has an extraordi-nary passion and gift for both Road & Moun-tain biking. Competing since his early teens on both a National and Regional level, Frank’s most memorable highlight of his cy-cling career thus far, is the year when he won 7 Gold medals in the Gauteng Regional Track Championships, followed up with 1 Gold medal and 3 Silver medals in the South African National Track Championships for various cycling disciplines.Frank likes challenges which is why he re-cently decided to successfully compete in several cycling events (94,7 road cycle challenge, two gruelling 24 hour mountain bike events and a relay event for 4 people). Frank Jansen Van Vuuren is not unlike Geberit with his commitment to giving back to the community and those less fortunate. He proudly rides to raise funds and aware-ness for “CHOC” – the foundation for chil-dren with cancer.

3

Simply Swiss winnerA South African – Stanley Smith from Life-time Plumbing in Randburg, Johannesburg, won the 2nd Prize in the International Simply Swiss online competition. An avid Geberit supporter, was rather surprised and excit-ed that he was one of the top 3 winners in the competition.He won a Swiss watch valued at over 15 000 ZAR.

→ www.geberit.co.za/simplyswiss

1

2

3


Products & solutions

Anything is possibleThe new Geberit urinal system

→

The central elements of the new urinal system are the two rimless urinal ceramics Preda and Selva, both of which were developed by Geberit. They have an inner geometry that perfectly matches the spray head – which has also been newly developed – and ensures an optimal flushing-out of the urinal, even at a small flush volume of 0.5 litres.

Both ceramic pans are available in three designs – with an integrated urinal flush control, with the tried-and-tested concealed urinal control or for completely wa-terless operation. The integrated urinal flush control – another Geberit innovation – is located in an easily accessible position underneath the ceramic pan, which significantly reduces maintenance work. The trap and spray head are also positioned with particularly easy maintenance in mind – unobstructed access is possible at all times without having to remove the ceramic pan.

In brief

→ Rimlessceramicpanintwomodels

→ Optimalflushing-outevenwithjust0.5litresofwater

→ Choiceofthreeoperatingmodes:aneconomicalwaterflush,anindividuallyprogrammablehybridmodeorcompletelywaterlessoperation

→ Fullfunctionalitywithloworevennowaterconsumptionthankstoaninnovativediaphragmtrap in the hybrid trap

→ Practicaldockingstationforintegratedcontrol unit

→ Easilyremovabletrap,allowingunobstructedaccess to the discharge pipe

→ Aestheticallyattractivesolutionincludingmatchingurinaldivisions

FlexibilityisthesignaturefeatureofthenewGeberiturinalsystem:asuitable solutionisavailableforvirtuallyanyrequirement and any construction task.Thecomprehensiveproductrange meansthattheplanning,installationand maintenance of urinal systems are allgreatlysimplified.

← The Preda urinal ceramic with an integrated control unit (left), as a concealed solution (centre) and in a version for waterless operation (right).

↑ The Geberit urinal system (pictured here with the Selva ceramic pan) offers sanitary engineers and plumbers the opportunity of implementing an optimal solution for any construction situation. This is due to the fact that all components have been carefully coordinated with each other.

RimlessurinalceramicsThe new Preda and Selva urinal ceramics from Geberit were designed at the studios of Christoph Behling De-sign in London. They are rimless, which reduces clean-ing work, improves hygiene and prevents the build-up of unpleasant odours. The inner geometry is designed for optimal flushing-out performance at minimal water volumes, but also works quietly and without splashes when larger flush volumes are used. Despite a uniform design, the differences between the two ceramic mod-els are immediately apparent. While the Preda model has a sleek appearance thanks to its compact dimen-sions, the Selva makes a more robust, solid impression.

Water-savingsprayheadThe spray head perfectly matches the sophisticated inner geometry of the ceramic pan. This means that optimal flushing-out of the urinal can be achieved –


even with just 0.5 litres of water. A further reduction in water consumption can also be realised using the indi-vidually settable flushing programmes, such as the intelligent interval flush. Cleaning and descaling the spray head is child’s play – just a few simple steps and everything is freely accessible.

