Nice look building – ventilation system built into the fabric (slats at the top)
Another day and another toilet. The toilet block at the National Trust site at Craflwyn in Snowdonia is now completed. This is a Don and Hall production and has some pretty snazzy features. Where to start?
How many toilets have their own hydro? Next to the toilet is a small ‘stream engine’ Peco Turgo hydro. It is currently rated to 400wp but with plans to take it to the giddy nights of 1.5kw. This system is also supported by 1kw of PV all of which supply the toilet block and a small service building. Finally it also has a small log stove in the toilet block feeding the hot water. (the service building nearby has its own Esse Iron heart for cooking and a log stove for hot water and space heating)
Local slate, stone and wood have resulted in a nice low impact building
But as ever the mantra is ‘first design the need out’ The water for the toilet wash hand basin and aerated showers (none needed for the toilets) is harvested from a near by mountain stream. In the design phase the team looked at how to treat the water. UV treatment is the default but this would add greatly to the buildings energy budget and so after much digging by Doug, Doulton ceramic filters were chosen. These don’t need any energy and filter out all pathogens. (needs changing and the water is tested) The lighting for the building is a combination of CFL and LED but they are on a DC circuit (less loss from the inverters) again quick win.
DC light switch, log water heater for the toilets (also electric heater supplier by PV and Hydro) ceramic water filter in the foreground. PV system cladding the log store. roof vent vowels for the computing chambers. Local timber and ventilation slats
Ventilation for the toilets and the buildings is provided by clever and careful design. Cowls on the roof sort out the composting chambers and nice architectural details on the front ventilate the rest of the building.
The building itself is made out of local FSC European larch and Estate grown oak. The old pig building hosting the showers and log stove has been adapted and repaired using lime mortar. the cladding in the shower wash down area is made from a recycled plastic. the roof for the building is covered in Onduline roofing (recycled cellulose material treated with bitumen)
the business end of the toilet
The business end of the toilets is nice and simple – NatSol composting toilet takes care of one function. Deposits are supplemented with wood shavings. The liquid side is separated and then treated via horizontal flow reed bed. ( no energy required – gravity and bacteria does most of the work)
All in all a nice project built by local contractors. Is yours Greener? (…and bears and woods don’t count)
previous bog blog as this site developed LINK
Oh and I forgot to mention the view from the bog. Dinas Emrys scheduled ancient monument and birthplace of the red dragon in the background. You can also just about see the hydro shed on the left (local power!) a toilet with a negative energy budget!
