November 28, 2013

SFA Saniflo recently donated a SANIGRIND PRO upflush grinder system to the SCI-Arc/Caltech team’s net-zero home entry for the U.S. Department of Energy’s biennial Solar Decathlon competition. 


A team of architecture students from the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) and engineering students from California Institute of Technology (Caltech) spent 18 months designing and building DALE – Dynamic Augmented Living Environment – a net-zero energy, solar-powered home for the competition.


The 600-sq.-ft. micro-house features two movable, independent modules that sit on a rail system, enabling the homeowners to expand and contract their living space.


“The use of the Saniflo grinder allowed us to facilitate the movement of the two house modules and enhance the possibility of our concept,” said Nicole Violani, public relations manager for the SCI-Arc/Caltech Team. “The product originated in Europe and while it has been used for years in the U.S., DALE has proven again that upflush technology is equally effective here in America. It integrated very well with our plumbing system, making DALE a reality.”


About the size of a briefcase, the SANIGRIND PRO pump can discharge waste water from a toilet, as well as other fixtures, such as a sink, a bathtub and shower and a clothes washer.