FlexibletraptechnologyGeberit offers two different solutions for the trap: while the urinal trap is designed for conventional flush volumes, the hybrid trap offers full functionality even when little or no water is used thanks to its innovative diaphragm trap. Both traps can be removed easily from the urinal ceramic, thus giving direct access to the discharge pipe.

A trap adapter allows the hybrid trap to be used in ce-ramic pans from other suppliers, meaning users can benefit from the advantages of Geberit technology without replacing their ceramic pan.

InnovativeurinalflushcontrolIn the newly developed integrated urinal flush control, the compact control unit is located in a docking station underneath the ceramic pan. In addition to the control electronics, the unit also includes the power supply and solenoid valve. Geberit offers three different options for the power supply – a mains connection, battery op-eration or a self-sustaining power supply via an inte-grated generator. Subsequent retrofitting from mains operation to battery operation or a self-sustaining power supply is possible at any time.

The practical docking station offers easy access to the control unit, which can be removed and serviced with a flick of the wrist. Thanks to an automatic water stop function, the water supply does not have to be shut off in advance and the continued operation of in-row in-stallations can therefore be guaranteed.

Those who choose the tried-and-tested concealed uri-nal control with flush plate still have the possibility of selecting from a range of manual or touchless models.

EconomicalandeasytoserviceOn the Geberit urinal systems, all components are de-signed with minimal water consumption in mind and coordinated with each other down to the finest detail. Thanks to the low resource consumption and the pos-

sibility of supplying the control unit with power from a self-sustaining energy source that is independent from mains power and batteries, the urinals meet the most stringent requirements for green building. However, no compromises are made here in terms of hygiene. Both cleaning and maintenance can be completed quickly and easily, as the water-bearing components such as the spray head, trap and discharge pipe are easily ac-cessible.←

↓ The system comes with urinal divisions designed to coordinate perfectly with the ceramic pans.

→ The trap housing on the Geberit urinals is generously dimensioned and allows directaccess to the discharge pipe. The urinal ceramic does not have to be removed for maintenance work.

← While the urinal trap is designed for conven-tional flush volumes, the hybrid trap (left) offers full functionality even when little or no water is used thanks to its innovative diaphragm trap. A trap adapter (right) allows the hybrid trap to be used in ceramic pans from other suppliers.

↑ Quick and easy maintenance: the newly developed integrated control unit is located in an easily accessible docking station underneath the urinal ceramic.

DanielRaissle,HeadofFaucets&FlushingSystems atGeberitInternational

“Thissystemoffersbuildingownerstheadvantageofalwaysbeingable toinstallanoptimal,resource-savingsolution – and by resources I mean wateraswellasthetimerequiredforinstallationandmaintenance.”


Many customers have no idea that Geberit flushing systems offer them such a wide range of options. For this reason, Geberit is now offering additional support to plumbers and specialist retailers, helping them to advise their customers – and to boost sales in turn.


At your own optionGeberit flushing systems – a multi-faceted programme

The bathroom shouldn’t be just any old room. The cus-tomer has spent a great deal of time choosing the tiles that they like the most. The same applies to the ceramic appliances and bathroom furniture. When it comes to the washbasin and shower taps, they haven’t settled for second-best here either. However, they haven’t spent much thought about the design of the actuator plate and the functionalities of the flushing system.

Admittedly, these things rarely make it to the top of the list. However, they can really put those finishing touch-es on a bathroom that are the deciding factor in wheth-er the customer is completely happy. This is why it’s so important for the bathroom retail partner to give good advice.

Making a choice at the right moment saves costsIf a customer is only told about the Geberit DuoFresh odour extraction unit after the bathroom walls have al-ready being tiled, they will hardly feel like they’ve been given good advice. This is because they no longer have the option to install this functionality at a relatively low cost. The same applies to mains-operated, touchless actuator plates, or to installing the concealed cistern at an especially low height.

The situation is not quite so drastic when it comes to the actuator plates, as these can subsequently be re-placed in just a few simple steps. However, it’s still bet-ter for everyone involved if the perfect plates are used right from the start.

