Easing Water Woes

With the recent drought conditions in the Southeast and ongoing water concerns in the Southwest and California, water conservation has become extremely important to many home buyers. In just one water district in northeastern Florida, the average person uses 54,000 gallons of water a year, an amount that could be dramatically lowered without giving up comfort or function. New homes have a distinct advantage over older, existing homes in this area. Many local building codes now require new houses to be built with more efficient toilets, faucets and shower heads. Since water-saving features are the standard for today's builder, saving water doesn't mean giving up on convenience or great design.

Just by offering your customers Energy Star-rated appliances, you're helping them save water every time they wash a load of dishes or laundry. Energy Star-qualified dishwashers, for example, typically use a third less water than non-qualified models. Plus, they're designed to eliminate the need for pre-rinsing dishes before loading the dishwasher, which can save up to 20 gallons of water for every load.

High-quality appliances, such as Miele dishwashers, are designed to meet the need to save water and to give buyers a beautiful addition to their kitchen, whatever the style. "Over time, Miele has reduced water consumption over 50 percent," says company spokesperson Lori Dolnick. "We have a long history of environmental sensitivity. And there are so many options for integration. There are a lot of exciting ways to use these products."

At Alys Beach, a sustainable community on the Gulf coast of the Florida Panhandle, high-end plumbing fixtures are specified by the architects for the design features and performance. But saving water is an equal priority, and environmental program manager Christian Wagley says it's gotten easier to do that in the three years since the community opened.

"We've switched to more efficient toilets; there are more choices now," Wagley says. "As an example of the quality – we put dual flush in our development offices here. With the toilets that were here before, the plumber was here everyday. We put in dual flush toilets and the plumber hasn't been here once in 2 ½ years. They've performed flawlessly. … Just in the last six to eight months, we've been specifying them in all our buildings. We think we can meet the (architects') needs and save water at the same time."

Moen's new cottage-style Rothbury Collection is a perfect example of how easy it is for offer buyers great design and water conservation at the same time. Particular attention was paid to detailing, with such features as low-arc spouts, crisp lines and a scalloped, layered design at the base of the handles and faucets. Hidden inside the elegant design is Moen's first water-saving, 1.5 gallon per minute aerator; traditional aerators flow at 2.2 gallons per minute. The water savings don't come at any sacrifice to function, either, says Jerry Capasso, Moen's wholesale bath product manager. The aerator doesn't produce any noticeable change in traditional water pressure or flow, "so homeowners will still be able to conduct their normal bathroom activities, such as washing their face or brushing their teeth, while saving water."

Many builders now are participating in water conservation certification programs similar to the Energy Star program for energy conservation. In central Florida, Mercedes Homes has begun building houses to Florida Water Star standards – with enthusiastic responses from customers who see how much money it can save them on their utility bills, without losing any of the beauty they expect in a new home.

The homes' water-saving features include highly efficient toilets, plumbing and appliances that save between 20 to 26 percent on indoor water use. Outdoors, the houses incorporate lush, drought-tolerant native plants, minimal turf and soil moisture sensors to prevent overwatering. Those feature cut outdoor water use by up to 40 percent, for a total of as much as 8,000 gallons a month.

"Water is huge," says Stuart McDonald, corporate vice president of operations for Mercedes Homes. "We're not making any more water, so we had better take care of what we've got. It's the right thing to do."

Article Reference: http://moeninsight.com/issue21/article1.html
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WHAT’S HOT IN THE HOME?
Moen Learns that Today’s Consumers are Going Green, Getting Wired and Looking to their Home for a Little Design Therapy

 North Olmsted, Ohio …Think you know all the latest trends? From metallic frocks to chunky knits – if an item is hot this season, chances are, you’re wearing it. But what about home trends? In today’s consumer world, how you dress your home can be just as important as how you dress your body. Have you ever stopped to think of whether your living space is on the cutting edge?

During a recent presentation at Moen® Incorporated’s INSPIRE Design Seminar, leading consumer trends advisory firm Iconoculture® discussed its consumer outlook for the home, including where we live, how we live and the movement toward a greener, smarter and more soothing abode.

Glamorous Greening
When it comes to home décor, consumers are going green – and saving green – with energy-conserving solutions and practical eco-friendly home products that don’t skimp on style. Examples include energy-efficient appliances and furniture made from rapidly renewable resources. Other new items in green home décor include wall coverings, like MIO’s PaperForms, made of 100% post- and pre-consumer waste paper, and water-saving showerheads, such as Moen’s new 1.75 gallons per minute model, which offers a 30 percent water savings from the industry standard 2.5 gallons per minute showerhead while maintaining a satisfying shower experience.

Leading the way in the emerging sustainability trend are so-called “LOHAS,” or Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability consumers, first-time homeowners and empty-nesters. However, according to Timothy Henderson, Iconoculture senior director and consumer strategist, going green is not just a fad among elite environmentalists. “Twenty years from now, people will expect to find environmentally responsible, sustainable products,” said Henderson.

Tech-savvy Habitat
From the living room to the bathroom, Americans are getting wired. According to Iconoculture experts, technology is the home consumer’s new best friend. From “smart homes” that offer homeowners the convenience to control appliances, sprinklers, security systems, curtains and media components from a single-touch panel to “intelligent homes” that monitor what the consumer is doing and use this information to set preferences from a secure server, home technology is available at many different levels.

Leading the tech-savvy home trend are working families, older adults looking to upgrade their current home and those with multiple homes. These groups rely on the convenience of technology to simplify their lives. Outside of these demographic hotspots, popular tech choices making their way into the mainstream include virtual photo storage, smart appliances and furniture and fixtures embedded with technology, like ShowHouse® by Moen’s new hands-free electronic Destiny™ faucet, featuring clean, minimalist styling and a sheeting water flow.

Design Therapy
Forget the therapist…great décor is the new path to healing and restoration. According to Nissa Hanna, Iconoculture associate director and consumer strategist, the trend is “more about appreciation of good design, not just for the sake of good design, but for better living.” Hanna explained that today’s design is all about experience – aspiring to create customized comfort and functionality. Among those leading the trend toward extreme home personalization are multigenerational home dwellers needing both common and personal space, Generation X “blenders” who mix work and life, home artisans, young cosmopolitan consumers and empty nesters. To create this level of personalization, homeowners are gravitating toward unique items like the Puzzle Floor™, solid hardwood flooring that is put together like the pieces of a puzzle, and the Loftcube, a customizable pod-like prefabricated unit, complete with kitchen and bath, that can be added to any property – from rooftop to open field.

Trends of Tomorrow
Beyond current trends, Iconoculture experts put several items on their watch list for the future. Trends to watch among seniors, the fastest growing segment of the population, include “aging in place,” rejecting the idea of a retirement community to continue living in the traditional home; and “luxe retirement,” redefining retirement with luxuries such as multiple homes and extra spending money.

When it comes to where Americans live, the trend is either toward tall or sprawl – consumers are choosing to pile into urban environments where everything is at your doorstep or spreading out into more rural areas to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Also on the home trend horizon, Hanna discussed the concept of the “healthy home – a home that does not contribute to air pollution.” She also talked about home as fashion, where design is much more fluid, interchanging high- and low-end pieces that don’t necessarily match, to get an eclectic and inspired look.

Today’s trends are all about improving your home and ensuring a better tomorrow for yourself, your family and your world. When updating your home’s look, design carefully – make it smart and sustainable to improve your quality of life for years to come.

Resources: http://www.moen.com/pressroom/article.cfm?cType=T&release=2441