PHAM NEWS | DECEMBER/JANUARY 2026 Energy Saving Awards 23


Water Saving Product of the Year


Winner:


Hansgrohe for the Activera shower range


With a mission to create bathroom solutions that combine exceptional design and performance with meaningful reductions in resource consumption, Hansgrohe’s Activera shower was designed to embody this ambition, delivering an invigorating experience while saving significant amounts of water and energy. Activera was conceived from


the outset to be more sustainable than conventional showers. By integrating EcoSmart and EcoSmart+ technologies, it reduces water consumption by up to 60% compared to standard hansgrohe showers. This not only lessens the burden on natural resources but also helps users lower their household energy bills. These savings are achieved without compromising shower quality. At the heart of Activera’s


efficiency is the flexible flow limiter, capping water flow at 8 litres/min for EcoSmart or 6 litres/min for EcoSmart+ at 3 bar. The Adaptive Flex Nozzle automatically adjusts to changes in water pressure, maintaining


Judge’s comment: “Hansgrohe’s innovation builds on customer research and the potential barriers that can be obstacles for water saving products.”


a consistent and satisfying spray while preventing excess consumption. Flex Technology enhances the Rain spray, creating a full-bodied, indulgent experience even at reduced flow. For brief bursts of higher power – such as rinsing shampoo – the Boost button or WaterBoost hand shower option provides flow on demand, ensuring water is only used when required. Activera also addresses a common barrier to sustainable showers: the perception that efficiency reduces comfort. Its


dual spray options, ImpactRain and Rain with FlexPower, along with intuitive Select controls, deliver a dynamic and customisable showering experience. QuickClean+ silicone nozzles prevent limescale build- up, prolonging performance and reducing maintenance. Combining water and


energy savings with comfort, performance, and user-focused design, Activera offers a practical and attractive route to more sustainable bathroom use in both homes and commercial settings.


Energy Supplier of the Year


Winner: Octopus Energy


Over the past 12 months, Octopus Energy has continued its mission to accelerate the transition to a cleaner, more affordable and more efficient energy system – not only through tariffs, but through technology, electrification, customer-led product design and widespread workforce development. The company has maintained a steady pace of innovation, expanding practical solutions that reduce energy consumption, shift demand off- peak, lower customer bills and support decarbonisation across UK homes. A central development this


year has been the expansion of the Cosy electric heat pump package, created to remove common barriers associated


Highly Commended: The Green Futures Initiative Ltd for the eco-cistem


Sponsored by


The eco-cistem is a toilet cistern that uses condensate water for flushing, saving mains water on a large scale and is designed to work with a building’s air conditioning units, which produce the condensate water. Developed by The Green


Futures Initiative Ltd, eco- cistem captures the condensate typically wasted from air conditioning systems and stores it in an 18-litre twin-chamber cistern. Up to 12 litres of this ‘free’ water is available for flushing, with a dedicated 6-litre chamber ensuring consistent performance when condensate is low. The system prioritises using captured condensate, only drawing on mains water when necessary, making it highly efficient without compromising flush quality.


tariff encourages behavioural change, providing eight hours of discounted electricity through the ‘Cosy Dip’ period. Customers have shifted 52% of usage off- peak – nearly double the rate of standard tariffs – easing strain on the grid while lowering bills by an average of 20%.


with low-carbon heating and to support large-scale adoption. The system – comprising the Cosy 6 or 9 outdoor unit, indoor Cosy Hub and Cosy Pod controls – is designed, manufactured, installed, powered and serviced by Octopus under one integrated model. By consolidating the full chain in-house, Octopus has lowered installation time and


Judge’s comment: “Octopus has a multi-faceted approach to reducing energy use focused on providing solutions that will lead us further on the pathway to net zero.”


complexity, reduced costs and improved customer experience through remote diagnostics, firmware updates and tariff- linked optimisation via the Octopus app. Cosy has been engineered to support a shift away from gas heating. When paired with the Cosy tariff, households can achieve up to 100% reduction in point-of-use emissions versus gas boilers, with running cost savings of around £300 per year and an average comfort satisfaction rating of 94%. A unique three-rate


Focus on skills To support scale, Octopus has invested heavily in skills infrastructure. Over 1,800 in-house installers and apprentices completed more than 2,500 Cosy systems and 100,000 other low-carbon installations last year. Training capability has now grown to 3,000 installers and 200 apprentices annually, supported by major investment in R&D, logistics and academy facilities. This approach addresses industry-wide workforce limitations, ensuring that growth in green heating is matched by available expertise. Alongside home heating, Octopus launched Solar Sharing, a first-of-its-kind scheme that enables customers with excess solar generation to donate unused energy as monetary contributions to charity. Built through Kraken


The eco-cistem is ideal for hotels, apartments and office blocks, fitting seamlessly into standard service voids as a concealed installation. Adjustable flush volumes between 2.5 and 6 litres, WRAS-approved fittings, and Category 5 compliance via KIWA testing ensure safety, reliability, and performance. The product is also eligible for BREEAM and LEED water efficiency credits. Early installations demonstrate substantial savings: 41 units at One City Park, Bradford, save an estimated 600,000 litres annually, while 49 units at the Majestic, Leeds, achieve 1.1 million litres per year. With no known competitors using condensate for toilet flushing, eco-cistem represents a step change in sustainable building water management.


Judge’s comment: “Innovative ‘Solar Sharing’ initiative with direct positive societal impact on addressing cost- of-living crisis and supporting vulnerable groups.”


technology, the system allows customers to select a charity, track contributions and monitor impact in-app. Since October 2024, 17,207kWh of donated energy has generated £2,581, thanks to 38 Solar Sharing customers. The initiative sits beside a programme delivering free solar-and-battery installations for Warm Home Discount customers, unlocking up to 92% annual bill savings for eligible households. Octopus Energy distinguishes


itself through scale, integration and systems thinking – combining product, tariff design, technology and workforce development to help households save energy, reduce emissions, and participate more actively in the shift to a lower- carbon grid.


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