38 TRITON SPONSORED RESEARCH
spread, with . saying they install low fl ow fi tures and fi ttings, greywater recycling systems, and smart water metering. 19.6% say they implement innovative plumbing designs, and . design water-effi cient landscaping. While rainwater harvesting clearly leads the way, the remaining options sharing a somewhat even split implies housebuilders are already considering a myriad of solutions, despite their desire for further guidance.
SHOWER SPECIFICATION PRIORITIES n terms of the design specifi cation of showers in particular, we asked respondents to consider a number of options, ranking each one as either very, fairly, not very, or not at all important. he factors most commonly ranked as ‘very important’ were operational effi ciency ., energy use ., and water saving . ignifi cantly, these all ranked higher than brand, availability, price, and familiarity. While it may be expected housebuilders would have a certain amount of brand loyalty or opt for the cheapest solutions, our research indicates that energy effi ciency factors in fact rank higher. The survey concluded by asking respondents to elaborate on what manufacturers can do generally to support them in the design and specifi cation of low-carbon homes. While once again comments largely centred around providing more information/ documentation/data sheets, other verbatim comments received included “provide comprehensive system-wide solutions” and sell low-water-use fi ttings. ne commenter said manufacturers should provide “shower trays and/or baths where WWHR is integrated in the tray/tub design itself for a plug-and-play install, in particular with instant-on electrical water heating.”
WASTE WATER HEAT RECOVERY (WWHR) espite the technology’s proven carbon-cutting benefi ts, waste water heat recovery (WWHR) wasn’t one of the top solutions picked by our surveyed housebuilders in order to meet upcoming standards. It is a simple solution to recycling otherwise wasted heat from showers, which also assists heating systems such as heat pumps because water does not need to be heated ‘from scratch.’ of respondents said none of their current builds incorporate WWHR, while at the other end of the scale only 5% say all their builds do. For the majority of the remaining respondents, between 31% and 70% of their builds incorporate WWHR.
Despite the high number of respondents not including WWHR at all, when asked if they believe it can achieve energy savings, a large number of respondents said yes. We did, however, receive mixed responses, with some revealing
verbatim comments including: “It’s one aspect in a complex system; one measure alone will have very little effect” and “it’s second in the hierarchy, we should reduce energy in the fi rst instance. ne commenter pointed out that t takes up too much space, is hidden and therefore any problems require ripping lots out. nother said or family houses and retrofi ts, it’s hard to install and less cost effective than boosting water heating via solar P. n blocks of fl ats with central heating, it makes more sense, as it can be integrated well with building- scale heat pumps.”
WWHR can work well in conjunction with electric showers, and . of respondents said they’re aware of the benefi ts of pairing the systems together. Despite this, our survey showed only 28.6% of respondents are installing electric showers, and the vast majority aren’t specifying WWHR systems at all. When asked to select all applicable reasons why they’re not utilising the potential benefi ts, . say it’s not their decision, and 24% say price is an issue. 18.5% blame a lack of choice, and 27.8% once again cite a lack of knowledge around products.
CONCLUSION
Housebuilders are facing a multitude of challenges, with Labour’s ambitious target of building 1.5 million homes alongside the decarbonisation of the grid and incoming statutory measures aimed at reducing carbon emissions. Whichever options they choose, the overall aim of water and energy savings is undeniable, with both already required in Parts L and G, and further extensions coming in the Future Homes Standard. Our survey provides some key insights into some of the more
specifi c challenges within the industry that need to be addressed to enable innovative, water- and energy-saving showering solutions to become more widely utilised. While it demonstrates a positive understanding of the need for such systems, as well as some of the solutions available, it also highlights some diffi cult obstacles, such as a lack of information from both product manufacturers and the government, which are ultimately holding housebuilders back. In order to drive the positive changes needed for housebuilders to hit decarbonisation and water reduction targets, our survey shows that better guidance, documentation, and even education is urgently reuired, to enable specifi ers and installers to drive forward and reduce carbon emissions by utilising the solutions available.
As part of this effort, in November netMAGmedia is hosting an industry round table discussion on water and energy-saving innovations in new build housing, including a range of experts in the fi eld, product manufacturers, and housebuilders. This will take a deeper look at the challenges and opportunities for the industry, collaboratively exploring the solutions that can help housebuilders reduce carbon emissions and save water without compromising on quality and performance.
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