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Grundfos Inaugurates Digital Lab In Asia-Pacific To Boost Adoption Of Intelligent Water Solutions

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

Global pump manufacturer Grundfos recently inaugurated its digital lab in Singapore – the first of its kind by the industry leader in Asia-Pacific – as a strategic initiative to drive greater adoption of intelligent water solutions in the region.

The lab will showcase Grundfos’ range of iSOLUTIONS products, which leverage intelligent technology to deliver optimal performance, greater energy efficiency and reliability. These products are used for a wide range of applications across sectors – from water distribution and wastewater treatment by water utilities, pressure boosting and heating, ventilation and air conditioning in commercial buildings, to industrial applications such as washing, cleaning and industrial cooling.

Key solutions on showcase include the Grundfos SMART Digital XL DDA and DDE dosing pumps, which enable accurate chemical dosage across numerous production processes including drinking water, wastewater treatment, and industrial processing, reducing chemical consumption by 5 to 19 per cent. The lab also demonstrates the Grundfos Remote Management – a secure, internet-based system, which intelligently monitors and manages water flows in pump installations through the interconnectivity of pumps, sensors and meters.

Kim Jensen, Regional Managing Director of Grundfos Asia Pacific region, said that establishing a dedicated lab in the region is a demonstration of the company’s confidence in Asia-Pacific’s digitalisation potential, as well as recognition of Singapore as the hub for this digital transformation, thanks to its Smart Nation ambitions. Asia-Pacific is poised for digital growth – by 2021, approximately 60% of the region’s GDP will come from products and services created through digital transformation1.

Through the lab, Grundfos seeks to demonstrate the value of intelligent pump solutions, with the aim of driving greater uptake among its wide customer base, which range from utilities and government agencies to property owners and major industries.

Kim Jensen said, “Pumps do not exist in isolation. We believe that the key to maximum efficiency is optimising the entire pump system, and not only the pumps. The iSOLUTIONS range aims to optimise energy and water efficiency across the entire system by leveraging connectivity, intelligent monitoring and commissioning wizards. Through our iSOLUTIONS portfolio, we have successfully delivered significant energy savings for our customers, whilst at the same time driving significant cost savings with optimised performance.”

The iSOLUTIONS lab will also play the role of a training facility for Grundfos partners and employees across sales, service, and production to familiarise them with iSOLUTIONS. Previously only available in Europe, the new lab will make iSOLUTIONS training much more accessible for Grundfos employees in the region, providing them a ready avenue to develop the necessary digital skills.

Kim Jensen also added, “With our pumps being such an important part of critical water infrastructure across the region, it is imperative that not only are we offering the most cutting-edge and intuitive solutions with the highest levels of performance, but that our employees are also equipped with the necessary skillsets to develop and service these products.”

Sustainable and economical – GROHE Blue® in office kitchens

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

New study shows that the carbon footprint of GROHE Blue® is significantly smaller compared to bottled water

When it comes to fitting out their premises, today’s enterprises attach importance not only to functionality, cost-efficiency and convenience but increasingly also to sustainability. Green buildings are an excellent advertisement for businesses seeking to demonstrate their environmental values to employees, business partners and customers. Local planning regulations, too, are increasingly geared towards eco-friendly construction and interior design. Minimising the carbon footprint is consequently an integral element of any forward-looking company’s sustainability policy. A recent study carried out by the Production and Logistics Chair of Georg-August University in Göttingen in cooperation with Grohe AG compared the carbon footprint of GROHE Blue® with that of bottled mineral water. The result: the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the GROHE Blue® water system are much lower. This clear benefit for the environment goes hand in hand with greater efficiency, cost reductions and comfort.

Scientifically proven sustainability

The aim of the study was to calculate the greenhouse gas emissions of GROHE Blue® and to put them in relation to bottled water. Between July and November 2013, the scientists of Göttingen University compared the carbon footprint of one litre of water tapped from the GROHE Blue® system with the footprint of one litre of bottled water. The scenario was based on the assumption of 30 users per day who drink one litre of bottled water on 220 days of the year over a period of five years. The calculation of the carbon footprint covered all five lifecycles of GROHE Blue® and of bottled mineral water, which range from production and transport of the raw materials as well as transport of the finished product to consumption and disposal. Another factor in the analysis was the geographic distribution of GROHE Blue® across the main output markets, Germany, France and the USA. The assumed consumption was 40 percent sparkling, 30 percent medium and 30 percent still water.

Based on these data, the scientists calculated green house gas emissions of 17.96 g CO2-eq/litre for GROHE Blue®. This is an impressive result, as the emissions are much lower than those of bottled mineral water, which range from 70 to 600 g CO2-eq/litre, depending on the type of packaging and the place of origin. Since GROHE Blue® does not need to be bottled and transported over long distances, it is clearly superior to bottled water in terms of sustainability. The study also shows that the values achieved by GROHE Blue® are even lower than those of conventional water dispensers, which range from about 35 to 50 g CO2-eq/litre. This means that GROHE Blue® allows users to save greenhouse gas emissions of at least 25 to 50 percent.

A versatile device for modern office kitchens

But this smart water system has even more to offer. The fact that it supplies filtered and chilled water in three different variants – sparkling, medium and still – directly from the special kitchen faucet means that the many different users in an organisation can enjoy their preferred type of water at any time. This saves the time and logistic effort of ordering sufficient quantities of the different types of bottled water, placing them in the various offices, storing them and recycling the bottles. Whether used as a regular refreshment for employees or placed in carafes on the conference table – freshly tapped, well-tasting water is always at hand thanks to the environmentally friendly and comfortable GROHE Blue® system.

GROHE Blue Minta

GROHE Blue Minta

GROHE Blue Mono

GROHE Blue Mono