The human need for wellness competes with the growing need to conserve water and energy. This poses an inner conflict for every individual.
In private households, the hot shower represents one of the biggest sources of energy costs and CO2 emissions. Yet, for many, the daily shower in particular is an indispensable part of the day.
It’s a good thing that the shower is also known to generate the best ideas: With the Pulsify Planet Edition handheld shower, the premium bath brand hansgrohe has achieved another milestone in sustainable product development. The Pulsify Planet Edition represents a holistic approach to product innovation – it relates resource conservation to all areas of the product life cycle.
Conscious use of resources
What impact does the production, use and disposal of your handheld shower have on the environment? How can the bathroom contribute to a more sustainable future?
“The biggest lever to save CO2 and energy results from the usage phase of the bathroom. Taking a hot shower for one minute consumes about as much energy as driving an electric car at full throttle on the highway for the same amount of time,” explains Steffen Erath, head of sustainability at hansgrohe SE. That’s why only six litres of water per minute flow through the Pulsify Planet Edition – but with a high level of showering comfort.
However, the production and disposal of chrome-plated products are also a burden to the environment. “We want to achieve nothing but a good feeling with the hansgrohe shower experience. That’s why we looked at all aspects of the product life cycle and managed to switch to a recyclate wherever water doesn’t flow through in the Pulsify Planet Edition,” says Raphael Zajac, product manager at hansgrohe, adding, “We focus on cycles within our production in order to be able to recycle the products and materials used for as long as possible. This not only leads to a reduced use of resources but also reduces transport routes within the manufacturing process.”
This closes the loop: True to the sustainability principle of ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’, the handle of the handheld shower is made of recycled plastic. The unique process for extracting this raw material was specially developed at hansgrohe. The ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-syrene-copolymer) coated plastic, obtained from end-of-life products and rejects, is shredded and cleaned. This is followed by conversion into a high-quality granulate.
This alternative to petroleum- and fossil-based primary plastics achieves a significant reduction in energy consumption during production. The material itself offers a unique look and elegant appearance in sandy colours due to the pattern of the flakes bound in it. The handheld shower is manufactured completely chrome-free. All raw materials used are recyclable.
One step further
The hansgrohe Planet Edition product range includes the popular WallStoris Planet Edition accessories collection and a textile shower hose, the Designflex Planet Edition. All products in the collection blend harmoniously into modern bathroom ambiances in terms of appearance and functionality.