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Watt Plaza Is First Class A High Rise in LA Area to Go 100% Waterfree With Urinal Retrofit, Saving 2.2 Million Gallons Per Year

Posted on: Monday, 10 November 2008, 15:00 CST

The twin office towers of Watt Plaza in Century City are the first Class A commercial high rises in Los Angeles to undergo a 100% retrofit with Falcon Waterfree urinals. The resulting 2.2 million gallon per year water savings at this single building provides welcome relief for the drought stricken area and exemplifies the success of comprehensive planning by local officials.

This retrofit of Watt Plaza's urinals comes as Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), and Metropolitan Water District (MWD) are implementing a comprehensive plan, introduced in May 2008, to secure an adequate water supply for the City. As part of this plan, the LADWP offered a package of incentives for businesses and citizens to conserve water.

More than 13,000 Falcon Waterfree urinals have been put into action in the greater Los Angeles area, saving an estimated 528.7 million gallons each year. Local organizations that have led the waterfree urinal charge include Staples Center, Hollywood Bowl, Dodger Stadium, and Nokia Theater, and the Rose Bowl Stadium. Area school systems including Placentia Yorba Linda and Corona Norco have also adopted Falcon Waterfree urinals to achieve water conservation goals and reduce operating costs.

"Falcon's technology, track record, and impact on the environment speak for themselves," stated James Krug, Chief Executive Officer of Falcon Waterfree. "However, without great leadership, great technology never makes it to the forefront. The real heroes are Mayor Villaraigosa and the City Council, the Metropolitan Water District, and the LA Department of Water and Power. These leaders had the vision and foresight to provide a platform for Falcon and other conservation trailblazers to assist the City, as LA continues on its exemplary and necessary water conservation program. Together, we're proving that being good to the environment can coincide with being good for business."

The water savings due to the Falcon Waterfree urinals in Watt Plaza would fill 489 tanker trucks and operating cost savings are expected to be $10,000 per year. In addition, greenhouse gas emissions are reduced due to lower demand for energy that is normally required for water transport and treatment, particularly in high-rise buildings that rely on lift pumps to provide water service to upper levels. The water savings at Watt Plaza is projected to reduce CO2 emissions by 39,600 pounds per year, according to the Pacific Institute Water-to-Air Model, which correlates water and energy demands to calculate CO2 emissions.

The decision to install Falcon Waterfree in the 23-story pair of office towers at Watt Plaza initially grew out of concerns over recent water restrictions and rising water rates, according to Cameron Benson, General Manager for Watt Plaza. "This easy upgrade greatly reduces our building's total water use, something that anyone in drought-stricken areas can appreciate," stated Benson.

The waterfree urinals connect to the building's existing drain lines but other than the absence of flush valves and water, they appear and operate the same as traditional urinals. The $10,000 per year savings is a combination of water and sewer cost savings plus reduced maintenance costs because there are no flush valves to malfunction or break.

About Falcon Waterfree Technologies

Falcon Waterfree Technologies is the most popular and widely installed brand of waterfree urinal in the world. The company was formed to promote conservation of the Earth's limited supply of fresh water and support sustainable resource management. Falcon products are in use in 33 countries around the world, in stadiums and arenas, schools and universities, airports and every type of commercial and institutional facility. More information on Falcon products can be obtained at www.falconwaterfree.com.

Supporting photographs can be downloaded from the following links.

 CAPTION: Waterfree urinals were installed throughout Watt Plaza to replace water-flush urinals, eliminating 100 percent of the usual water and sewer costs.   -- http://www.falconwaterfree.com/press/images/FWT_WattPlaza_001-high.jpg CAPTION: Watt Plaza is a 23-story pair of office towers with a total of 920,000 square feet of space, providing workspace for 3,500 workers of several prominent businesses. This is the first Class A high-rise in Los Angeles to be completely retrofitted with waterfree urinals.   -- http://www.falconwaterfree.com/press/images/FWT_WattPlaza_002-high.jpg   -- http://www.falconwaterfree.com/press/images/FWT_WattPlaza_003-high.jpg Additional high-resolution images can be downloaded from the following web page:   -- http://www.falconwaterfree.com/press/images.htm 

 Contacts: Randall Goble VP of Marketing Falcon Waterfree Technologies Email Contact 616-485-6382  

SOURCE: Falcon Waterfree Technologies

Source: MARKET WIRE

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