On October 6, theAssociation québécoise du loisir municipal (AQLM) held its annual Excellence Awards ceremony. As the 2020 ceremony was held entirely virtually due to health restrictions, the 22nd Annual Conference on Municipal Leisure (CALM) was able to take place face-to-face in Trois-Rivières this year. Ten winners were presented with an Otium trophy, emblematic of the Excellence Awards, in recognition of the innovative and beneficial work of municipal leisure professionals.
Much to our team’s delight, Atmosphäre took top honors in the category of Innovation and Development Support, Business Partner. The award was won for the installation of two ecological toilets in the Louis-Warren & Mikaël-Kingsbury parks in the town of Deux-Montagnes.
The ecological toilet: Deux-Montagnes’ green choice
Last July, the town of Deux-Montagnes installed two Atmosphäre ecological toilets in Mikaël Kingsbury and Louis-Warren parks. This new type of public washroom, known as Técolo, is 100% ecological and works without water, electricity or chemicals, and no materials are released into the environment.
Driven by the conviction that every little bit counts when it comes to the environment, the general management selected the Técolo in a bid to reduce the ecological footprint of its municipal facilities.
We salute the ecological choice made by the town of Deux-Montagnes to provide its citizens with self-contained sanitary facilities that offer comfort and safety while preserving the environment.
More than just a toilet
This new dry toilet technology comes to us from Europe, and has proved its worth with over 1,200 installations worldwide and a dozen here in Quebec. The Técolo runs on thermal and wind energy. Its design separates liquids from solids by gravity, and its chimney captures the sun’s rays to evaporate liquids and dehydrate solids. Its wind-activated turbine creates a continuous flow of air, preventing the spread of odors and ensuring safe, hygienic use.
In addition to its ecological benefits, the Técolo is designed to offer a new, user-friendly public restroom experience. It is wheelchair-accessible and spacious enough to accommodate a stroller, making it easy for everyone to access and use.
Its installation represents a significant saving compared to the construction of traditional public toilets. With the Técolo, you avoid all the costs associated with electrical and plumbing connections (water and sewage), as well as building construction costs. Apart from cleaning the cabin itself, the system requires very little maintenance. The aim is to dispose of the dehydrated material once or twice a year. What’s more, the extreme simplicity of the system guarantees a long service life.
Congratulations also to the nine other winners of the Excellence 2021 awards for their projects and their generous work for municipal recreation!
For more information on the ecological toilet:
- See our Information Guide;
- Watch our video on how the Técolo works.
- Read our article “
Ecological toilets: what are the advantages?
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