Smart water
Michael Seum’s passion for problem-solving led him to create Grohe’s latest techno-driven water safety and security products
“Everything that isn’t found in nature has to be designed, so I’m always inspired to create new things,” says Michael Seum, Grohe’s Vice President of Design.
“I love to solve problems and to create better experiences for people, and technology used correctly can help us simultaneously enhance the experience and save the environment,” says the multiple-award-wining designer, who has over 50 patents to his credit.
“So many things influence my designs. Influences and input come from all parts of the world, as we are all so connected nowadays. I suppose the biggest trend, which is more a behaviour than a trend, reflects the nomadic lifestyle that we enjoy today – with so many people travelling and living in different places,” says the American-born, Dusseldorf-based designer.
“This is possibly seen in the design of all types of things, which are generally becoming lighter, more modular and flexible – giving the opportunity to mix and match them as space and interior design requires.”
Over the years Seum has designed for leading brands including PepsiCo Sports, Sterling, Procter and Gamble to name but a few. “We at Grohe are not necessarily following trends but rather social behaviour and environmental needs, and trying to adapt those requirements into our products, which are produced to be long-lasting, timeless and more permanent fixtures, with a lifespan of about 10 years,” says Seum, stressing: “Longevity is essential to us.”
“We are influenced by technology and we seek to integrate relevant technological advances into new products,” says Seum, who has been leading the Grohe design team for the past two years.
The designer explains: “We don’t just use technology for the sake of it, but rather to solve problems, which is how we approach the new Sense and Sense Guard. The Sense product detects water leakages and can be controlled via the Ondus app through a mobile phone. Sense Guard can detect a burst pipe and automatically shut off the water supply.”
“Today we are about using technology for a purpose, to come up with designs that are not just aesthetically appealing but actually improve the quality of people’s lives,” says Seum, adding, “Water consumption is a real dilemma and water wastage is an even greater concern.”
Another new product, Blue Home, which provides filtered, cooled and aerated or still water on tap, was developed by Grohe to reduce bottled water consumption and to be a more convenient solution for consumers. It has already bagged several accolades, including a 2017 IF Design Award.
“Sustainability is constantly at the forefront of our thinking and the amount of energy and indeed water that is required to produce the plastic bottles is phenomenal – they also end up where they shouldn’t.”
Blue Home’s technology is cleverly concealed inside a smart-looking unit that resembles a computer CPU; it sits snugly under a sink and provides perfect drinking water in a sustainable and conscientious manner. This is ideal for a market like the UAE, which has launched a programme to eliminate the use of plastic bottled water within the next decade.
Working in collaboration with Paul Flowers, Chief Design Officer of LIXIL Water Technology (LWT), Seum very much believes in ‘ design with a purpose’.
“As a company, we have taken a strategic decision to invest in water safety and to take an intelligent approach. This is a new business model for us and one that will complement our existing business.”
Having taken a new strategic direction, Grohe was one of the largest single exhibitors at the recent ISH show in Dusseldorf, where the company took the opportunity to launch its new intelligent ranges, including the new smart Sensia Arena shower toilets, Blue Home drinking water purification systems, and Sense and Sense Guard water detection devices – as well as the über-luxurious and extravagant AquaSymphony spa shower. This award-winning high-end shower provides a variety of sprays, from the beaded water curtain to the pulsating Bokoma, and has been designed to be a wellness area, complete with colour-changing mood lighting and a built-in Bang & Olufsen sound system.
The new Grohe Blue Home, Sense, Sense Guard and Ondus app will be introduced in our region later this year.
Blue Home is currently undergoing stringent tests in collaboration with DEWA to ensure that the new product is able to provide the desired quality/ results with Dubai’s desalinated water supply.
Now part of leading Japanese sanitary ware firm LIXIL, Grohe also presented its new range of smart toilets during ISH. The Sensia Arena toilet with built-in bidet is fitted with the latest sensors and has already scooped a few awards, including a 2017 IF Design Award. It is foreseen that this new generation of toilets, which feature smart technologies that offer elevated hygiene levels, will evolve to become diagnostic features, able to support health and wellness.
“Our aim is really to take sanitary products to the next level, where we are able to improve the quality of life and health of users,” explains Lina Varytimidou, PR and Communications Director, Grohe Africa and ME. She adds: “These days we need to think and act smart and offer intelligent solutions…”
As part of its CSR programme, the firm is actively involved in providing clean water solutions throughout the region and educating members of society on the importance of using water smartly and effectively.
“I love to solve problems and to create better experiences for people, and technology used correctly can help us simultaneously enhance the experience and save the environment.” - Michael Seum