Over the years, there have been an increasing number of innovations and technologies that help homeowners use energy more efficiently. And now it appears that energy-saving technology is moving into the shower!
Up until now, if builders or homeowners talked about “energy-saving showers” they were generally speaking about restricting the amount of water that came out of the shower head. The basic idea was that if less water came out, homeowners would use less water (and less electricity to heat it).
To be honest, not everybody has been thrilled with that solution. Some of us feel like we have to run around in the shower just to get wet. Others take longer showers to compensate—effectively negating the whole idea of saving water and energy.
There is, however, something new in the area of water-and-energy-saving showers. Mehrdad Mahdjoubi, a Swedish industrial designer has created a shower that recycles the water while the shower is in use!
His OrbSys Shower captures the hot water falling from the showerhead to the drain. It then purifies the water instantly (to drinking water standards), re-warms it, and pumps it back to the showerhead. Because the whole process happens quickly, the (already warm) water needs only minimal reheating. The water coming out of the shower head is both clean and hot all the time.
What’s the net result? Mahdjoubi’s research shows that homeowners will save more than 90% in water usage and 80% in energy with every shower they take. That translates to average energy savings of more than $1,300 each year. (You can read more about the OrbSys Shower here.)
You’re going to have to wait a bit before you ask someone to install one of these new OrbSys shower systems in your Connecticut home. The OrbSys Shower hasn’t reached the United States retail market, yet. To be honest, it’s not clear what the system will cost for a typical home. But this is no pipe dream. This “space-age” technology (yep, the inspiration for the concept came from how astronauts save water in space) give you an idea of how green technology continues to progress—in very practical ways.
At Sunwood, we’re always looking for innovative methods to build and remodel sustainable housing. Not only do we look for ways to save you energy and money, but we also look for ways to add to your comfort. For more information about how going green can benefit you, I invite you to download our free special report: Why Go Green?
In the meantime, we’ll keep our eyes open for new developments. And if you come across an idea that you’d like to discuss for making your home more environmentally friendly—and efficiently comfortable—we’d love to talk with you about it!