The Best Water Efficient Products - An Informed Choice
27/09/2010 | "An informed choice is the best choice" says Yvonne Orgill, CEO of the Bathroom Manufacturers Association. Speaking at a recent major UK conference, Orgill talked about the latest water efficient bathroom products and how to use the Water Efficient Product Labelling Scheme (WEPLS) to choose between them. She explained how manufacturers were now hitting the headlines with bathroom products which are more water efficient than ever before. She went on to show how WEPLS is helping architects and specifiers, in local authorities, to make informed and intelligent choices. Rising to the eco-challenge of the informed choice There has been a rapid growth in the availability of eco-friendly bathroom and washroom products. Manufacturers are racing to get their products to market and there is a genuine drive to build products which use less water and less energy. But how do local authority architects and specifiers choose the very best products to suit their needs? How do they make the informed choice? "This is where the BMA's Water Efficient Product Labelling Scheme comes into its own," says Orgill. "Water efficient products are increasingly sought after and the cornerstone to making an informed choice is reliable labelling. There is a growing momentum behind the scheme which is now recognised by the major government departments of DEFRA, CLG, and the Environment Agency. It is also highly regarded by The Energy Saving Trust, Water Wise and CC WATER." What is WEPLS? WEPLS is a web-enabled database of almost 900 of the very best eco-friendly bathroom products currently available in the UK. Only those which meet the strict eco-criteria laid down by industry experts are listed. The scheme recently won a major eco award. Qualifying products (which are frequently and independently tested) are shown in the easily accessible lists. The scheme covers categories such as WCs, showers, taps, baths and recycling products amongst others, and visitors to the site can search and then create a 'shopping list' containing product information, water usage volumes and the manufacturer. The printable lists could help in the support of planning applications. Downloadable fact sheets and an on-line water consumption calculator (planned to be completely functional in May 2010) enhance the scheme's usability. Links to manufacturers' websites, scheme partners and government sites add to the knowledge base which the website creates. The key to the scheme is the product label itself which is similar in design to the familiar energy label found on white goods. It clearly shows the volume of water that the product will consume if installed according to the manufacturer's instructions. The illustrated database can be browsed at www.water-efficiencylabel.org.uk/ WEPLS is managed by the BMA which represents around 75 of the most well known bathroom brands in the UK. More details from http://www.bathroom-association.org/