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Ecological concerns are top of the pile at present, as climate change continues to devastate communities globally – and governments continue to fall short of the mark in addressing it properly. As each of us shoulder personal burdens regarding carbon emissions and waste reduction, these habits have rightfully begun to impact other aspects of life – such as home renovations.
The bathroom is an unsuspecting room in the home, but also one with a great deal to answer for in terms of wastefulness. How might a new renovation incorporate ecological considerations?
Efficient Fixtures
The first point of address in most eco-friendly bathroom renovations relates to the fixtures and appliances themselves, and their replacement with efficient alternatives. When it comes to bathing and showering, there are two facets to creating an ecological solution: energy efficiency, and water efficiency.
This combination of bathroom impacts is what makes the electric shower such a common choice for sustainable bathroom designs today. Electric showers provide near-instant hot water at a relatively low energy cost in comparison to boiler-fed (hence gas-fuelled) shower alternatives – not only reducing energy usage and associated costs, but also reducing the amount of water wasted on the average shower. Of course, showers aren’t the only fixtures; some thought should also be given to your toilet, the flush of which can be extremely wasteful.
Efficient Electrics
The design of an efficient bathroom isn’t limited to these essential fixtures, either. The electrical demand of your bathroom in general is another vital consideration, particularly if you have multiple light sources plumbed in – each with their own associated carbon costs.
While halogen lights represented a leap towards energy efficiency after the sheer wastefulness of the earlier incandescent standard, another dramatic leap has been made in recent years with the design of household-friendly LED bulbs. LEDs are much more energy-efficient than any other alternatives, and could be used to great effect in bringing the electrical demand of your bathroom in general down.
Eco-Friendly Materials
In performing a complete bathroom refit, you’ll also be granted the opportunity to aesthetically lift your bathroom – allowing you the chance to do so in an ethical and ecological manner to boot. There are many renovation materials and products that create unnecessary levels of waste, both in their manufacture and in their installation.
Making shrewd choices regarding the provenance of your raw materials can help reduce the waste associated with your re-fit, while ensuring that it doesn’t generate waste the next time a renovation occurs. For example, reclaimed woods can be used for units and certain surfaces, being both recyclable and biodegradable over time. You might also source stone locally, minimising the carbon footprint associated with its travel. Even the paints you use for the walls and ceiling could be locally sourced from a charity or re-use store, to reduce chemical waste.
