Climate change means we need to alter our relationship with water: The UN estimates that the global water demand will increase by 55 per cent by 2050, while the reserves of available water will decline. Greater awareness of this vital resource for everyday body care, showering, bathing, and flushing the toilet can significantly reduce both consumption and costs.

Everyday water-saving tips

Not leaving the water running when washing your hands, cleaning your teeth, or shaving is a particularly effective way of reducing daily water usage. Taking shorter showers reduces consumption by approx. 12 litres per minute with conventional attachments. Repairing dripping or leaking faucets and attachments promptly or even to replace them with new, water-saving variants.

Faucets and showerheads to save water and energy

Innovative and water-saving solutions are the logical choice – whether planning a new bathroom or refurbishing an old one. They contribute to sustainable water use in the bathroom without reducing comfort. Washbasin faucets with AirPlus technology enrich the water with air for a full, gentle stream while reducing water and energy costs.

The MinusFlow technology decreases the water consumption of washbasin faucets and hand showers by up to 40 per cent and up to 60 per cent for showerheads.

Using less water in general leads to lower energy consumption as large amounts of water are often heated before use. The single-lever mixers in the energy-saving FreshStart variant mean that cold-water flows when the lever is in the middle position, hot water is only introduced when the user deliberately moves the handle to the left. The energy-intensive production of hot water is then limited to situations where it is needed.

Water-saving toilet technologies

Rimless toilets with a reduced flush volume of 4.5 litres are easy to clean using small amounts of water. This is in part due to the innovative, easy-clean surfaces such as the WonderGliss coating or the HygieneGlaze antibacterial ceramic glaze amplify this effect. The smaller button on the actuator plates with 2-volume flushing technology offers a flushing option of just three liters. The larger water quantity should only be chosen when it is really needed.

According to a new study from Houzz Inc., the home design platform, nearly one in eight homeowners have put their home renovation project on hold (12%).

Conducted in late August through September 2023, the survey of nearly 1,000 UK-based homeowners found that the top reasons for postponing projects include budget constraints, inflation and a lack of project urgency (34%, 33% and 28%, respectively). That said, a quarter of respondents completed a project in 2023 (26%) and more than half are either in the middle of a renovation project (35%) or planning to start one by the end of next year (26%). Fewer than 1% of homeowners report having cancelled a home improvement project in 2023.

Many homeowners prefer home renovations to moving, with more than half of the respondents wanting to stay in their current home rather than buy a new home that fits their needs (56%). Homeowners attribute this to financial reasons, including that renovating is a better return on investment and more affordable than moving (23% and 20%, respectively). A small but notable percentage highlights that their current interest rate is better than what is available today (6%).

“The demand for home renovations continues, but the industry is not immune to challenges posed by a volatile national economy,” said Marine Sargsyan, Houzz staff economist.

“Faced with inflation and rising interest rates, many homeowners have been forced to reevaluate their ability to pursue immediate improvements. That said, as homeowners choose to remain in their ageing homes rather than move, they continue to turn to industry professionals for assistance with necessary repairs and discretionary projects that improve their quality of life.”

Almost half of the homeowners will kick off renovation projects this year (49%), with kitchens (58%) and bathrooms (55%) topping the list. To tackle these substantial projects, 91% plan to hire a professional, including builders (52%), electricians (45%) and kitchen and bathroom fitters (42%), among others. Nearly half of projects planned for 2023 have a budget of over £50,000 (61%), and one in six projects has a budget of £100,000 or more (18%).

Of those who completed their projects, top challenges included finding the right professionals, sourcing products and materials, and staying on budget (53%, 36% and 29%, respectively). Other commonly cited challenges included trouble visualising the project before work began, feeling educated on the process and funding/financing the project (20%, 19% and 16%, respectively). Houzz Pro software helps professionals to deliver better customer experiences through visual tools, schedules and transparent communications to address these challenges.

*Data was sourced from an online survey fielded to UK Houzz users between 24th August – 5th October 2023. N=978.

PJH, a leading KBB distributor, has again invested in its staff Learning and Development (L&D) programme by enhancing its bespoke online learning platform ELSA (Engage, Learn, Support & Achieve). Elevating the online learning resource yet further, this demonstrates the company’s commitment to its wider L&D programme.

Investment in ELSA follows the platform’s success since its launch in October 2022, which has seen its learning resource modules viewed more than 54,000 times and over 31,000 learning tasks completed.

The new enhanced ELSA Platform now offers PJH employees the opportunity to earn Badges and Achievements as they complete various learning milestones; share insights and knowledge through Collaborative Learning with colleagues, fostering a culture of learning within the company; Expert Guidance, where employees can seek help and guidance from subject matter experts directly through the platform, making learning more accessible and tailored to individual needs as well as Virtual Coaching.

Speaking about the new enhanced ELSA platform, PJH learning and development manager Dawn Kennedy said: “The enhanced ELSA platform is designed to take employee learning to the next level and underscores PJH’s commitment to nurturing its employees’ growth and ensuring that they remain the company’s first choice. The new features take employee learning engagement to a whole new level and more importantly makes the learning experience more relevant than ever to an individual’s work and unique career path.”

Dawn added “ELSA plays a crucial role in complementing our face-to-face learning programme. Through its session scheduling feature, we can provide both pre and post learning experiences, even generate certificates, seamlessly integrating a blended approach into our learning and development strategy.”

The enhanced ELSA facility will be available both online and as a mobile app and continues to offer employees the flexibility to learn at their own pace and on their own schedules according to the diverse needs and time constraints of its workforce.

For further information on PJH, visit www.pjh.uk , www.partners.pjh.uk or call, T: 0800 8 77 88 99.

The Unified Water Label Association is supporting the UK’s first Water Night, an initiative launched by Waterwise to drive forward greater water awareness.

Waterwise has joined forces with The Water Conservancy in Australia to bring Water Night to the UK on the same day as it takes place in Australia.

The campaign asks people to sign up and support Water Night by turning off all non-essential taps from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on 19 October.

Supported by social media, the campaign shares statistics and facts about how water is used in the home to boost awareness of the difference between perceptions of how we use water versus how we actually use water.

UWLA MD Yvonne Orgill says, “We are delighted to support Water Night UK.  It represents a fantastic opportunity for us to reinforce our consumer messages on water efficiency, and remind people that they can save energy, and protect our planet by using water wisely.

“The Unified Water Label has been championing water efficiency since 2008 and is now supported and promoted by 160 leading brands across Europe with almost 18,000 products registered.

“The UWLA has played a huge part in encouraging manufacturers to innovate and bring to market state-of-the-art products that provide consumers with water-saving options without compromising on performance.

“In the last twelve months, we have made huge strides forward with an increased awareness across all sectors of the need to help consumers make responsible water-saving choices.  The UWLA has had more retailers, manufacturers, and distributors pledge their support to use the label and highlight the issues around water scarcity, driving home the message that for the sake of the planet, we must use water wisely.

“We would ask others to join us in supporting Water Night UK, together we can all play an important role to influence and educate consumers on the options available, and help them make the right environmental choices when investing in their home.”

www.uwla.eu