Yvonne Orgill, chief executive of the Bathroom Manufacturers Associations explains. “On the one hand there has been a massive push for sustainability. We have all seen the hikes in our household utility bills. Gas and electric prices have rocketed. So too have our water bills and householders everywhere are trying to meet their squeezed budgets. The newest water and energy efficient bathroom products are a boon to anyone contemplating refurbishing their bathroom since they can really save their on-going costs.”

There has also been the pursuit of ‘wellness.’ “There is an increasing demand for products which can enhance our state of well-being and improve our quality of life,” comments Orgill. “Bathroom designers now want to create products which really do make people feel good and they are designing wellness with sustainability, hand in hand.”

We have seen some interesting and quite major breakthroughs with some WCs now demonstrating super-efficient low flush volumes. The best branded products conform with all the regulations and are guaranteed to work. Dual flush volumes of just 2 and 4 litres can be found – compare that with the UK average of 9 litres and savings can easily be seen. Rim-less, rim-free or clean-rim domestic WCs have also appeared this year – those ugly dirt traps are being designed away.

Taps with built-in eco-click and thermo-regulating mechanisms are now quite common and eco-friendly shower controls and shower heads have enjoyed massive growth. Add to these the miniature glowing digital screens which tell you how much water you have used, or how hot it is, and digital technology really has arrived.

And in the bathtub itself, it was not so long back when the average new bath consumed 200 litres. Today, without much effort, you can find a really comfortable bath with a capacity of just 130 litres. Look a bit harder and you will find tubs which still perform with just 75 litres. It’s all in the design.

iPod-style touch-sensitive controls, built in water micro-meters, multifunctional products and truly intelligent solutions are enhancing our smallest rooms. Sustainability and wellness are going hand in hand in the modern bathroom.

Its an exciting time.