Useful information makes choosing easierGeberit knows that when it comes to making decisions, no two new buildings or major renovation projects are the same. Bathroom retail partners and specialist re-tailers do not always have the opportunity to advise their customers personally at an early stage. This is where Geberit comes in, providing support through a range of web-based and printed resources:

→ Digital showroom: www.geberit.co.za/showroomprovides an overview of Geberit’s concealed flush-ing systems and gives end users a sense of theirstructure. With just a few clicks, users can see all the functions, designs, colours and shapes on offer.

→ Customer flyer: this is eight pages long and pre-sents the main options that customers can choose,the technology behind the wall and the range of de-signs on offer. The flyer is designed for end users and can be attached to a quote, for example.

→ Brochure: this features all the actuator plates in their original sizes, making it much easier to pick the right one. This brochure is also designed for end users, as well as being ideal for use in showrooms and at exhi-bitions. ←

↑ This customer has opted for a Geberit DuoFresh odour extraction unit. The effective technology is hidden behind the wall.

↑ Personal customer advice is also the alpha and omega in the sanitary industry. With its easy-to-understand sales documents, Geberit provides sanitary professionals with valuable support.

→ A customer flyer about Geberit flushing systems: the range of options on offer is summarised on just a few pages.

Geberit Southern Africa PTY LtdP O Box 276Wendywood2144

T +27 11 444 [email protected]

→ www.geberit.co.za

za.e

n 0

9/2

01

5 ©

by

Geb

erit

So

uthe

rn A

fric

a P

TY

nLt

d

Still haven't decided? We'll be glad to lend a hand: → www.geberit.co.za/showroom

To some, they are just actuators; to others, they are one of the most important decisions in the bath-room. Take some time to browse. It's worth it – you'll be living with the result of this important decision for a long time.

Round, rectangular, with actuator buttons or touchless actuation: it's your choice. And you'll be astounded what Geberit actuator plates can do – except for their astonishing appearance.

Visible elegance.

At your own option.Geberit flushing systems

The particularly small Geberit actuator plates of the Omega series in conjunction with Geberit installation elements offer significantly more flexibility for bathroom design. This combination is surprisingly versatile with its high-quality design and installation possibilities, which adapt flexibly to your bathroom: top or front actuation, or actuation from particularly low.

Construction height 112 cm

Suitable for all Geberit actuator plates of the Sigma series

Height-adjustableHeight-adjustable

Geberit DuoFresh odour extraction

Prepared for electrical connection

Prepared for electrical connection

Front actuation

Front actuation Additional top actuation available with construction heights 98 cm and 82 cm

Construction heights 112 cm, 98 cm and 82 cm

Suitable for all Geberit actuator plates of the Omega series

Geberit Sigma and Omega concealed cisterns: both offer water-saving dual flush with adjustable flush volume

1 With flexible construction heights, the Geberit flushing system Omega offers solutions for nearly any installation job, even under a window parapet or pitched roof.

2 The Geberit actuator plates of the Omega series have an especially small, lean profile.

Complete flexibility with construction heights 112 cm, 98 cm and 82 cm. Additional top actuation available with construction heights 82 cm and 98 cm. Suitable for Geberit remote flush actuations.

1 With a pipe for odour extraction, a conduit pipe for the power supply and the Geberit actuator plate Sigma40, everything is ready for Geberit DuoFresh.

2 The touchless flush actuation of the Geberit actuator plate Sigma80 is fed with the necessary power from the Geberit installation element.

1

2

Geberit DuoFresh extracts unpleasant odours directly from the source and releases purified air back into the room.

For instance, with the Geberit actuator plates of the Sigma series, you can see what the perfect combination of elegant actuator plate and well-thought-out technology can make possible.

The Geberit DuoFresh odour extraction channels unpleasant odours through an active carbon filter and releases them back into the room – unobtrusively and freshly purified. As you can see, selecting the right flushing system has consequences – additional convenience for thewhole family, for instance.

Functional excellence.

