If you watch home improvement-type shows, you may have seen a water-efficient bathroom renovation on the DIY Network‘s latest episode of “Bath Crashers” with designer and contractor Matt Muenster. The episode — From Brown to Green — was filmed in a home in Eden Prairie, Minnesota and features a prominent flash of green color backing the vanity. But that’s not the only green in this bathroom.
When we bought our 1958-model home, it was newly painted but there wasn’t much else that was new about the place. The toilets were old and less efficient than modern-style commodes, especially some of the WaterSense versions on the market. One might think it’s expensive to replace an old toilet with a water-efficient model, but it’s not. I was able to swap out mine for less than $120, all costs included. Here’s how:
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If you’re thinking about a bathroom overhaul, I think this is an article you will enjoy reading. Architect Jeff Stern of In Situ Architecture was approached by a homeowner in Portland to transform an old bathroom with a modest budget. Expanding the size of the room meant a larger budget, while using the same footprint meant saving money through the use of existing plumbing and fixture locations.
One of the most innovative products found on the Greenbuild Expo floor was the Reveeco EcoVéa recycling shower. This might be a hard sell for some but the concept is brilliant, allowing you to enjoy long showers without guilt. Possibly the world’s most intelligent shower, EcoVéa recycles water within your shower to push the limits of water conservation. For a ten minute shower, the EcoVéa can save up to 66% above your fixture efficiency savings.
If you saw last night’s episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, which I had the fun opportunity to work on, you might have noticed several green elements in the home. The home has water-efficient Kohler products, rooftop solar, a green trellis and solar wall, etc. It also has lots of copper products — due to the connection with Kennecott and Rio Tinto — such as this Japanese-style tub made with 99.7% pure recycled-content copper. The 200-pound, hand-hammered ofuro made an appearance on TV by donation from Premier Copper Products. The fully recyclable tub retails for $9,999.
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