CASE STUDY
Pivot Developments Ltd and why they chose Zypho
Pivot Developments Ltd is an independent property development company established by seasoned self-building team, Richard and Laura Ellam. Founded in 2020, the firm is led by principles of sustainable design, and aims to take a ‘fabric first’ approach to projects by building low-impact, high-quality living spaces, which positively enhance the occupants’ wellbeing.
They are currently building a new development of four houses in Sussex, UK, all designed to be 50% more energy efficient and cheaper to run than the average UK home.
Laura Ellam, Pivot’s co-Director, tells us why they chose Zypho shower heat recovery solutions as an integral part of the Grouse Grange development: “We first encountered Zypho at the FutureBuild show in London. We already knew a bit about shower heat recovery, and it struck us as a really smart idea that aligned well with our ASHP (Air Source Heat Pumps used to provide homes with heating and hot water), approach and conservation of hot water. Another big plus is there is no servicing required so they can be boxed in and left, which is a shame as they look really good!
“We received rapid and detailed answers to all of our technical questions, which we found very positive and reassuring.”
“We’re very innovation-led by nature, and this technology makes a lot of sense: when you think about the amount of hot shower water that just goes down the drain every day, it’s such a waste! We should all be looking at smart ways to reuse some of that energy.
“We spoke to a few different providers while at the show, but we had the best conversation with Andrew of Zypho: it was clear that he had a huge amount of in-depth knowledge and experience with waste water heat recovery – he was passionate about it! We received rapid and detailed answers to all of our technical questions, which we found very positive and reassuring.
“Just having that extra level of interaction and response has been brilliant.”
“The houses we’re building are high-end from a sustainability perspective. As well as six Zypho units, we’ve included a variety of other eco and carbon-saving solutions, such as Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) and air source heat pumps (ASHP), as well as PV panels. The buyers will be very conscientious about energy efficiency and about cost savings, especially with energy prices currently going up.
“A big selling point for us with Zypho was the relatively short time it takes to get payback on the financial outlay. It’s important for us that the homes can function sustainably, from both an ecological and a financial point of view. We were very impressed that Zypho has a 2-3 year payback period, after which you’ve recouped the outlay and are still saving money on your energy bills.”
INSTALLING ZYPHO
“Supply and installation of the Zypho units has been easy and straightforward. We placed our order and received the shipment within a few days. We had the units delivered to our installers, Elite Renewables, who are working on the site, and we took photos of them being installed.
“The installation process was easy, with no snags or problems. When we needed to check anything, our questions were answered quickly and thoroughly by Andrew at Zypho, and again this was so reassuring; just having that extra level of interaction and response has been brilliant.
“At Pivot, we aim to be ahead of the curve on sustainable tech for housing, and we’re confident that Zypho, along with the other eco solutions we’ve installed in these houses, will make them comfortable and cost-effective homes for their future occupants.”