Every year, Earth Overshoot Day calculates the day humanity officially uses more natural resources in one year than it can regenerate. Last year, by August 2, the world had reached its limit, and by the end of the year, we had consumed 1.7 times more natural resources than the planet can sustain. Put simply, humanity is taking more than nature can give.
While the world waits for eco-innovations to be developed to replace and reduce our dependency on natural materials, it’s important to use our current resources as sustainably as possible. BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) compliancy in all aspects of the building process, from materials and management through to waste and water, can ensure the long-term sustainability of a building project and is important because it provides a positive framework in which sustainability, ethics and good business can intertwine.
Sustainable buildings benefit people and the planet more than those that are not because of better planning, considered use of materials and naturally lower running costs due to increased energy efficiency. This is why at The Splash Lab, our mandate is to design beautifully minimal commercial washroom and bathroom products that also achieve high BREEAM points. Our TSL-881 and TSL-882 sensor taps both attain maximum water savings using minimalist design.
Considering sustainability and assessing the opportunities to apply environmentally beneficial innovations in the design stages of a building project can help to achieve a high BREEAM rating. In the washroom, the installation of taps with low flow rates and capacitive or infrared sensors can conserve water and energy and contribute to a building's overall water management. Click here to download our BREEAM report to learn how The Splash Lab can help with BREEAM compliance and to discover how we contributed to the Siemens Crystal building, one of the most sustainable buildings in the world. Or click to view the spec packs for our Capacitive Sensor Tap or our IR Sensor Tap.