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Faucets with a conscience Give bathrooms a makeover with water-saving faucets  Image courtesy iStockphoto Today’s hot color in the style world has little to do with the pigment it represents. Going green does not mean donning shades of your favorite foliage. Instead this term means supporting styles that smile on the earth that supports us. From fashion to home fixtures, designers take note of this eco-friendly cause. Here’s one trend worth following. Sophisticated styles makeover the face of the fixture but it’s what’s below the surface of the spout that’s making waves in sinks across the country. Today, you don’t have to sacrifice style to save the world. According to Kate Townsend, the senior market editor of home décor magazine Domino, “the trend of water conservation is a big part of where the industry is headed. Luxurious style with water-saving technology.” For publicity manager Christina MacDonald of DRS & Associates, a firm that represents dozens of kitchen and bath manufacturers and assorted showrooms, “the biggest trend today is faucets designed to save water.” Technology can save up to 70 percent more water each year. The faucet of the future? “Look to see touch-free faucets in homes, not just public restrooms. Upscale showrooms like Hydrology of Chicago have already started to showcase their eco-friendly technology. “Using radius technology that senses mass not inanimate objects, these faucets are far from your public-restroom experience,” for MacDonald. Every worthy cause has credibility to back it up. Look for sink spouts that are WaterSense certified. Marked with a clear logo, you’ll know that the Environmental Protection Agency has giving a particular piece the seal of approval. Check out www.epa.gov/watersense for a full list of manufacturers that carry water-efficient products. While Townsend notes that sometimes going the green route may cost more upfront – think organic foods and fuel-efficient cars – as this trend gains popularity, the price points will go down. “Green is much more mainstream today.” Brand manager for Moen’s Showhouse line, Patti LaPorte sees her team developing faucets that reduce the water flow by 1.5 gallons per minute. “Our line uses 30-percent less water but you cannot tell the difference because we adjust the type of flow operator, not the water pressure.” And what you save from going down the drain rewards your wallet when it comes time to write the bills. In both style and sense, going green brings us all back down to earth. |
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