→ More than 50 years of experience with concealed flushing systems

→ European leader in sanitary technology

→ Guaranteed spare partsavailability for 25 years

→ Tool-free final installation

→ Sound-optimised construction

→ Factory settings 6 and 3 litres

→ Water-saving settings from 6/3 to 4.5/3 litres

→ Awarded the Water Efficiency Label

82 cm

98 cm

112 cm

1 2

Geberit flushing system Sigma Geberit flushing system Omega


The new Geberit actuator plate Sigma30 is available in two designs, one with a single button for stop-and-go flush and one with two buttons for dual flush. Both versions catch the eye with their clean, linear designs.

The new Sigma30 was designed by the London-based studio Christoph Behling Design. It is based on the proven Geberit actua-tor plates Tango and Bolero, which are no longer being produced.

The dual-flush design is made of high-quality injection-moulded plastic and is available in six different colours. The version with stop-and-go flush is made of die-cast zinc and there are four col-ours to choose from. An optional insert for in-cistern blocks is also available for all Sigma 30 models. ←

Uncompromising simplicityThe new Geberit actuator plate Sigma30

Generously proportionedFacelift for the Geberit actuator plate Sigma20

Surface-even …… and also a retrofit solution

The Sigma20 actuator plate for dual flush has been given a design overhaul, with its two round, slightly domed buttons now considerably larger than before.

The Sigma20 actuator plate is made of high-quality injection-moulded plastic and is available in six different colours. Geberit also offers a version made of brushed stainless steel. The actuator plate can also be fitted with an optional insert for in-cis-tern blocks. ←

The installation frame for the surface-even Geberit actuator plate Sigma60 has been com-pletely redesigned.

It can now be installed in the same way as the other actuator plates from the Sigma range, with this process no longer involving any additional steps. This also means that the Sigma60 can now be retrofitted. The button surfaces can be made of glass or metal and are now available in four different colours: black, white, umber and stainless steel brushed. ←


← The no-frills flush plate Sigma30 fits perfectly into this guest toilet.

↓ All versions of the Sigma30 are available in different colours.

← Timeless elegance: the Sigma20 made of brushed stainless steel.

↑ The surface-even flush plate Sigma60 is now also available in umber.



Lighter, stronger, moreNew pressing tools ACO 203 and ECO 203 from Geberit

Less weight, faster pressing operations as well as more comfort and power – all this and more is offered by the new generation of pressing tools for Geberit Mapress and Geberit Mepla supply systems.

The new battery-operated pressing tool ACO 203 and the new mains-operated pressing tool ECO 203 from Geberit are more compact than their predecessors. This is also noticeable when it comes to their weight. While the pressing tool ECO 203 weighs a mere 2.8 kg, the ACO 203 weighs in at only 3.2 kg – including the rechargeable battery. Despite the reduction in weight, the tools are 10% more powerful, which speeds up the pressing process accordingly.

The improved handling and the lower weight are particularly noticeable when carrying out work overhead. Integrated LEDs also en-sure that the sections being pressed are well-illuminated – a welcome function when working in badly lit areas.

The Geberit pressing tools ACO 203 and ECO 203 are driven electrohydraulically and have easy-to-service brushless motors. The ACO 203 is equipped with modern lithium-

Securely snapped into placeNew pressing collars for Geberit Mapress d76.1 – d108Geberit has reworked its pressing collars for the pressing of large Geberit Mapress pipes and also improved their handling. No matter how the pipe is aligned, the collars are held in place by a snap mechanism.

The new Geberit Mapress pressing collars enable easy handling. Thanks to their integrated snap mechanism and compact design, they can be easily positioned on the fitting – even in confined spac-es. The new adapter jaws can be set more easily onto the pressing collars because the user can see the connection area clearly, and so will know for sure when the adapter jaw is engaged correctly. The new pressing collars are also lighter and more compact than their predecessors. ←

↑ Pressing collars in use on a large Geberit Mapress steel pipe.

← Geberit offers new pressing collars for the pipe diametres d76.1, d88.9 and d108.

← The mains-operated pressing tool ECO 203 (left) and the battery-operated ACO 203 (right).

ion battery technology, which enables up to 40% more pressing operations per battery charge. Furthermore, thanks to short charg-ing times, plumbers require no more than two rechargeable batteries in order to be able to work without interruption. ←

↑ Integrated LEDs simplify work in badly lit areas.

