Green your bathroom
WHETHER IT’S DESIGNING A NEW EARTH-SMART SPACE OR IMPLEMENTING SOME SMALL CHANGES, YOUR BATHROOM’S ECO CRIMES WILL COME OUT IN THE WASH
Sustainable ideas with soul
the master plan
An environmentally outstanding bathroom is born early in the process, with a design that makes the most of natural light and airflow. Bathrooms are a battleground, with insidious mould and mildew always ready to take advantage of an underventilated space. By harnessing fresh air to chase out trapped steam, you’ll win the war on mould, while taking the pressure off your extractor fan. Druce Davey of Greener Kitchens suggests louvred windows for maximum air circulation. “These allow the whole window to open, rather than half,” he says. Skylights are also brilliant when a wall of windows isn’t
“Tapware and toilets are all about style and substance. It’s worth spending a little more to make sure they are good quality” ~ Druce Davey, Greener Kitchens
practical – opt for opening skylights rather than fixed ones to invite in breezes.
It’s also important to keep a comfortable space between items to ensure proper airflow, says Daniela Santilli of Reece. “Avoid blocking windows with cabinetry, which will prevent both air and light from entering,” she says. Finally, remember bigger is not better if green planning is a priority. “You can reduce the resources used in your new bathroom by making the overall decision to build smaller and be more efficient with the space,” says Sharon Hamilton of Your Abode. “As a bonus, it will save you money too!”
wet, wet, wet
From flushing loos to gushing taps, the soundtrack of a bathroom is a wet one. The key to drying up your water wastage is WELS. The Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards scheme assesses the efficiency of tapware, toilets and appliances. Each product is given a star rating, from one to six, and labelled with their flow rate (for taps and showers) or litres per use (for toilets and appliances). With the help of flow limiters, modern taps should be rated at least five stars, which equates to four-and-a-half to six litres per minute. Showerheads don’t rate above three stars so assess them via their flow rate, which should be as close to seven-and-a-half litres as you can find. The good news is that a lot of time and effort is being spent on developing showers that save water without sacrificing that blissful feeling of pounding. Methven’s Aurajet technology does this by colliding jets of water to create a fan of dense droplets, while Hansgrohe’s Airpower showers mix air with water to plump up each drop for an indulgent shower without the green guilt. When choosing a loo, look for ones that only use three litres per half-flush. The Roca ‘W+W’ integrated wash basin and water closet ($7347, Reece) is the ultimate – it combines a sink and toilet in one unit and recycles the basin water for flushing!
greener gear
Finding the most eco-friendly materials to build your bathroom joinery can be complicated. A product’s green cred depends on the impact of its extraction, transport, manufacturing and disposal. For example, stone is great for durability, but it’s often transported great distances from the quarry. The most simple eco choice, says Druce, is a sustainable material like plywood or recycled timber. “They react better to moisture, so are a longer-lasting solution that can be renovated rather than replaced,” he says.
Look for FSC certified (Forest Stewardship Council) materials, to ensure they come from responsible forestry practices. For sustainably sourced, custom furniture, try Ingrain Designs (pictured right).
hot stuff
If you’re in one of the cooler states, you’ll need to incorporate heating
– but which option has the lowest environmental impact? “Underfloor heating is a good option, as it is a radiant heat and uses less energy to heat an area, unlike convection heating, which heats the air,” says Sharon Hamilton of Your Abode.
“Also, it can be programmed to come on when you use the bathroom and will then turn off, ensuring you are not overheating the space and not wasting energy.” Heat lamps and heated towel rails follow a similar line of reasoning; by just heating the person underneath the lamp and not the whole bathroom, energy wastage is greatly reduced.