Yzabelle Bostyn
A YOUNG Spaniard has invented an incredible device which reduces home water consumption by up to 50%.
Climate change, high temperatures and a severe lack of rainfall are making drinking water more and more scarce around the world.
To solve the problem, product designers are rushing to create new technologies such as plugs and bottles that purify water and machines that produce up to 500 litres a day.
At the forefront of this innovation is a Spanish student who has come up with an invention to reduce home water consumption by over 50% at the University of Bristol.
Martin Bello Urbez, has created an ingenious roof tile to collect and store rainwater to reduce dependence on drinking water in the home and mitigate the effects of drought.
He has even submitted the device to the renowned James Dyson Award which has produced some revolutionary designs.
Martin, who studies Product Design, came up with the idea when comparing his hometown, Valencia to Bristol.
He told El Español: “In Valencia water is a very precious but also very scarce commodity. Here, on the other hand, it rains all the time, but rainwater is rarely used.”
Inspired by solar panels, plants and the way lizards collect and filter water in dry environments, the young student designed the innovative device.
He used biometric principles, replicating nature to solve humankind’s problems.
A self-sufficient system, the design aims to efficiently collect, filter and use rainwater for the domestic environment.
He hopes it will ‘promote sustainability in the domestic environment’ and ‘reduce dependence on centralised water systems.’
The main tile component captures rainwater and filters it through a two-stage process.
Firstly, a filter removes large particles and pollutants, followed by a second filter which ensures the water is suitable for storage in a modular tank.
This ensures the water can be used in the home.
The size of the tile and modular tank can be modified depending on household water usafe and roof size.
A regular tank holds up to 500 litres of water, but is modular and can be modified based on the household’s usage.
Light and easy to use, the design is kitted out with everything you could need, including water spillways in case of overflow, thermal insulation and barriers to stop rodents or insects getting in.
The only prerequisite to install Martin’s device is that the house has a roof and uses tiles.
According to him, his invention could reduce household water consumption by up to 51%.
He said: “Surprisingly, much of the water consumption inside a house does not require drinking water. It is possible to flush the toilet and wash clothes with rainwater, provided it is properly filtered and treated.”
Unlike other similar devices, Martin’s project uses no extra energy, instead relying on the natural flow of the water.
His innovative roof tile has already been widely recognised, winning the Panasonic Design Impact Award and being shortlisted for the Royal Society of Arts, Student Design Awards, which will be presented at the end of the year.
Always good to see an innovative invention designed to help solving an issue. I do wonder if this is going to be as useful here in Spain with so many residents living in apartments. If he would like to apply his genius to inventing something that recycles the water was wasted by millions of Spanish households, especially in the cooler months, when around 2 litres of cold water goes down the drain every time when waiting for warm water to arrive from he hot water tap, he will be acclaimed a hero!