↑ Despite their compact design and low weight, the pressing tools are extremely powerful and incredibly robust.



Perfect overview for everyoneBIM data for Geberit products

In order to optimally support building owners, architects, engi-neers and sanitary engineers, Geberit provides parametric BIM data for all relevant products. This data is available for download free of charge and is compatible with Autodesk Revit, the world’s most widely used BIM software solution.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a method of optimising the planning, con-struction and management of buildings with the aid of computer programmes. This involves continually recording, combining and linking all the relevant information on the products installed in a building, thus creating a database that provides all par-ties concerned with comprehensive, up-to-date information on the building in ques-tion at all times.

The importance of sanitary technologyIn virtually all buildings, the sanitary instal-lations are among the key components of the technical building systems. The plan-ning work here is often carried out at an early stage. Geberit has therefore decided to record and make available the BIM data for all relevant products free of charge. The BIM data for the piping systems (supply and drainage) will be available for download

from as early as mid of April 2016, with the BIM data for the sanitary systems ex-pected to also be available by mid-2016.

Geberit provides its BIM data in the form of market-specific packets. These meet the requirements of LOD 400 and are compati-ble with the BIM software solution Au-todesk Revit without additional plug-ins from third-party providers. Regular up-dates ensure that both new products and additions to existing product ranges are al-ways included in the data packets.

Added value throughout the entire life cycleBIM enables architects, sanitary engineers and building owners to optimally exchange information as early as the design and plan-ning phase, thus enabling planning errors to be prevented and productivity to be in-creased. BIM helps prevent temporal and

spatial bottlenecks during the construc-tion phase. “The vastly improved planning security alone justifies the use of BIM, not to mention the time savings in the event of planning changes and when creating re-view documents”, said Michael Richert, BIM Manager and Coordinator at the leading Swiss construction company Implenia Schweiz AG. If the building data is also kept up-to-date beyond the construction phase, BIM enables efficient facility management throughout the entire life cycle. ←

↑ The many systems and components of a building can be displayed in a variety of ways using BIM.

↑ Thanks to BIM data, the facility manager knows what’s installed where in the building at any given time.

BIM data available from mid of April. To download, please visit: → www.geberit.co.za/bim


Plumbers in charge

A dream come trueA European sanitary professional in America

who own mansions there. For anyone hop-ing to meet this young entrepreneur in per-son, the best time to catch him is just be-fore eight o’clock in the morning. That’s when he meets up with his team of plumb-ers outside his company’s warehouse. All of them drive heavy-duty pickup trucks emblazoned with the name “kaufmann plumbing” in large letters, along with Reto’s mobile number.

After greeting his colleagues with a hand-shake, he talks to them about the work schedule for the day ahead. Materials and spare parts are then loaded into the trucks and the men are ready to go. With all of them working on jobs in different places, they soon lose sight of each other after a few blocks. Reto’s first port of call for the

Let’s flash back to autumn 2005 for a mo-ment: plumber Reto Kaufmann is in the mid-dle of preparing for his master craftsman’s examination. On a whim, he decides to en-ter the American “Green Card Lottery”. Luck is on his side and he wins a Green Card, which grants him the right to settle in the USA. A year or so later, now a newly qualified master craftsman, he seizes his opportunity and boards a plane in Zurich, taking his wife and child with him. The young family heads off to America – with no return ticket.

A typical working day in JulyThese days, Reto is living in the southern Californian city of Palm Springs, known for its abundance of golf courses, its mild win-ter climate and the long list of celebrities

→

↑ Five years in charge of a plumbing business in Palm Springs, southern California: Reto Kaufmann and his powerful pickup truck.

↑ Mansions like this one are often only occupied for a few months of the year. Professional facility management services are employed to maintain them, and they are amongst Reto Kaufmann’s most important customers.

