1. Cradle to Cradle

Cradle to cradle is a holistic approach for a sustainable circular economy and one of the most important sustainable movements to emerge in recent years. It’s based on the idea of thinking and acting in cycles: as in nature, no waste is produced; right from the start, products need to be designed in such a way that all the materials and components can be returned to the cycle they were taken from.

In the bathroom sector, implementation of the cradle-to-cradle principle is still in the early stages. Some of the first approaches are being undertaken by bathroom furniture manufacturers. Products made of steel enamel or sanitary ceramic can already be 100% recycled via established return processes. The first shower tray manufacturer is taking its products back after use and returning the materials to the manufacturing process.

2. Sustainable Design

The climate, society, the environment, social justice, the reusability of resources and the circular economy are all important facets of sustainable design (or ecodesign). Products should be designed and implemented in such a way that they conserve resources and are not harmful to the environment. Humans, animals and nature should all benefit equally from these products. Sustainable design factors the entire product life cycle into its thinking. However, when it comes to products for the bathroom, the long useful life that should be striven for is both a challenge and a balancing act: on the one hand, as the bathroom becomes cosier, it is increasingly subject to the influence of seasonal lifestyles. On the other, a long useful life prevents participation in resource-conserving innovations – such as the numerous developments seen in the toilet segment in recent years.

3. The indoor environment

Everybody wants a nice home – snug, cosy and above all health-friendly. The air quality has a direct influence on wellbeing, not only for allergy sufferers. But the air we breathe – especially in indoor spaces – is often contaminated with many different harmful substances. Air filters help purify the indoor air and make it clean and healthy again – a particularly welcome improvement for anybody who suffers from allergies. Unfortunately, when it comes to existing bathrooms, it’s still by no means the case that a window is automatically part of the architecture. And yet a connection with nature is certainly desirable in the Sustainable Bathroom. The bathroom’s location and position within the building thus has a crucial influence on daylighting, a healthy indoor climate and general wellbeing.

4. Zero Waste Bathroom

Like the minimalism trend, the zero waste movement is rapidly gaining ground. Zero waste means not producing anything that has to be thrown away – especially when it comes to plastic waste, which often accumulates in the bathroom because toiletries and cleaning products (toothpaste, shower gel, shampoo, all-purpose cleaning products etc.) generally come in plastic containers. However, alternatives are gradually becoming available. Zero waste is therefore an interesting approach that can increase awareness of the amount of waste we generate and point out new ways to reduce (plastic) waste to a minimum.

When this principle is transferred to the bathroom, the potential for cutting down on waste is considerable because the products in question are used on a daily basis. The sanitaryware also has a role to play in the zero waste bathroom. A rimless ceramic toilet almost completely eliminates the need for toilet cleaner, for instance, while a shower toilet makes moist toilet paper superfluous and significantly reduces toilet paper consumption in general. Dirt-repellent finishes also make a major contribution to reducing the amount of cleaning products required and thus avoiding plastic packaging waste.

5. Water as a precious resource

Water is interlinked with the bathroom at various different levels. Water is the ideal medium for personal hygiene – we depend on it for showering, bathing, intimate hygiene, and washing our hands and faces. But water is also an emotional and health-promoting medium for upgrading the bathroom into a wellness room. And last but not least, water carries away dirt and bodily waste.

The potential for saving cold and in particular warm water lies in reducing the amount used; at the same time, however, it’s essential not to sacrifice comfort, convenience or the emotional component of water. That can be achieved with water-saving hand and overhead showers, thermostatic fittings, touchless taps, optimised toilets, dual flush toilets or opting to take a shower rather than a bath.

Greywater recycling – i.e. using rainwater or wastewater from the shower, washbasin or bath to flush the toilet – has not yet established itself. The double pipe systems required are cost-intensive and virtually impossible to implement in existing buildings.

6. Energy as a precious resource

Ensuring the rapid availability of warm water at the desired temperature can save a lot of energy. Relearning beloved rituals also makes a significant difference to the household energy footprint when you add up the savings over the course of the year. Do you keep the warm water running while you’re soaping yourself under the shower? How long does the perfect shower last? And does the bathroom really always have to be two or three degrees warmer than the rest of the home?

Thermostatic fittings and water-saving taps with innovative components (e.g. cartridges) are key products for the Sustainable Bathroom. But panel heaters and underfloor heating in combination with a modern and sustainable heating system are also central to improving the bathroom’s energy footprint.

7. The bathroom as a place to revitalise

Besides being the place where we clean and groom ourselves, the Sustainable Bathroom is a place for regenerating as well. Water and warmth have a healing, restorative effect on the human body. The private spa is both a retreat and a “fountain of youth”. Accordingly, the Sustainable Bathroom is also a powerbank and a stylish space for slowing down and regenerating, taking care of our health and recharging our batteries. In an ethical, health-related, social and therefore also economical sense, that’s an important aspect of sustainability too – and one that shouldn’t be forgotten.