Should 1kWh of electricity be saved, we would reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emission into the environment by 0.5634 kg, helping mitigate climate change. So saving power should be one of the priorities to adapt to climate change.
Six years ago, the Department of Science
and Technology of Ho Chi Minh City started a research and development project on
smart toilet to equip Truong Sa archipelago and other islands of Vietnam.
The smart public toilets will
contribute to a cleaner city and create a cleaner environment.
“We have finished our mission and created a
“smart toilet”. The smart toilet is “smarter” than ordinary ones as it can take
advantage of solar power to operate, using a solar panel mounted at the top of
the toilet. Power generated from the panel is used to operate the pumping,
lighting systems, sterilization lamps and other electrical devices”, said Mr.
Phan Tri Dzung, the manager of the project.
The smart toilet has 12 important automatic
functions including: automatic flushing, deodorization and natural air supply,
automatic cleaning and drying of toilet seats, sterilization using UV ray (when
not in use), automatic faucets, automatic music system to create a relaxing
atmosphere.
In addition, the smart toilets do not use
running water for operating; it was designed with a special system for storing
rain water in an underground water tank for operation. Otherwise, in case the
location for smart toilet is unsuitable for building an underground water tank,
it will be equipped with a different water generating system, which applies
either sudden cooling technology or generating water from air compression.
To use such hi-end technology in the
toilets, of course more investment is needed; however, this is regarded as the
most feasible option in case the smart toilet is built in preserved areas in
which digging is prohibited such as cultural and historic sites.
Mr. Phan Tri Dzung also pointed to another
interesting feature of smart toilets – automatic waste treatment. Liquid waste
will be processed into type A water and evaporate into air. Solid waste
remaining after evaporation will be deposited and compressed. It is estimated
that this smart waste treatment system is going to function smoothly in 10
years before new replacement.
According to Mr. Phan Tri Dzung, the smart
toilet solution is drawing attention from German and Middle Eastern customers.
The Middle Easterners especially like the technology that generates water from air
and flush water saving of smart toilets due to the low level of rainfall in
their countries. The German customers have agreed to sign with Mr. Phan Tri
Dzung a collaborating investment contract.
Quite a few advertising agencies in Ho Chi Minh City have offered
collaboration, according to Dzung. These ad agencies agree to fund the
construction of smart toilets, in exchange for placement of their commercial
ads on the smart toilets. If so, the authority of Ho Chi Minh City will not have to use welfare
money to build those toilets. The only remaining problem is whether the smart
toilet will gain support of authority, so a system of smart toilets in Ho Chi Minh City could be
developed. Then, the local authority will be in charge of controlling the
contents of different types of advertisement.
