Embodied Carbon and Shower Heat Recovery for SAP Assessors and M&E Consultants

Tackling the Hidden Challenge: Embodied Carbon in Zypho WWHR for Zero‑Carbon Homes

Why Today’s SAP Assessors and M&E Consultants Can’t Ignore Embodied Carbon

SAP Assessors

SAP 10.2 gives points for in-use carbon reduction.

With the UKGBC, there is increasing pressure to provide credible, quantified upgrades and not just operational uplifts.

M&E Consultants

M&E consultants are tasked with designing low-carbon systems that balance performance, budget and buildability
Not just for operational energy, but also for the carbon cost of the systems specified.

Zypho’s plug-and-play technologies can deliver on both fronts.

Zypho Waste Water Heat Recovery: An Embodied Carbon Opportunity

Zypho has worked hard to use materials most efficiently in all our products.

CO2

For the Zypho horizontal models, the embodied Carbon present (made chiefly from Copper and ABS moulded plastic) equates to:

  • For the iZi30 horizontal model ~15.2kg CO2
  • For the Slim50 horizontal model ~ 17.3kg CO2e

The Zypho vertical models, are manufactured from Stainless Steel with some Polypropylene mouldings:

  • For the PiPe65 vertical model ~ 59.8kg CO2e
  • For the PiPe75 vertical model ~ 65.8kg CO2e

“Payback”

As soon as the Zypho units go into operation in homes, all our products have a rapid payback in terms of CO2.

The Carbon saving will depend on how the hot water is made. With the assumptions that:

  1. making HW costs 0.25 kg CO2 / kWh heat,
  2. the average household is using 1500 kWh HW / year on showering

For the Horizontals

The iZi30 saves around 30% of this (ie: around 450 kWh / year. This equates to 113kg CO2 / year saving.

As such, the “Payback time” = 15.2 / 113 = 0.13 years (1.6 months)

The Slim50 saves around 1/2 of this (ie: around 750 kWh / year. This equates to 188kg CO2 / year saving.

As such, the “Payback time” = 17.3 / 188 = 0.092 years (1.1 months)

For the Verticals

The PiPe65 saves around 65% (ie: around 975 kWh / year = 244 kg CO2 / year saving.

“Payback time” = 59.8 / 244 = 0.25 years (2.9 months)

The PiPe75 saves around 75% (ie: around 1,125 kWh / year = 281 kg CO2 / year saving.

“Payback time” = 65.8 / 281 = 0.23 years (2.8 months)

What Zypho WWHR Means for SAP Assessors

  • Defensible modelling. By using Zypho’s published embodied carbon data enables clearer Part L and SAP reporting outcomes.
  • Maximise credits.Combine operational gains with low-carbon embodied installations for stronger Part L and BREEAM returns.

And for M&E Consultants

  • Design with confidence.Zypho systems are passive systems that don’t require power supply, pumps, or complex control coordination.
  • Procure smarter. Their low material weight, fast installation and embodied carbon clarity help you meet net-zero briefs and simplify contractor handover.

Bottom Line: Act Early, Think Smart, Specify Zypho

Zypho’s WWHR systems allow you to achieve tangible reductions in both embodied and operational carbon, precisely aligning with the demands of SAP-10.2, RIBA 2030 and BREEAM.

Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)

Finally it is important to note from an Environmental Product Declaration (EPC) point of view that thanks to the passive operation of the Zypho unit, there is no running cost or emissions associated with operation.

Sources

  1. Embodied carbon is c.20% of UK built environment emissions; energy-efficient buildings may see 40‑50% lifecycle share Stroma+5UKGBC+5vbn.aau.dk+5
  2. UK government to enact embodied-carbon assessment mandates for >1,000 m² from 2025‑26 Stroma
  3. Industry shift towards whole-life carbon and supply-chain transparency (UKGBC, WorldGBC, ECHO) wikipedia.org+10UKGBC+10World Green Building Council+10

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