Small Changes Can Make a Difference – Hansgrohe
Despite the Energy Price Guarantee being introduced in October, UK households are still expecting to see their energy bills rise significantly in the coming months. This, plus the many hosepipe bans implemented across the summer, has meant more people are looking closely at the amount of water and energy they are using and questioning where savings can be made.
Whether a customer is having their bathroom renovated or are simply looking for a quick update, being armed with the eco-credentials of products has risen in importance. Sarah Evans, Head of Product Marketing at Hansgrohe UK, gives her thoughts on options installers can suggest if called upon to recommend updates that can make a difference.
Where budget allows, an obvious change to help reduce water usage is to replace showerheads or other bathroom fittings with eco-friendly alternatives. For example, switching to a water saving shower from hansgrohe could save a four-person household over 1,500 kilowatt hours of energy per year for water heating, amounting to 8% of average total energy consumption.
What will make the most difference will vary from customer to customer depending on usage and what they are looking for in terms of experience and style, so it could worth having several options up your sleeve to offer when asked:
– EcoSmart Technology: water flow is limited meaning less water is heated, saving at least 43% of water compared to a conventional product. The technology also ensures a constant water flow, even when the water pressure fluctuates or is low – so user experience will remain the same.
– AirPower Technology: by adding air to the water that flows from the showerhead the amount of water usage is reduced without compromising on showering experience. The added air makes droplets plumper and lighter, creating a beautifully intense yet environmentally friendly shower.
– CoolStart Technology: by turning the cartridge seat inside the mixer 90 degrees it ensures hot water is flowing only when needed. When the tap is set to the middle position, CoolStart will only allow a flow of cold water, but once the lever is deliberately turned, the hot water will then be sent through the pipelines. This reduces the heating of water when not needed, and a four-person household that heats water with gas could save £52 every year simply by using a CoolStart tap.
Sarah, comments:
“The latest energy price hikes and even the hose pipe bans across the UK this summer may have made many customers stop and think about their energy and water usage and look for practical solutions for where savings can be made. Opting for a water saving showerhead can be an easy update for those wanting to save where they can, or, for those going ahead with a bathroom update as planned, knowing what to look out for and taking notice of the eco-credentials of products being chosen can add up to savings in the longer-term. And of course, picking products that will last is also important. Our products, for instance, carry a five-year guarantee so can be expected to deliver year on year.”
Sarah recommends her top 3 water saving products:
1) Raindance Select E Hand Shower (RRP £125.20 incl VAT)
2) Croma E Overhead Shower 280 with EcoSmart (RRP £427.99 incl VAT)
If customers are looking to save water without compromising on the shower style they have in mind, hansgrohe products with AirPower technology (including the Croma E 280) use less water with more air for the ultimate showering experience. Croma E is also available with EcoSmart technology, so consumers can save even more water while maintaining the luxury shower experience.
3) Rebris S Single lever basin mixer 110 CoolStart EcoSmart+ (RRP £128.00 incl VAT)
Rebris is the new range of taps from hansgrohe that not only impress with sophisticated product design, but also reduce water and energy consumption with innovative EcoSmart and CoolStart technology. Hansgrohe taps with CoolStart technology automatically reduce energy consumption, with hot water only flowing when needed. Rebris is also available with the latest EcoSmart+ technology, designed to reduce water usage even further – to just 4 litres per minute at 3 bar standard pressure.