Blue sky as far as the eye can see. A 400-horsepower pickup bearing your own company logo. And thousands of luxurious residences belonging to wealthy people whose bathrooms need to be kept in pristine condition. This may seem like a dream, but it is what Reto Kaufmann sees every morning when he leaves his home in southern California.

↑ Scheduling jobs for himself and his team, drawing up invoices, ordering materials – Reto Kaufmann does everything on the move.


day is a local sanitary wholesaler, where he picks up some spare parts for an exclusive kitchen tap fitting. He ordered the parts a while ago and they have finally arrived.

“Customers appreciate it when the contractor comes to see them in person.”

Personal contact with customers“While my team spends most of the sum-mer working on conversion and renovation projects, I mainly take care of the smaller repair and maintenance jobs”, says Reto. “Customers appreciate it when the con-tractor comes to see them in person.” Reto turns into the driveway of a residential es-tate and stops in front of a gate. The power-ful V8 engine rumbles away to itself with an earthy growl while he shows a security guard his ID and tells him the customer’s address. A few moments later, he is allowed through the gate.

“I’m here to replace the hose on a shower outlet in the kitchen”, he explains before ringing the doorbell. An elderly lady opens the door and lets Reto in. After exchanging a friendly greeting, they go into the kitchen and the new hose is installed in next to no time. Reto makes out an invoice on his smartphone for the materials and labour, sends it to the customer’s e-mail address and is given a cheque in return.

Different countries, different customs“Here in California, craftsmen are usually paid there and then”, he explains. “Custom-ers usually pay with a cheque or by credit card.” Before Reto goes back home at the end of the day, he posts all the cheques he has received during the day through the let-terbox at his bank. The money reaches his account a few days later.

When it comes to payments and adminis-tration, things are done differently in the USA compared to countries like Switzer-land. For instance, craftsmen are employed on an hourly wage, which is paid on a weekly basis. Reto thinks this is a practical system,

as it means he never has to stockpile large quantities of money in his business ac-count in order to pay out full monthly sala-ries. A specialist company takes care of the weekly payrolls, withholding tax and de-ductions for social security contributions. All Reto has to do is sign the cheques be-fore he hands them out to his staff.

Inside the homes of the super-richThe next address on Reto’s list for the day is in an exclusive golf complex. The owner of this millionaire’s mansion spends the sum-mers in Canada and Hawaii and employs a professional facility management service to look after his property while he is away. Reto has come here to repair a toilet flush and re-place a few parts on a kitchen tap. The facil-ity manager watches him while he works. “These facility management companies are my most important customers”, says Reto, as he dismantles the tap with the ease and skill of an experienced practitioner. “Each of these companies looks after lots of build-ings here in Palm Springs. If you have a good reputation with them as a craftsman, they’ll keep giving you new jobs.”

Plumbers in charge

Earning a living the hard wayYou can’t run a business without customers – that is something Reto Kaufmann knows all too well. He spent his first five years in California working as a service plumber for a company which is now one of his compet-itors. Then he was fired overnight. That was when he decided to strike out on his own. “The first two years were pretty tough”, he recalls. “I did everything I could to get jobs.” He printed out flyers and stuck them under the windscreen wipers of parked cars, as well as approaching virtually every facility management company in the area for work. He never let his phone out of his sight – af-ter all, as the saying goes: a missed call is a missed opportunity.

“The first two years were pretty tough. I did everything I could to get jobs.”

Eventually he had enough work to take on an employee. And then another one. Now he employs up to five plumbers at a time during the peak season, which is winter in the case of Palm Springs. “I think my busi-ness will soon be big enough to employ an office administrator to do things like take calls from customers”, says Reto, speculat-ing on the future. “Then I could take a week off and go on holiday, satisfied that the business is in safe hands.”

Would you do it again?When asked whether he would go back and do it all again, Reto responds without a mo-ment’s hesitation: “Definitely”, he says. “I’m my own boss, and that’s a part of my life I wouldn’t want to give up. Things are also easier here and less tied up in red tape than in Switzerland, which suits me.” He also likes the warm, dry climate in Palm Springs. Even when the sweltering summer temper-atures shoot up to well over 40 °C, he feels utterly contented.

