Technology is helping us in many different ways in our homes and that includes within the bathroom. David Bromell, Head of Marketing at Roca UK, takes a look at the different technologies available to installers.
We are becoming more and more familiar with technology that helps us within the home. We can turn the kettle on from our bed in the morning, have an app to control the heating while we are out and even buy a fridge that keeps track of our groceries. Whether it is for convenience or necessity, technology is now an integral part of our lives.
You may not automatically think of installing technology within the bathroom, but it is something that should be considered. We now have the option to install smart mirrors, lighting, showers, or the latest innovative toilets. Products are being developed that incorporate useful, innovative technology that is easy to use and looks fantastic when installed in a bathroom. Not only that but they are also hygienic solutions to ensure our lives are as comfortable and safe as possible.
So, where do we start? Homeowners are looking for a number of things when they select a new bathroom. Functionality, hygiene and convenience are all high up on their agenda, but design, personalisation and technology are also key. Therefore technology that delivers both maximum comfort and a personalised bathroom experience is very important.
Touchless technology
With increased demand for high levels of hygiene as a result of the pandemic, one of the key trends this year is touchless bathroom technology. That is why Roca has introduced the EM1 Touchless dual flush valve, which offers zero contact and maximum hygiene, reducing the need to touch flush buttons. With a minimalistic design, the EM1 valve can be simply retrofitted to upgrade an existing push button to an automatic toilet flush button, making it quick and easy to install with minimal effort.
Playing music or a podcast in the bathroom can make the space personal to the user and bathroom furniture can now offer more than just space to store their toiletries. For example, Roca’s Stratum-N wall-hung furniture unit provides Bluetooth connectivity to integrated speakers. This allows the user to connect their phone to the unit and play their favourite music whilst bathing. Its hidden speakers project sound comfortably, yet effectively around the bathroom. The unit’s interior lighting offers the necessary level of brightness to assist the user when using the drawers.
Touchless tap solutions provide higher levels of hygiene and safety within the bathroom. Featuring infrared sensors, these intuitive products allow users to activate the water flow in taps using a simple movement without the need for contact, avoiding the spreading of viruses and bacteria. Roca’s range of electronic basin mixers, including the Loft-E and L20-E range, feature an infrared sensor which activates the water flow when presence is detected and shuts off automatically when presence is no longer detected, avoiding direct hand contact.
Shower toilets
Shower toilets are growing in popularity and as these technologies develop more consumers understand and appreciate the hygienic comfort and health advantages which are provided by intimate cleaning, using pure water. The main advantage of a shower WC, such as the Roca In-Wash In-Tank, is increased hygiene, together with that feeling of freshness which it gives the user.
The Roca In-Wash In-Tank combines maximum intimate hygiene and greater freedom of installation with a WC, bidet and cistern, all-in-one. Controlled via a remote, In-Wash In-Tank does not require a frame and can be therefore installed wherever desired offering better use of space within the bathroom and greater design freedom.
Water wastage
Developments in technology have also driven new, exciting product designs and have also allowed us to develop solutions that are more sustainable. There are products available that will reduce water wastage and will actually re-use water. For Roca, innovation has come in the form of recycling water used in the wash basin and reusing it to flush the WC in the iconic W+W model. The W+W basin has two wastes – the basin waste and one further down the waste pipe. The user has the option of either diverting it to the mains or recycling it by storing it in the cistern ready for the next flush. The unit saves around 25% water in a typical household.
Smart shower users can also customise their preferences and have a unique showering experience. Roca’s Smart Shower has a sleek, simple interface allowing up to three users within the same household to pre-set their desired settings including shower duration, maximum temperature and flow rates all based on their own individual needs. This digital shower can be controlled via an app meaning users can simply use their phone or tablet from a bedside to conveniently turn on the shower and activate the warm-up function. The smart shower not only caters for the entire family, but it also streamlines the bathroom’s functionality on a daily basis.
Incorporating technology should be less about gimmicks and more about technology that is going to benefit homeowners long-term. Anything that makes the bathroom experience more streamlined, functionable, relaxing and hygienic is definitely a useful product for installers to understand.
