First Aquasim stone, the large water platform
Reproducing the complete water cycle from its collection on a rainy day until it is discharged into the drain including its circulation in plumbing circuits (possibly worn out, etc.), its treatment and why not even total recovery; this is the purpose of this unique equipment. Jean-Michel Axès, Nantes CSTB Director, explains: "Environmental water management, at the scale of a building and its land plot is badly known. Scientifically, it is a missing link in the chain. Aquasim has very naturally filled in this unknown." Now that collective awareness of challenges due to climate change and qualitative and quantitative degradation of water resources is increasing, we must admit that drinking water supply is a new challenge.
And if solutions already exist? And if we could optimise natural fresh water resources? Use rainwater, reuse waste water? And in passing, reuse waste? Scientists, local communities, water production and treatment associations, leading operators and network concession companies, manufacturers, public health organisations, housing suppliers, etc. would all like to be able to find an answer to these questions.
Full scale measures
Full scale research and tests will be organised around two major topics, namely building and building parcels. On the scale of the building, questions could be asked about indoor networks and the quality of water circulating in them; about recovery and the use of rainwater and recycling of waste water and waste, such as leaves collected from roofs. Research topics at the building parcel scale are different, namely the behaviour of evacuation systems in rainy weather will be investigated together with the "response" of the parcel to a specific climatic event (drought, severe weather), and also environmental impacts of waste will be included.
In both cases, measurements will be made at full scale due to the use of a set of sensors distributed on indoor and outdoor circuits of Aquasim and sending the data to a control centre. In other words, the process will be fully automated, computerised and controlled by a digital instrumentation and control system. Note that this process was technically designed and set up so that it is upgradable, in other words it can be adapted to problems that have not yet been found.
European ambition
Aquasim uses innovative scientific equipment to perform innovative approaches and investigations. Aquasim clearly acts as an important component of the technical European-scale water platform. Therefore, beyond financial and industrial partnerships, priority will be given to scientific partnerships including laboratories, national and international networks and any other scientific and technical community, because Aquasim does not wish to limit itself to "classical" participants in the water industry.
