PRODUCTS | Sanitaryware
BOLD, durable &
The focus on sustainablility in bathrooms often centres around water saving, but there is so much more to that conversation, especially when looking at sanitaryware. Vicki Evans talks to some of the KBB sector’s leading manufacturers for their take on how best to navigate this complex issue…
T
rying to be environmentally friend ly can be a minefi eld. With bathrooms, it’s not
just about water-saving, although that is obviously a key issue. Sustainable bathrooms are also about the lifespan of the products, materials used, cleaning that doesn’t use harsh chemicals, and creating a design that the customer won’t want to rip out in fi ve years. With so much to think about, it is hard even to know where to start. The topic of sustainability has increased in importance over the past few years with consumers much more engaged with the subject. Some may argue that it makes the retailer’s job easier, as their clients are already involved, but it does add an extra area of complexity to the design process.
“Most consumers are thinking about
how to live more sustainably and how their purchases can affect this, for both small and big-ticket items,” says Elina Enqvist-Twomey, leader, category UK, at Grohe. “Retailers can engage consumers by discussing the fact that everyone can make a difference with their product choices, and every small step can go towards creating big strides in terms of sustainability and helping combat climate change.” As much as the conversation has blown up in the past few years, sustainability has been on the minds of bathroom manufacturers and legis- lators for far longer, and they have been pushing for more ecologically acceptable options for decades. Martin Carroll, managing director of Duravit UK, explains the history: “Although it may seem as if sus - tainability and caring for the environment is a 21st-century issue, it
has been on the agenda for quite some time. Water preservation was a key issue back in the early Nineties, and research into low-fl ush toilets had already begun long before they became a requirement in new-builds in 1994.”
Water-saving
Over the years, there has been a push to ensure toilets use less water and offer the same fl ushing effi ciency without using gallons of water. The 2013 legislation by the EU says the legal maximum for water to be used in a toilet fl ush in the UK is six litres – something consumers are unlikely to be aware of. Water-saving is a relatively easy topic to discuss with customers, because even if they aren’t too concerned with the environment, a passing mention that these products
BC Designs has a wide variety of coloured bath options. In this design it is paired with the new National Trust tile collection by Sarsen Stone Group
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SUSTAINABILITY SPECIAL
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