Silver Sustainable Products, Projects and Green Design · 2024
Sustenta Bathroom Toilet
by Manuel Alonso Martinez Rivera
- A' Design Award 2024 Silver Winner in Sustainable Products, Projects and Green Design
- Awarded April 15, 2024
- CLIENT: Helvex
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 62,456
- Verification code 277CD0CC47 · Verify this award
About Sustenta Bathroom Toilet
Sustenta is a 2 piece toilet that aims to redefine eco-consciousness. It sets a new standard in water conservation by using 2.5 liters (0.66 gallons) per flush, which is lower than the actual ecologic toilets that range from 3.5L to 4.8L. This represents a reduction of up to 60 percent in water usage, marking a viable option for day a day sustainability. Recognizing the importance of water conservation and toilet functionality, Sustenta delivers a new toilet experience that also contributes to the preservation of one of the planet's key resource.
Within the evolving discourse of sustainable product design, Manuel Martínez's Sustenta Bathroom Toilet emerges as a thoughtful contribution to environmentally conscious bathroom fixtures that seamlessly integrates ecological responsibility with refined aesthetic sensibility. The design demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of how functional objects within domestic spaces can embody broader environmental values while maintaining visual appeal and user comfort. The sculptural quality of the two-piece configuration reveals careful attention to proportion and form, where the gentle curves of the bowl meet the geometric precision of the tank to create a cohesive visual statement. The choice of lustrous white vitreous china connects this contemporary design to centuries of ceramic craft tradition while suggesting purity and hygiene through chromatic association. The dual-flush mechanism, visible as an elegant circular element atop the tank, represents the integration of water conservation technology within an unobtrusive formal solution, allowing users to select appropriate flush volumes based on need. The presentation context itself speaks to emerging design philosophies that seek to reconnect manufactured environments with natural elements, as evidenced by the thoughtful placement of tropical foliage that softens the intersection between fixture and architecture. The textured wall surface provides visual interest through its subtle tactile quality, creating a backdrop that neither competes with nor diminishes the central object. This work invites contemplation of how everyday utilitarian objects might embody responsible resource stewardship while contributing positively to the sensory experience of inhabited spaces, encouraging viewers to consider the broader implications of design choices within domestic environments.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Sustenta uses only 2.5 liters (0.66 gallons) per flush, its performance is well below the consumption that is considered "ecologic" (3.5 and 4.8 lpd),which represents a saving of 60% of water. Water preservation is crucial, but so it is to keep the toilet efficiency at its most, so users can enjoy a high quality product and preserve our vital liquid at the same time. It was specially designed to enhance the water flushing force to maintain a total dragging and cleaning performance. Developed and tested to successfully comply ASME standards.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Product: 342 mm x 701 mm x 811 mm
Package 1: 660mm x 760 mm x 422 mm
Package 2: 360 mm x 180 mm x 425 mm - Tags
- sustenta, water saving toilet, 2.5 liters per flush, sustainable toilet, 0.66 gallons per flush
- Production Technology
- High quality vitreous China ceramicware, produced by molding. The toilet´s basin and trap are (like the rest of the main body) enameled to ensure a top notch performance. The shape of this product is based on efficent costs of production, so that it can be bought by almost anyone (280 euros - 260 USD) it uses the principle of gravity for its performance and several fluid dynamics analysis were conducted to establish the correct shape that allowed us to perform at low pressures and 2.5 liters per flush of water consumption.
- Design Challenge
- The hardest part of this project was to define, test and ensure the flushing quality with the lesser amount of water possible by running numerous fluid dynamics tests and make the pertinent changes to the physical / aesthetic design. Its shape answers to the premise of making a product cost efficient and with the less amount of scrap possible
- Project Duration
- The project started in January and finished in December 2023 in Mexico City, it was launched on mid December 2023.
- Operation Flow
- Sustenta creates a vortex which enhances the flushing force through the ceramic basin and trap in order to drag the waste efficiently, maximizing its performance, this keeps the basin clean and overall the whole toilet. It complies with the ASME standard tests, taking away efficiently 400gr of organic waste, with an overall dragging distance of 14m. Its best feature is the water saving rate, but also its working pressure, allowing Sustenta to fully function at low and high pressures (from 0.2 to 6 bar).
- Research
- Sustenta uses only 2.5 liters (0.66 gallons) per flush, its performance is well below the consumption that is considered "ecologic" (3.5 and 4.8 lpf),which represents a saving of 60% of water, having the highest water saving rate in the world. Its aimed to be sold in residential, institutional and public markets due to its working pressure rate (0.2 - 6 bar). It can save up to 88.2 liters per day (32,000 liters per year) for an average house use of 7 times per day. Saving up to 1,191,141 Mega Liters / year in Mexico alone.
Some of the crucial tests ran in a certified laboratory to ensure the quality and water saving rate were:
ASME A112.19.2-2018/CSA B45.1-18 tested/evaluated:
Gravity flush tanks
Water Consumption Rate
Drain line test (18 meters)
Waste extraction test
Granule and ball test - Inspiration
- Inspired in contemporary and metropolitan design, it has sleek, well defined surfaces made possible thanks to the highest quality in vitreous ceramics with long lasting brightness. Its shape was defined by production process to ensure the minimum quantity of scrap and a maximum quality efficiency regarding molding, casting, etc.
- Patents
- Patent Pending
Colors of Sustenta Bathroom Toilet
Get Sustenta Bathroom Toilet
Water-Saving Bathroom Solutions
We manufacture innovative bathroom products that reduce water consumption by up to 60%. With 75+ years of expertise, our sustainable toilets, faucets and sanitaryware combine superior performance with environmental responsibility, helping you save thousands of liters annually while maintaining…
G0E25 Shop