Whether you're renovating your bathroom or designing a new one, keeping your CO2 footprint low is possible. Our analysis offers insights with facts and figures to assist you in creating an eco-friendly home while reducing greenhouse gases. The best part? You won't have to compromise on style, design or comfort!
Many consumers now understand that every purchase they make contributes a certain amount to their personal carbon footprint. Whether it's consuming mangoes flown in from Asia or locally grown carrots, or whether we choose a long-distance flight or a train ride to London, our actions impact the climate to varying degrees. Even the choices we make when furnishing our homes matter. From the screed to the washbasin and hand shower, all the way to the ceiling lamp: the CO2 analysis* commissioned by Hansgrohe reveals the effects on your CO2 footprint in the bathroom and the extent of these effects in a detailed and striking manner, highlighting where the most significant greenhouse gas emissions occur.
* The scientific analysis is the result of a thesis written by Timo Armbruster (M. Sc.) for hansgrohe in 2022 at the Faculty of Business and Law at Pforzheim University.
The scientific background: All products or buildings (or parts of buildings) cause a lot of energy consumption over their entire life cycle emissions. Six different gases are summarized as "greenhouse gases" that contribute negatively to climate change, the best known of which is Carbon dioxide (CO2). The effect of these gases is measured and compared in CO2 equivalents (CO2e). What basic assumptions were made in the aforementioned CO2 analysis for the bath?
For the CO2 footprint of the bathroom, the hansgrohe analysis uses the The construction and disposal phases of the components are considered as well as scenarios for the utilization phase.
How many kilograms of CO2e are emitted when my ceramic tiles are produced and transported? How much CO2e is emitted during the production of my wooden basin taps? These are questions that determine the greenhouse gas emissions in the Production phase concern.
How many kilograms of CO2e does our family consume when showering and washing our hands? Can we still save hot water in the bath tub or even reduce toilet paper consumption? Such questions concern the CO2 footprint during the use of the bathroom products and fittings. The most important result of the hansgrohe bathroom analysis is already clear:You can save the most CO2e here – with a clever choice of product.
What are the five top results of the CO2e bath analysis?
How do you actually reduce the CO2 footprint of your bathroom?
The CO2 bath analysis from hansgrohe shows one thing clearly: consumers have the greatest leverage to reduce greenhouse gases during the use phase. With EcoSmart technology, you can save valuable resources while using your taps and showers. It's best to do a little more research before deciding on a bathroom product. Look out for terms such as "water-saving", "flow-limited", "EcoSmart" or "energy-efficient". Because what you think through before you buy will protect your ecological footprint for many years to come. The potential for CO2 savings is therefore also becoming increasingly important in the production of bathroom furnishings. For many products that you install and furnish in the bathroom, you will find an environmentally friendly and lower-consumption variant in the trade. It all depends on the carbon footprint of a product. So look out for international environmental and sustainability certificates such as theForest Stewardship Council® or the Cradle to Cradle Certified®. You can read about what these certificates stand for in our magazine article on sustainability certificates and environmental certificates;
The CO2 footprint in the bathroom refers to the amount of carbon dioxide emissions caused by activities and products associated with bathroom furnishings and bathroom use. In addition to the building materials for the entire interior, this includes water consumption, water heating, the use of electrical appliances and the production and disposal of hygiene products.
Yes, there are many ways to reduce greenhouse gases in the bathroom and create an environmentally friendly home. By using a water-saving shower system consisting of a shower head and hand shower and adapting your showering habits, you can save a considerable amount of CO2.
hansgrohe toilets and wash basins are made of high-quality sanitary ceramic, which has a long service life and is always climate-friendly. In addition, hansgrohe taps at the wash basin impress with resource-saving functions such as EcoSmart and CoolStart.
Yes. hansgrohe taps on wash basins and bidets require only 5 liters of water per minute at 3 bar as standard (EcoSmart+ products even consume only 4 l/min). The less hot water that needs to be treated, the less CO2 is emitted. This also has a noticeable effect on the energy bill;
Yes! hansgrohe showers with EcoSmart use up to 60 percent less water than those without this energy-saving technology. Less hot water = lower energy consumption = lower CO2 emissions. This is also good for your wallet;