Tom Farrent of Lecico Bathrooms discusses the latest innovations in bathroom design and technology for modern homes, which put the focus on sustainability, performance, and future-proofing.
Ask developers what challenges they have, and you’ll get familiar answers: legislation, buyer expectations, and rising costs. A major challenge in sustainable design, therefore, is to find the right balance between sustainable procurement decision-making, performance, aesthetics, and spend.
It is also important to ensure that sustainable product and material sourcing is considered in the wider context of sustainability. Sustainable sourcing considers manufacturing location, transportation, quality processes, the environmental impact of production, and product lifecycle. Prioritising sustainably sourced products and materials, produced in world class manufacturing environments, to the highest quality standards, ensures bathroom designs that are built for the long term. Sourcing high quality products, crafted to withstand the test of time, reduces the necessity for frequent replacements – ultimately conserving resources.
Water conservation in bathrooms
Bathrooms are among the most resource-intensive areas in a home, consuming significant volumes of water and energy daily. Part G of the Building Regulations currently limits water usage to 125 litres per person per day in residential buildings, but this is set to change. Proposed revisions aim to lower this to 105 and then 100 litres, with a long-term target of 90 litres over the next 10 years.
This has led to a wide range of technology innovations that help to reduce environmental impacts and appeal to a growing market of eco-conscious and financially constrained buyers.
For developers, meeting future water standards means specifying products that are both efficient and high performing, which is a balance that needs careful consideration. Taps and showers can be fitted with flow restrictors that maintain pressure while cutting water use. Low flow fixtures can be engineered to use less water without compromising performance too much, resulting in smarter, future-proof choices. Toilets with dual-flush systems now deliver as little as 4 and 2.5 litres per flush (full and reduced flush), a significant reduction in water usage from the old 10 litre models.
Even baths can be engineered to use less, not by diminishing size, but by repositioning the overflow to lower the fill level.
Recycled & renewable materials
Sustainability in bathrooms extends much further than water conservation. Material choice plays a critical role in reducing a building’s environmental footprint, especially when viewed across the full lifecycle.
Innovations in recycled and renewable materials include shower trays, shower panels, walls and flooring which are manufactured from recycled plastic bottles, supporting circularity through end-of-life recyclability. These products are backed by Environmental Product Declarations (EPD), which are standardised, third-party verified reports based on a life cycle assessment (LCA), and provide information about resource consumption, emissions, and other environmental considerations.
Sustainable sourcing
Over the last decade, bathroom furniture has become much more common in contemporary design. The practicality of using bathroom furniture for storage is appealing, and modern designs often result in the bathroom furniture becoming a feature point for a luxurious design.
Most bathroom furniture units are manufactured using wood. It’s important that specifiers including housebuilders look for FSC certification, which is provided by the Forest Stewardship Council. FSC is a system that verifies whether forests are managed according to strict environmental, social, and economic standards and ensures that products come from well-managed forests, promoting responsible forestry practices. FSC certification helps demonstrate responsible sourcing.
Solving the design challenges
For housebuilders and developers, the challenge lies in crafting bathrooms that combine luxury, functionality, and eco-consciousness, using sustainably sourced, eco-friendly, high-quality products. With increasing consumer demand for environmentally friendly housing solutions and current and future environmental legislation, embracing sustainability in bathroom design is no longer optional; it’s essential.
Bathrooms are a key selling point for buyers, making them an area of strategic importance for developers. A thoughtful and well-designed bathroom elevates the perceived quality of the whole home. When combined with sustainable products and sourcing, the challenge of balancing performance, aesthetics, and spend is comfortably met.
While sustainability still carries a reputation for higher upfront costs, that gap is closing fast. Tax incentives, streamlined specifications, and supplier innovation are shifting the conversation from obstacle to opportunity.
Be sure to spend time researching sustainable product solutions and be careful to check on manufacturers’ sustainability credentials. Sustainable product options are available, and good manufacturers and suppliers can greatly assist in the design and specification of sustainable bathrooms.
Tom Farrant is specification director at Lecico Bathrooms