The Studor P.A.P.A. System installed in a 9-storey residential tower within the Dubai Silicon Oasis free zone demonstrated a 40% cost saving over a conventional system due to a significant reduction in the length of piping required.
The 7.2 square kilometres Dubai Silicon Oasis complex is a 100% government-owned free zone in Dubai, which has created a hi-tech ecosystem in order to promote technological collaboration and innovation.
This residential 9-storey tower, built by Arabtec Construction,comprises 107 apartments and communal facilities, including swimming pool, sauna and gym. Studor was consulted at the outset, and demonstrated a significant cost saving plus the benefit of no venting stack pipes on the roof of the building (where the swimming pool and a recreation area were to be located).
Studor was also called on for a solution during the build, when a problem occurred with the pre-fabricated toilets, which did not have adequateprovision for drainage ventilation.
The Studor P.A.P.A. System was specified because it has been specifically designed to eliminate transient pressure problems in multi-storey buildings.Comprising 30 Studor P.A.P.A.s (Positive Air Pressure Attenuators) and 589 Studor AAVs (Air Admittance Valves) for this project, it was considered the ideal drainage solution as there was limited shaft space and there were difficulties in penetrating the roof of the tower block for drainage stacks. Branch vent connections were taken from discharge lines and AAVs were installed in the back shaft and ceiling voids.
Using the Studor P.A.P.A. System significantly reduced the amount of materials needed in the plumbing system, increasing plumbing labour efficiency and decreasing associated costs. It also allowed greater flexibility in the layout of plumbing architecture.
Removing the need to have one-to-one vent pipes to relieve negative and positive pressures, the Studor P.A.P.A. System provides better protection to branch fixtures than an open vent, as it senses pressure fluctuations at source / point of need. The Studor AAVs open and admit air when the vacuum effect occurs from the fixed discharge, then closes and seals air tight within the flow stop to prevent any transmission of foul air out through the device and trap seals. This equalises pressure within the system, protecting the water trap seals.
The Studor P.A.P.A.s work with the AAVs to protect against positive pressure transients. This allows for a complete sealed building drainage system without the need for costly or inconvenient roof or surface penetrations and vent piping.
This innovative solution constantly operates in order to maintain the pressure differential of the whole drainage system with the external environment below +/-100Pa, and will last for the lifetime of the building.
In a relatively simple residential building with only 9 storeys, the Studor P.A.P.A. System demonstrated a significant 40% cost saving over a conventional drainage system. The Studor P.A.P.A. System also easily resolved a potential issue of vents being adjacent to a roof top swimming pool and recreation area – a further benefit of the Studor P.A.P.A. System being no roof vents / penetrations. In addition, the Studor P.A.P.A. System provided a quick solution to a problem that later arose with the pre-fabricated toilets, which did not have adequate provision for ventilation.
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