Home Smart 100 2014 Hydrowall (WA) — 2014 SMART 100

Hydrowall (WA) — 2014 SMART 100

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This SMART 100 profile and the information it contains is a duplication of content submitted by the applicant during the entry process. As a function of entry, applicants were required to declare that all details are factually correct, do not infringe on another’s intellectual property and are not unlawful, threatening, defamatory, invasive of privacy, obscene, or otherwise objectionable. Some profiles have been edited for reasons of space and clarity.

1. THE BEGINNING

This innovation came to life when…

My father and I (both architects) decided to make a very simple building system around 2003. We then thought about how to make it better and came upon the idea of storing water inside. Ten years later we finally have a product ready for market. It has taken this long to develop a system that was both simple to install and competitive with traditional building systems. My father died in 2010 but I continued development and now finally have a product ready for market.

2. WHAT & HOW

The purpose of this innovation is to…

Hydrowall is a load-bearing water tank and modular wall panel. It allows unskilled labour and DIYers to build walls and fences quickly, cheaply and easily with the added benefits of storing rainwater for reuse around the home.

It does this by…

Hydrowall is a kit form module available in a range of heights from 1.8m to 3m. The modules simply click together to create a wall frame that will store water and be strong enough to support a roof. The wall can be covered in standard cladding materials to match your home and is about the same price as bricks.

3. PURPOSE & BENEFITS

This innovation improves on what came before because…

Hydrowall is the first load-bearing water tank. Other slimline tanks are not structural and are bulky to transport. Our flatpack modules can be easily assembled to store as much or as little water as required. The cost is about the same as bricks but installed in hours instead of weeks, and has the added benefit of storing water.

Its various benefits to the customer/end-user include…

  • Easy to install by non-skilled labour and DIYers
  • Load bearing structure supports the roof
  • Modular design can be arranged to include corners, windows, doors and fences
  • Saves space and money compared to other options
  • ‘Codemark’ approved

4. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

In the past, this problem was solved by…

Hiring a bricklayer or builder to build your walls or fences and then buying a large unsightly water tank that would take up a lot of space, or cost a lot to put underground. Other slimline tanks can be used as fences, but are usually made from polyethylene which cannot be painted or clad and looks unsightly.

Its predecessors/competitors include…

There is no other ‘off-the-shelf’ way to build a home with water tanks. It may be possible to use a competitor’s slimline water tank as an infill panel between structural columns or inside another wall.
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5. TARGET MARKET

It is made for…

Current target market is innovative designers and DIYers who want to build fences, garages, renovation projects or new homes. We would like to develope the market so that kit homes have the option of a Hydrowall fence or garage. A 6x6m garage holds around 15,000 litres and is enough to supply the average home for about 80% of the year. They are available in food grade for drinking quality or a standard grade that is cheaper, and can be used for watering gardens, flushing toilets, topping up the pool and other non-food uses.

It is available for sale through…

Hydrowall Kits are available directly from hydrowall.com.au and can be transported around Australia. We can also put you in touch with installers.

Our marketing strategy is to…

We have gathered about 2,000 leads over three years from people registering their interest in the product. We are following up these ‘pioneers’ and hope to have a personal involvement in their projects. We then hope to work with innovative home builders to incorporate the Hydrowall as part of their design range.

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FINE PRINT
This SMART 100 profile and the information it contains is a duplication of content submitted by the applicant during the entry process. As a function of entry, applicants were required to declare that all details are factually correct, do not infringe on another’s intellectual property and are not unlawful, threatening, defamatory, invasive of privacy, obscene, or otherwise objectionable. Some profiles have been edited for reasons of space and clarity.