Q&A: How Triton is supporting new build to achieve the Future Homes Standard

Our Market Development Manager, Paul Ravnbo-West answers the questions on how Triton are assisting the new build sector with shower specification.

 

1. With the Future Homes Standard and Part G water rules coming, have you made any changes to your shower products?

 

“The direction of travel from both the Future Homes Standard and the recent consultation on updating Part G of the Building Regulations for water efficiency is very clear: homes must use less energy and less water, helping to bring bills down without compromising comfort. At Triton, that has directly shaped our product strategy.

 

“Over the past few years, we’ve focused on developing showers that are inherently efficient by design, rather than relying on bolt-on restrictors. Our ENlight® platform featuring HeatRepeat® technology is a good example. It is designed to integrate with a Waste Water Heat Recovery System (WWHRS) to deliver a consistent, enjoyable shower experience at much lower flow rates and with significantly reduced energy demand.

 

“Performance data shows impressive results: annual energy use can be cut by up to 51%, water consumption by 44%, and carbon emissions by 37% when compared with one of today’s efficient 8-litre-per-minute mixer showers. In real terms for homeowners, this equates to reduced utility bills of around £150 per year.”

 

2. How do you make sure your showers use less water but still feel good to use?

 

“A common misconception is that lower water use automatically means a poor experience. In reality, ‘feel’ is about much more than flow rate or pressure. Spray pattern, coverage, droplet size, temperature stability, and response time all play a role. We invest heavily in research and development and spray-dynamics testing to ensure that water is used more intelligently – optimising performance and experience at lower volumes. The result is a more efficient shower where 5 l/min can feel every bit as satisfying as a traditional 10 l/min shower, while using around 50% less water and energy.”

 

3. Have you changed the way you test showers to make sure they work well at lower pressures or lower flow rates?

 

“As standards tighten, we have also evolved the way we test. Traditional test regimes were built around generous flows and high pressures that are no longer representative of modern, eco-conscious homes. We now routinely test across a wider envelope: lower dynamic pressures, reduced flow rates, and scenarios that reflect real-world new-build conditions. This ensures that a product which performs well in the lab will still perform well on site and that the end user moving into a new home experiences no compromise from lower use.”

 

4. Are there common mistakes you see builders make when choosing showers, and how do you help them choose the right one for the situation?

 

“Where we often see challenges is in product selection. Showers, and in particular shower technologies, are sometimes specified late in the process or treated as interchangeable, when in reality the choice should be factored in early alongside the heating and hot-water design, pressure conditions, and the home’s compliance strategy.

 

“For example, when working with a national housebuilder, we found that specifying a high-efficiency instantaneous electric shower connected to WWHRS in the ensuite, rather than a traditional mixer, enabled them to offer a second shower in the family bathroom as a sales upgrade. This had previously not been possible within their SAP analysis, as the additional water and energy demand would have pushed the dwelling beyond its compliance limits.

 

“We work closely with housebuilders and designers to map the right shower type to each application – whether that’s an instantaneous electric shower or a mixer shower, with or without WWHRS. That early engagement avoids costly changes later and ensures the bathroom supports the wider energy and water strategy of the home.”

 

5. How do your showers help homes meet the daily water use target (around 110-125 litres per person per day)?

 

“From a compliance perspective, showers are one of the single biggest contributors to daily water and energy use. In a modern home, a typical shower can account for around a third of a person’s total daily water consumption, and energy for hot-water showering is responsible for up to 50% of domestic hot-water demand.

 

“By specifying products that operate comfortably at around 5 or 6 l/min, developers can help achieve tougher water targets – including those in water-scarce areas moving towards less than 90 litres per person per day – without asking occupants to change their behaviour. In practice, that means a household can enjoy normal shower routines while remaining within the home’s overall projected water allowance.

 

“Ultimately, our role is to make efficiency invisible. Housebuilders need solutions that help them meet regulation. Homeowners simply want a great shower. Good product design should satisfy both, and that is where we have concentrated our innovation.”

Get in Touch

Download the white paper to explore the evidence, analysis and policy recommendations - and see how hot water decarbonisation can deliver immediate bill savings alongside long-term progress on net zero, water efficiency and fuel poverty.

 

For further discussion or collaboration, please get in touch:

Paul Ravnbo-West

Market Development Manager

Triton Showers

 

Paul_ravnbo-west@tritonshowers.co.uk