If you were offered a free upgrade to a low flow toilet or water saving showerhead, would you happily accept, or would you think twice about it because of concerns about performance? That challenge was accepted by twenty-one homeowners in the suburban Atlanta communities of Serenbe and Chastain Lakes who agreed to participate in a water conservation retrofit by replacing their traditional showerheads, toilets, and faucets with water saving, WaterSense-certified models from American Standard.
The installations - 71 toilets, 96 faucets, and 55 showerheads - were completed by Georgia’s first licensed GreenPlumber®, Nick Marine of Marine Plumbing in Marietta, GA. Individually, the faucets and toilets were rated to save 20% more water than standard fixtures, and the low flow showerheads used were rated to save 20-40% of water use.
The retrofit was found to be an unqualified success, based on monthly measurements of water use recorded before and after installation of the new fixtures. Serenbe households saved an average of 20% more water, and homeowners in the older development of Chastain Lakes saved 25% more water on average. These neat percentages aside, calculating the real water savings from the retrofit was difficult because of the many factors involved in a household water bill. For example, if a household a few extra loads of laundry to do that month, or a weekend houseguest, the total water savings could have easily appeared smaller than they actually would be over time.
Low flow toilets and faucets often get a bad rap for supposedly offering poor performance, but that was the point of this experiment: the retrofit was designed to demonstrate that conserving water doesn’t have to feel like a sacrifice. Across the board, participants raved about their new plumbing fixtures. “We absolutely LOVE our new fixtures. Our showerheads seem to have better water pressure and we are conserving water now, which we weren’t before,” reported Serenbe homeowner Dallas Nevins, two months after installation. Neighbor Sarah Richards agreed, noting that, “For the first time ever, I can say that I love my toilets.”
Sized to fit smaller baths and smaller budgets, the new Steam@Home from Mr. Steam is 20 percent more compact than regular Mr. Steam generators. Mr. Steam has introduced three Steam@Home models designed for 3’x4’ or 3’x5’ tile showers and for existing acrylic units with list prices ranging from 1,250 to $1,450.
Steam@Home units feature a 20-minute timer, polished chrome in-shower control. It also comes standard with a cool-to-the-touch AromaSteam™ steamhead that can hold essential oils to infuse aromatherapy into the steamroom. For example, eucalyptus may help open air passageways and lavender may help soothe anxiety with its calming and restorative properties.
American Standard recently updated its first generation of commercial hands-free dual flush valves to offer an even more water-efficient model. The flush valves automatically adjust water volume usage, conserving an additional 27.5 percent of water compared to a standard 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf) toilet. The new valve even saves an additional 7.5 percent compared to 1.28 gpf high efficiency toilets (HET).
The Selectronic dual flush toilet valve works by delivering a light flush of 1.1 gpf when the user is in front of the flush valve for less than 60 seconds, assuming liquid waste. Otherwise, a 1.28 gpf volume is used for a fuller flush to accommodate solid waste.
These dual flush 1.1 and 1.28 gpf valves systems have been independently rated to flush 800 grams and 1,000 grams, respectively, of solid waste in the Maximum Performance (MaP) test, an independent report of toilet bulk removal performance, while also attaining the maximum drain line carry.
Adding the luxury of a steamshower to a first home - or as a thoughtful touch to a guest bath - is more affordable than ever with the new Steam@Home™ from Mr. Steam. Sized to fit smaller baths and smaller budgets, Steam@Home is 20 percent more compact than regular Mr. Steam generators. Mr. Steam has introduced three Steam@Home models designed for 3’x4’ or 3’x5’ tile showers and for existing acrylic units with list prices ranging from 1,250 to $1,450.
Steam@Home units feature a 20-minute timer, polished chrome in-shower control. It also comes standard with a cool-to-the-touch AromaSteam™ steamhead that can hold essential oils to infuse aromatherapy into the steamroom. For example, eucalyptus may help open air passageways and lavender may help soothe anxiety with its calming and restorative properties.
For more information on this new system, view the complete press release for Steam@Home or email us.
Inspired by the spirit of fine, understated modern jewelry, the JADO Stoic Collection is a comprehensive set of bathroom faucets designed for a wide spectrum of contemporary or transitional applications. Models include single-lever, widespread, vessel, and wall-mount lavatory faucets; a deck-mount tub filler; a tub/shower set; a personal hand shower set; and matching accessories such as towel bars, a tissue holder, and a robe hook.