“I’m my own boss, and that’s a part of my life I wouldn’t want to give up.”

Reto believes that craftsmen who have trained in Europe still have a good chance of forging a successful career in the USA. “Both employers and customers can soon tell if you understand your trade”, he says. “Once you have overcome the initial obsta-cles and gained a bit of a foothold, then you can really start to enjoy life here.” ←

← Most people in California live in their own home, which is why personal contact with craftsmen and plumbers is so important to them.

→ Reto Kaufmann doesn’t mind having customers watching over his shoulder – he gets on with repairing a cistern as deftly and precisely as a surgeon.

↓ Reto Kaufmann and his team are increasingly being called upon to help with conversion and renovation projects.

Cleverly saving waterUsing drinking water responsibly is a matter of global importance. As a result, less and less of this precious resource is used for flushing toilets. Modern sanitary technology ensures that everything works optimally regardless.

Today, each person in Europe uses an average of 18 litres of water for flushing the toilet every day. 50 years ago, this figure was around 70 litres. This enormous reduction in flush volume is due to the advancements made in the field of sanitary tech-nology. As a leading provider, Geberit has played a decisive role in shaping this development and advancing it across the board.

Understanding the toilet flush as an overall systemAs recently as the 1960s, around 12 litres of water were used for a single flush. With the introduction of the stop-and-go flush function and then dual flush, Geberit offered end users the opportunity to determine the flush volume for themselves each time they flush. At the same time, the maximum available amount of water per flush has been gradually reduced. For quite a number of years, Geberit has been supplying its dual-flush cisterns with a factory setting of 6 litres for the large and 3 li-tres for the small flush volume. This setting can be changed by a plumber, thus enabling the flush volume to be reduced even further.

Already installed millions of times over: dual flush for the WC. Geberit’s factory setting is 6 litres for the large and 3 litres for the small flush volume. However, this can be changed by a plumber at any time.

Predominantly made of recycled plastic: a state-of-the-art dual-flush unit with optimised hydraulic features.

Rimless ceramic appliance of the Geberit AquaClean Mera shower toilet with lateral water inlet: flushing of the ceramic appliance is quiet and thorough thanks to the optimised way in which the water is guided.

Manufacturer:Product category:Type:Model:Registration number:

GeberitWC flush systemFlushing cisternMonolithWS10008-20101026

Water Efficiency Criteria

Flush volume 6,0 lFlush volume 5,0/4,0 l

With flush stop functionDual flushing

Information about use and installation: www.well-online.eu.A Label of EUnited ValvesEuropean Valve Manufacturers Association

The European label for water efficiency is an important decisionmak-ing tool for consumers. All WC flushing systems from Geberit achieve top marks here.

The flush technology from Geberit meets all the re-quirements of an efficient water management sys-tem and is therefore used in green buildings all over the world.

A sustainable optimisation of the flush volume was only pos-sible by understanding the toilet flush as a system that com-prises all the components from the cistern to the connection to the sewage system. For example, the connection between the cistern and the WC ceramic appliance had to be flow-optimised in order to ensure that the ceramic appliance could also be op-timally flushed with 6 litres of water.

Correct dimensioning of the discharge pipesThe WC ceramic appliance’s inner geometry and surface finish are just as crucial for a good flush performance. Not all toilets achieve optimum results with a low amount of water. “Modern WC ceramic appliances are designed so that the kinetic energy of the flush water is virtually unchecked when flushing the ce-ramic appliance”, explains Hansjörg Rohr, Head of Product De-velopment for Geberit AquaClean.

When optimising flush volumes, the correct dimensioning of the discharge pipes is becoming increasingly important. If the dimensions are too large, sufficient flushing of the pipes can no longer be ensured with less than 6 litres of flush water. “A further, drastic reduction in flush volume has long been possi-ble under laboratory conditions”, explains Mario von Ballmoos, Head of Product Line Installation Systems. “However, practice has shown that the current factory setting for dual flush is on the money in most cases and invariably works within the overall system.”

50 years ago, a person used around 70 litres of water per day flushing the toilet. Thanks to modern flush technology, this fig-ure is now just 18 litres per day – meaning savings of around 50 litres per person a day.

