Part of having a sustainable home in the Boulder area is making sure to include the bathroom. More often than not, the bathroom is a place where a lot of water is unnecessarily wasted. If you are building a custom home or just planning a remodel, consider incorporating the bathroom. Take a look at some tips for designing a sustainable bathroom:

• Choose recycled tile: The choice you make on your tile for the bathroom can also be turned into a sustainable one. Consider using recycled tile to further the environmentally friendly effort you are aiming to accomplish in the are. Recycled tile has a low impact on natural environments and comes in all shapes and sizes. In addition, recycled tile is very durable and can stand up to wet environments.
• Use WaterSense appliances: Just as you would choose Energy Star appliances for other rooms in your home to be more efficient, you can now do so in the bathroom. WaterSense is a new rating system that works much like Energy Star in that it helps consumers pick appliances that are more efficient.  A WaterSense label means the product uses 20 percent less water than similar products.
• Reduce the power: You can also cut back on the amount of power you are using in the bathroom to be more sustainable as well. Use smart power strips in the space to help reduce the amount of power being wasted. These power strips monitor the appliances that are plugged into them and shut off power if the appliance is in stand-by mode.

 

 

Photo from Free Digital Photos