Evaluation of the performance of plumbing fixtures in public sports facilities in Brazil

Abstract The performance of plumbing systems is directly related to water and energy consumption. Malfunction of components in these systems can cause water waste and discomfort to users. In this research, the performance of 607 plumbing fixtures was investigated in five public buildings focused on sports activities in the city of Joinville, Southern Brazil. The flow rates and leaks in all installed plumbing fixtures were verified. The measured flow rate values were compared to those established by Brazilian standards and by environmental certifications LEED and AQUA. Flow rates of showers with water at 40°±2 °C were measured in summer and winter to compare the performance of showers in different seasons. The flow rates in showers displayed worse performance in winter than in summer. Also, 30.9% of taps showed some type of leak and 77.8% of toilets trickled. Of all plumbing fixtures, 71.7% presented some kind of defect. The results presented in this study indicate the main problems related to the performance of plumbing fixtures installed in public sports facilities in Joinville and can be useful in planning building preventive maintenance and water conservation actions.

摘要 给排水系统的性能直接关乎水资源与能源消耗。此类系统内组件发生故障，不仅会造成水资源浪费，还会降低用户的使用体验。本研究针对巴西南部若因维利市（Joinville）的5座体育类公共建筑，对607件卫生洁具（plumbing fixtures）的性能展开调研。研究人员对所有已安装卫生洁具的流量及渗漏状况进行了检测，将实测流量值与巴西国家标准、LEED与AQUA环境认证所设定的流量标准进行比对。针对水温维持在40℃±2℃的淋浴器，研究人员分别在夏季与冬季测量其流量，以对比不同季节下淋浴器的性能表现。结果显示，冬季淋浴器的流量性能劣于夏季。此外，30.9%的水龙头存在不同程度渗漏，77.8%的马桶存在滴水问题；本次调研的全部卫生洁具中，71.7%存在各类缺陷。本研究结果明确了若因维利市公共体育场馆内卫生洁具性能相关的核心问题，可为建筑预防性维护规划与节水行动的制定提供参考依据。