Bathroom Renovations - Going Green in the Bath

Green Bathroom Remodels Can Save Homeowners Money

© Fran Prisco

Jun 28, 2009

A bathroom renovation can be one of the most expensive remodels in the house, averaging about $10,000 per bath. Yet with all of the new green bathroom products available it can be the room that saves the most money per month. Here are a few tips on how to go green in the bath.

Green Bathroom Renovation Tips

1. Saving water is one of the most important things to think about when embarking on a bathroom renovation. An average shower uses 15 to 25 gallons of water every 5 minutes. Just think how much water is wasted during a luxurious half hour hot shower. Install a low-flow shower head and faucet in the tub/shower. Low-flow shower heads have a flow rate of 1.5 GPM (gallons per minute) compared to older fixtures that can have up to 5.5 GPM flow rates. Install a low-volume toilet, or a dual-flush mechanism. Low volume toilets use less water to flush. According to Susan Rich in “Bathroom Basics: Save Water, Use Recycled Materials”, a family of four could save more than 16,000 gallons of water per year by replacing a traditional toilet with a low-flush toilet.
2. Set up a grey-water system that collects water from the sink and shower and feeds the toilet and the garden. Recycled grey-water from showers and bathtubs can be used for flushing toilets in most European and Australian jurisdictions and in United States jurisdictions that have adopted the International Plumbing Code. Such a system could provide an estimated 30% reduction in water use for the average household. The Uniform Plumbing Code, adopted in some United States jurisdictions, prohibits grey-water use indoors.
3. Use eco-friendly materials in the bath. Natural ceramic or non-toxic cement for your hardware and sink basin, vanities made from FSC Certified woods and painted with low VOC paints. Use recycled glass tiles in the bath or shower area. Avoid vinyl shower curtains -- either PVC-free plastic or even hemp is a good alternative -- and if you get glass doors, use a squeegee to clean them after you shower, which will help you avoid using chemicals to remove the scum that forms otherwise.
4. Install a tankless water heater or a solar powered water heater. More than 10% a homeowner’s energy bill comes from heating up hot water. Although a tankless water heater might cost more initially it will result in both energy and cost savings in the long term. As water is heated only when it is needed there is no wasteful heating of water. With a tank water heater, water will be kept hot all day even if it never gets used and heat loss through the tank walls will result in a continual energy drain. Even in homes or buildings with a high demand for hot water a tankless water heater will provide some level of savings. In a typical home these savings are quite substantial.

Creating a luxurious bath does not have mean sacrificing money savings as well as being eco-friendly. An added expense now can save homeowners thousands in the long run through savings on utility bills and maintenance costs. Using green building standards in the bath can be a pleasant and resourceful experience.

Green Bathroom Renovations

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