Sustainable products



Reference object

A tunnel sparkling with light and colourLiving and shopping under one roof

The new Markthal (Market Hall) is the latest jewel in the Netherlands’ architectural crown. This huge building, designed as an oversized tunnel, dominates Rotterdam’s city centre. In addition to a market hall cov-ering 4,000 square metres, the new devel-opment at the Blaak metro station includes an array of residential properties, offices and restaurants as well as a supermarket and a public car park, giving it a gross floor area of 100,000 square metres. These are the kinds of dimensions usually only seen in vast Asian metropolises.

A colossal residential and commercial complex has been built at Blaak metro station in Rotterdam. The new Markt hal is a striking showcase of imagery and colour, but that is not the only impressive thing about it.

Markthal, Rotterdam (NL)

Building owner: Provast, The Hague (NL)

Architects: MVRDV, Rotterdam (NL)

Completion: 10/2014

Sanitary installations: Unica Installatietechniek, Rotterdam (NL)

Geberit know-how

Mapress piping system

Highly sound-insulating Silent-db20 building drainage system

Pluvia roof drainage

Duofix installation elements

Sigma01 and Sigma50 flush plates

Three questions put to Piet Looij, Project Manager at Unica Installatietechniek

Planning down to the finest detail The Markthal in Rotterdam is unique worldwide in that people also live above the gigantic hall. What installation-related challenges did you face with this building?On the one hand, the speed at which it was built. Each week saw eight apartments spring up on both sides of the market hall – resulting in ten floors stacked on top of one another within three months. Another challenge was the fact that the floor on the top storey was lowered by nine centimetres in the middle. We had to ensure that the water could still drain off as normal. This was not at all easy to manage in terms of sanitary technology.

The hall is built in the shape of a tunnel. Did this type of architecture impose special requirements?Yes. Due to the shape of the building, we had to lay the supply and discharge pipes on the upper floors in steps, so to speak. This presented us with a major problem, particularly when installing the discharge stacks – as we sometimes had to lay the pipes over one and a half metres in a horizontal direction. In order to ensure that there is still a sufficient slope in the pipes, we had to install branch ventilation pipes, among other things. In these cases, we relied on the expertise of Geberit to find the right solutions.

Which Geberit products were used here?We opted for the Silent-db20 piping system from Geberit. With this system, we can prevent an excessively high level of noise emissions from being generated in the discharge pipes, despite the building being such a large structure. The ducts in which the technical building systems are located are also very narrow. This could have compounded any potential noise issue. We also opted for the Pluvia roof drainage system due to the curved roof structure. The Pluvia system only needs relatively small pipe cross-sections and few discharge stacks to ensure that rainwater drains from the roof. This is a major advantage when it comes to buildings as complex as the Markthal. ←

↑ In addition to stalls offering culinary delights, the market hall is also home to shops, businesses and flats.

↑ You can tell from the market hall’s unusual shape alone that the sanitary engineers and plumbers were pushed to their limits.

Arranging the floor plans for the residential units proved a particular challenge for the team at the MVRDV architecture firm. In spite of the development’s unique struc-tural design, these needed to be bright and filled with daylight. In the end, the space was divided into 126 freehold units, 102 rented apartments and 24 penthouses. The apartments also offer spectacular views of the market hall. Large windows installed in the inside walls of the market hall allow resi-dents to look down on the colourful hustle and bustle below.

The interior surface of the market hall is clad in 4,500 aluminium panels, which cre-ate a distinctive atmosphere by forming a giant work of art with a three-dimensional effect. This artistic installation is called “Hoorn des Overvloeds” (Horn of Plenty) and it was designed by two local artists, Arno Coenen and Iris Roskam. ←

Large-scale production Geberit’s filling valves, known for their legendary reliability, are made at the Geberit plant in Pfullendorf in southern Germany. Each one of these valves is assembled in a fully automated process, after which it undergoes a thorough check before being packaged and delivered to the customer.

know- ow h - geberit...frank jansen van vuuren is not unlike geberit with his commitment to giving...

Documents