SOME LIKE IT HOT

Large commercial buildings generally require large numbers of bulky hot water cylinders or a complex piping system to deliver hot water to multiple kitchens.

The project managers for the BNZ fit-out, however, saw around this problem. They utilised the Billi Quadra Plus water management system from Merquip, which not only dispenses both chilled and boiling filtered drinking water through a benchtop faucet, it also provides hot water to the sink mixer tap and requires no cupboard ventilation.

The environmentally-friendly system uses about half the energy of other units through its patented thermodynamic heat-cell technology. This stores the heat generated during the chilling process and reuses it to preheat the boiling water. It also features a seven-day timer, to ensure that the appliance is only operating when it's needed. An electronic regulator guarantees hot water to within 1°C of boiling temperature.

Ross Merrick, managing director of Merquip, says that the Billi system was the obvious choice for the BNZ offices because of its environmental benefits, compact size and ease of use.

"Installing many cylinders or a multitude of pipes to deliver hot water to sinks in every kitchen would have been a waste of time, space and money," he says. "The Billi Quadra Plus system not only provides boiling and chilled filtered drinking water, it also acts as a hot water cylinder while using only a fraction of the cupboard space and significantly less energy."

Story by: Trendsideas