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28th January 2021
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European Bathroom Forum promotes creation of environmental label
The European Bathroom Forum, a new platform made up of 57 European manufacturers and nine Trade Bodies and associations from the bathroom industry, is promoting the creation of an environmental Water Label for the bathroom space.
The aim of this label is to ensure that end users have reliable and updated information about the performance of products in matters such as the water and energy consumption.
This initiative has been conceived with the aim of contributing to the global goals of the European Commission in the field of sustainability and efficiency related to the water and energy consumption. According to a recent study, the perception of users about water consumption in the bathroom space is of approximately 20% of its real use. Water Label will allow an improvement of this knowledge by offering clear information that has been agreed by all manufacturers in the sector.
In a meeting held in Barcelona on 11th July, the European Bathroom Forum defined the next steps to be taken to implement the Water Label initiative. Among them, the aim of obtaining the support and recognition of the European Commission stands out, so that manufacturers will voluntarily adopt this information standard.
The European Bathroom Forum plans a transition period of 18 months, mainly devoted to defining the technical content of the label and to making this initiative known within the sector. This period will end with the launch of the initiative at the ISH Frankfurt 2019, the most important trade fair specialising in the bathroom sector in the world.
The meeting in Barcelona took place at the Roca Barcelona Gallery and coincided with the celebration of the World Population Day, a day devoted to raise awareness of global population.
The EBF has been formed as an informal platform with the single objective of creating the 'Water label' for water using bathroom products. It will bring all parties together as one common voice for the purposes of promoting and lobbying on this issue and its objective. The EBF is situated within the building also occupied by Cerame-Unie on Rue Belliard 12 offices in Brussels.
The letter of intent says:
"Leading European Bathroom manufacturers, representing the sanitaryware, faucets and valve sectors collectively recognise the desire by the European Commission to have ONE product label across Europe for all water using bathroom products. Labelling is clearly recognised by the European Commission as an effective way to influence purchasing and behaviour change.
Resource effciency of products used in the building sector are inextricably linked and each plays a key role in aiding the European Commission to reach their sustainable goals.
The European Bathroom Industry seriously recognises their responsibility and the crucial role they can play, in educating the end user, to make an informed choice during the selection of water and energy using bathroom products, via ONE Labelling Scheme. It is a well researched fact, that 70% of water used within the domestic environment is associated with bathing and washing functions and over 25% of consumer energy bills are linked to heating this hot water.
During the last 12 months' key representatives from leading manufacturers and trade bodies representing the differing sectors of the European Bathroom Industry, have participated in many discussion groups, with one clear aim, to develop a robust consumer focussed Labelling Scheme.
The Scheme must be open and one that can be supported by all and provide the consumer with an instantly recognisable, easy to understand Label across a wide portfolio of water using bathroom products.
At a recent Industry meeting in Dusseldorf, the Industry took a momentous step forward on the water and energy e ciency journey and pledged their support for ONE Label, under the guidance of thenewly formed European Bathroom Forum. This pledge see's manufacturers supporting ONE Label depicting water and energy units for faucets and showers and water units only for all other water using bathroom products, all under ONE Label Scheme."
21st July 2017