Whether it's for car washing, workshop floors or wheel cleaning – car dealerships use a lot of water. Most of the time it is drinking water. This is neither modern nor sustainable. Car dealerships have a huge potential for savings and could be much more conscious in their use of one of our most precious resources. We are happy to advise them: sustainability is an integral part of our consulting services. And our customers are doing really well with it. For example, the ahg dealership in Baden-Baden/Sinzheim was advised by us and was subsequently officially recognised by the BMW Group for its achievements.

Challenge: High consumption, low awareness

Far too many car dealerships still wash vehicles with drinking water, and not just in the wash bay. A quick steam-clean in the yard, wheel rims are pre-cleaned ... And the spray water? That simply seeps away. Over 150 litres of water flow through the pipes for a single vehicle wash. Yet clean drinking water is a human right and is becoming increasingly scarce in many parts of the world. Even here in Germany and Europe. Using it respectfully is an urgent necessity.

Solution: Biological water purification and rainwater harvesting

Car dealerships can save and reuse an incredible amount of water without compromising the quality of their processes. Thorsten Binder is a Senior Automotive Consultant at cotedo and recently trained our entire workforce on this topic:

There are many possibilities when it comes to water treatment. You have to find out which is the most efficient solution for the individual building and operating structure, preferably without moving tons of earth.

Result: self-sufficiency, better profitability – and a clear conscience

Anyone planning a new build or renovation should factor water management into their plans right from the outset. The ahg dealership in Baden-Baden/Sinzheim did just that. When the new building was constructed two years ago, following our advice, a car wash with a closed, biologically purified water cycle, including rainwater utilisation, was implemented. The effort was rewarded: ahg has subsequently been named an official Sustainability Champion of the BMW Group.

As our "water guru" Thorsten Binder explains:

This dealership is a prime example of practical sustainability: because the wastewater from the car wash and wheel cleaning is biologically purified in several stages, even the high-pressure cleaner can be fed with treated service water. And what’s more, the dealership can operate water self-sufficiently for up to six weeks.

Would you also like to benefit from lower water consumption and a better environmental balance?

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