A report on residential water and energy consumption has highlighted the emergence of more sustainability-orientated house buyers.
Research undertaken by Triton Showers has revealed a growing clamour amongst homeowners for products and appliances that minimise their impact on the environment. The findings, which are outlined in Greener UK Showers: lowering the water and energy consumption of showers in residential properties, highlight that 86% claim water wastage is an important issue to them.
David Tutton, Managing Director at Triton Showers, comments: “According to the Energy Saving Trust, 62% of a home’s water demand, as well as a large proportion of its energy usage, comes from bathrooms. This means that manufacturers such as ourselves need to provide a pipeline of sustainable products that allow consumers to make environmentally-friendly choices. Our research, in fact, shows that homeowners want to make a positive change, so it is up to everyone in the supply chain to help them do so.”
One of the challenges outlined in the report is a lack of consumer knowledge. In part, this relates to the cost of sustainable bathroom appliances, as 55% of respondents said they expected to pay more for eco-friendly products – even though this is rarely the case. Behavioural changes are also necessary to limit water wastage, and Greener UK Showers details how this can be achieved. For example, Triton’s development of its own online water and energy calculator is designed to provide a handy reference tool to reduce usage within a home.
David continues: “It’s fantastic that consumers are engaged with sustainability, and the fact that 80% said they want housebuilders to play their part really does underpin this appetite. But we have to help them to understand the impact that they as individuals can make, and how small actions such as reducing shower times by a minute can have a significant effect. It’s about ensuring customers can continue to have a great showering experience, all while doing so with a cleaner conscious.”
The Greener UK Showers report concludes with a detailed look at the types of appliances that are integral to reducing a bathroom’s impression on the environment, with electric showers offering the most efficient choice. For example, research shows that an average family of four could save to up to 48,000 litres of water per year by opting for an electric unit. That’s 0.31 tonnes off a home’s carbon footprint, which is the equivalent to a car journey from London to Valencia.
David concludes: “In a market where consumers are clearly concerned about their home’s environmental credentials, action on water waste will not just benefit the planet, but also the bottom line. This is where everyone throughout the supply chain, starting with us as manufacturers, through to housebuilders and those installing the appliances, has a responsibility, and indeed opportunity, to make a real difference.”
The report is part of a wider campaign by Triton, aimed at moving the dial on sustainability. It has partnered with the Carbon Trust, setting the challenging but achievable objectives of being Carbon Neutral by 2022, and Carbon Net Zero by 2025. In 2021, Triton attained the Carbon Trust Standard for year-on-year carbon reduction.
To download Greener UK Showers: Lowering the water and energy consumption of showers in residential properties, visit: www.tritonshowers.co.uk/greener-uk-showers
