Inside a Super High-Rise Water System: BERMAD Valves in Shanghai Tower

Background High-Rise Water Control Solutions

Shanghai Tower Water System

Today’s journey takes us inside the water system of the 3rd tallest building in the world, the Shanghai Tower. Designed by Gensler, this 632-meter (2,073-foot), 118-story skyscraper is not only the tallest in China but also a global benchmark for architectural innovation and sustainability. Featuring wind turbines, rainwater harvesting, and a high-performance insulated glass facade, the Shanghai Tower was engineered to be one of the most environmentally friendly high-rise buildings in the world.

The Challenge Pressure Management in Skyscrapers

Managing Tower-Wide Pressure

Designing a water supply system for an extremely high-rise presents unique challenges. The building required a vast and reliable water supply for fire protection and plumbing systems. Due to its height, the system was divided into more than six pressure zones, each with distinct hydraulic demands. The risk of pressure instability was a major concern, especially when pressure reducing valves (PRV) are installed in cascade.

The project highlights the complexity of water supply in high-rise buildings, where managing water pressure is crucial to safety and efficiency. The system also had to support a domestic water system design for high-rise buildings, ensuring consistent delivery across all levels.

BERMAD’s Involvement

In 2011, the design team, already familiar with BERMAD’s reputation, reached out to request a reliable water control solution suitable for a project of this scale. BERMAD responded by providing detailed specifications for its pressure-reducing valves for plumbing systems, which were later incorporated into the project design. Following an open bidding process, the No. 5 Subsidiary of Shanghai Installation Engineering Group Co. Ltd. was selected as the contractor. BERMAD presented the suggested solutions and submitted technical documentation to the engineering consulting firm PB (now WSP), which gave BERMAD high marks. This led to BERMAD being chosen as the preferred supplier, both technically and commercially.

The Solution 700 Series PRVs for High-Rise

Stable, Smart and Reliable Supply

Technical Advantages

In Shanghai Tower, the water system is divided into more than six pressure zones, a configuration that can easily lead to pressure fluctuations or valve hunting if not properly managed. To address this, we selected BERMAD’s 700 Series pressure reducing valves, engineered specifically for water supply systems in high-rise buildings. These valves are known for their proven performance in complex, multi-zone applications where maintaining stable pressure is critical.

The 700 Series combines advanced hydraulic design with a unique actuator mechanism that ensures consistent downstream pressure, even under highly variable flow conditions. This makes them ideal for managing water pressure in high-rise buildings, where reliability and precision must be guaranteed.

The BERMAD 700 Series stood out for several key reasons:

Superior pressure stability: Thanks to a uniquely designed actuator, the valve delivers consistent downstream pressure even under fluctuating flow conditions—a must for maintaining safe and efficient water pressure in high-rise buildings.

Enhanced durability: The diaphragm is protected from debris in the pipeline, reducing wear and extending the valve’s service life—a major advantage in complex domestic water system designs for high-rise buildings.

Wide pressure regulation range: The 700 Series can handle a broader range of pressure ratios than many competing models, making it ideal for buildings with variable demand and multi-zone distribution.

Over 200 BERMAD 700 Series valves were installed throughout the Shanghai Tower, serving both potable water and fire protection systems. Their central role in the building’s water distribution ensures reliable performance for daily and emergency use. By supporting both applications, the valves streamlined the booster system, reduced redundant infrastructure, saved equipment room space, and simplified long-term maintenance, key advantages in a building of this scale.

Further optimizing space, the Shanghai Tower team implemented an unconventional yet efficient design adaptation: using the same pump sets for both fire protection and plumbing water tanks. BERMAD’s valves enabled this integration without compromising performance, contributing to a more compact and efficient water pump system tailored for super high-rise buildings.

Partnership in Practice: From Design to Long-Term Support

BERMAD’s role extended far beyond product delivery. From the early design phase, BERMAD collaborated with the project team to shape the PRV specifications, a critical step as the tower was exploring new inspection standards for super high-rise buildings.

Over the past decade, BERMAD has continued to support the project through the supply of spare parts and ongoing technical assistance. For us, such enduring collaborations are more than a competitive edge, they reflect our commitment to every project we take on. We’re also proud to have earned consistent praise from the building’s owners, whose positive feedback reinforces the value of long-term reliability.