Along with their refined good looks, Stoic faucets offer superb performance, excellent ergonomics, precision manufacture, absolute reliability, and environmentally friendly water efficiency. Sink faucets also feature the exclusive JADO Luxury Speed Connect Drain, an innovation that radically simplifies drain installation.
For more information about this elegant new collection of luxury faucets, view the complete press release for the JADO Stoic Collection or email us.
Fix a Leak Week, an annual event sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense Program, is designed to encourage Americans to fix running toilets, dripping faucets, and other household leaks, which combined waste an average of 10,000 gallons of water annually per household. This year, Fix a Leak Week ran from March 14-21, 2011.
American Standard Brands marked the occasion by co-sponsoring a free workshop in Marietta, GA titled “Go Green and Save Green.” The workshop was led by Nick Marine of Marine Plumbing, Georgia’s first Certified GreenPlumber® and showed participants how to check for leaks, and how to install retrofit kits that conserve water and reduce household expenses.
View the complete press release for additional details about the event, or click through the event photo gallery below.
Conserving water at home has paid off in a big way for Tim Buhler
of Glenbeulah, Wis., who has been announced the winner of a week-long eco-vacation from the Responsible Bathroom sweepstakes, sponsored by American Standard Brands. The sweepstakes were hosted at the Responsible Bathroom website, where entrants could earn extra chances to win by pledging to save water in various ways around the house.
Buhler’s wife Lonnie and children Ryan, 21, and Shannon, 17, will enjoy a seven-day eco adventure in Costa Rica. Included in the vacation package is a wildlife tour on the Sarapiqui River, a zip line tour of the Arenal Volcano, and the chance to help plant trees in a local reforestation project.
Over thirty runners-up in the contest also received water-saving American StandardFloWiseShowerheads, designed to deliver an invigorating shower experience with up to 40 percent water savings over conventional showerheads.
Follow the link to view the complete press release and learn more about the sweepstakes winners.
The new Savina collection of bathroom faucets from JADO represent the latest trends in faucet styling and performance, along with environmentally-aware water efficiency. Based on 19th-century designs, the Savina offering is suitable for historically informed restoration projects. There is even a true freestanding tub filler for a grand Old World look. Models include pillar taps and widespread faucets, with two-handle, cross-handle, and lever-handle options available. Handles are capped with porcelain.
Available in a wide range of durable signature finishes, the Savina line coordinates with other JADO Luxury Bath Collection offerings. All models are water efficient with a maximum flow rate of 1.5 gallons per minute (gpm), and incorporate the new, exclusive JADO Luxury SpeedConnect®drain, an innovative technology that radically simplifies installation. In addition, the SpeedConnect drain plunger features a large European-style cap that covers the flange of the drain.
Follow the link to view the complete press release and a selection of images for the new Savina Collection.
American Standard Brands President and CEO Don Devine presented the company’s findings on best practices to increase consumer demand and acceptance of WaterSense-certified toilets, faucets and showerheads. Devine was part of a panel session at the 2010 Greenbuild that includes Deborah Meyer, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for PulteGroup, the nation’s largest homebuilder; and Wendy Koch, a reporter with USA Today, who focuses on sustainability issues.
Everyone at O’Reilly/DePalma is pleased that our Green Earth PR connection helped us secure this opportunity for our client. Don Devine has an excellent reputation for driving water efficiency solutions and has extensive knowledge of the issues, making him a great fit for the panel.
The new Portsmouth bathroom collection from American Standard offers a complete range of solid-brass bath and shower faucets created to be reminiscent of Colonial Virginia. To achieve its design authenticity, each design facet – from the symbolic cross handle to the vintage spout – has been carefully crafted to reflect an intricate and iconic period piece.
Beneath its traditional styling, the Portsmouth Collection features the latest water conservation technology, including pending WaterSense®-certification for all bathroom sink faucets and the American Standard FloWise® showerhead that saves up to 40 percent on water use.
For more information on the Portsmouth Collection of bathroom faucets, including several other hi-res images, please view the press release by following the link above.
