Surge in popularity for water-saving plumbing products

Water-saving plumbing products have become increasingly popular over the course of the last 12 months. 

New data released by AMA Research points to the growth of this sector, after a flat period between 2009 and 2012.

Water-efficient bathroom products account for 87 per cent of the options on offer, with water recycling systems responsible for the other 13 per cent. They both offer a range of benefits for homeowners and the environment, as they will cut down on water wastage and energy usage. 

However, a lot of people may not be in a position to retrofit their bathroom with the technology, which is why the sector relies heavily on new housebuilding. The past couple of years have seen an increase in the number of houses being built as liquidity returns to the market, and this represents good news for the plumbing industry. 

The market is now estimated to be worth £164 million and, according to AMA, it will reach £220 million by 2016 - which represents an increase of 35 per cent on 2013's figures. 

Government legislative changes and concerns about climate change have been identified as the main drivers of the recent growth. The latter reason underlines the alteration in attitudes when it comes to water usage and its impact on the environment.

One area where AMA expects to see major changes is with toilets, as the benefits of replacing outdated, inefficient systems with modern options is going to increase in the coming years. Digital technology is also going to play an increasingly important role. For example, electronic sensors allow water flow to be controlled over a set period of time.

As part of the project, AMA looked at new product trends and developments, which shows that there is now a greater emphasis on sustainability in the production chain and product development planning. 

These new products are being designed specifically to not only deliver a high level of performance, but also use less water.

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