About Energy Saving Trust
Energy Saving Trust is a British independent organisation devoted to promoting energy efficiency, energy conservation, and the sustainable use of energy, thereby reducing carbon dioxide emissions and helping to prevent man-made climate change.
With a reach of over one million customers a year, the Energy Saving Trust has been a constant source of advice and support to householders, governments and businesses, as successive energy bills and global agreements, have reinforced the critical need for energy efficiency and carbon reduction.
Energy Saving Trust supports the UK in meeting 2050 carbon targets recommended by the Committee for Climate Change. This means significant changes to our homes, communities, cities and transport infrastructure. Part of our role in this change is to spread the energy-saving message locally and internationally.
Energy Saving Trust Product Performance Verification Case Study
A copy of this case study can be found on the Energy Saving Trust website.
Action
To ensure Kelda’s energy-saving claims are valid and its showers meet the high energy performance standards, Kelda requested product performance verification from Energy Saving Trust, based on submitted evidence, to provide quantitative statements of water, energy, financial and carbon savings from using the product.
These verified savings would help build assurance in Kelda’s product’s performance within the consumer market. Marketing claims were checked based on the energy performance, helping win consumer trust and highlight their commitment to sustainability.
“It is not only extremely important for manufacturers to design energy-efficient products, but they must ensure the technology savings can be demonstrated and verified to consumers. As an independent body Energy Saving Trust has decades of experience verifying results and claims, so when it comes to energy efficiency and energy savings it’s not just ‘Kelda Showers says this…’ it’s ‘Energy Saving Trust has verified this…’”
Paul Ravnbo-West, Marketing Director, Kelda Showers.
Challenge
Conventional ‘aerating’ showers use the Venturi principle to restrict flow and draw atmospheric air into the water through a small hole in the showerhead. In contrast, Kelda’s Air-Powered™ showers use a high-velocity air stream to reduce the flow rate, using less water and less energy to heat the hot water required compared to a standard shower, creating fewer carbon emissions.
The company’s showers have been tested in real-life environments to ensure they can withstand the pressures of high usage, comply with the water supply (water fittings) regulations, feature certified thermostatic mixing valves and meet all building regulations under the proposed Future Homes Standard.
Kelda Showers wanted to apply its technology to the consumer market and wished to gain further assurance and trust for this new market through independent verification.
Result
Our team assessed Kelda Shower’s Air-Powered™ shower relative performance based on a combination of evidence from Kelda Showers, Energy Saving Trust’s existing evidence, assumptions around householder behaviour, and the performance of standard showers and water heating systems.
“It has been a pleasure working with the insights and marketing teams to create the Kelda x Energy Saving Trust Product Performance Verification Report. We hope that through publishing this information, consumers will see the value in higher performing assets and encourage the purchase of more efficient and sustainable products.”
– Paul Ravnbo-West
In our final report, we detailed Kelda’s Air-Powered™ shower’s potential to save water, energy, money and carbon dioxide emissions when used in place of conventional showers.
We have verified the following claims1 that Kelda Showers can confidently use in communications to its customers.
Claims
- A Kelda shower uses less than half the volume of water than a standard mixer shower.2
- A typical home with metered water could save around £150 a year on their utility bills by replacing their standard mixer shower with a Kelda shower.3
- A typical home could save around £60 a year on their energy bills by replacing their standard mixer shower with a Kelda shower.4
- A typical home could cut their energy carbon emissions by about 10% (350kgCO2e) by replacing their standard mixer shower with a Kelda shower. This is equivalent to planting 125 trees every year.5
- A typical home could cut their hot water use by around 55 litres per day if they had a Kelda shower instead of a standard mixer shower, and so may be able to fit a smaller hot water cylinder.6
- A family of four with metered water could save around £255 a year by replacing their standard mixer shower with a Kelda shower.7
- A family of four could save 590kg of carbon dioxide a year by replacing their standard mixer shower with a Kelda shower. This is equivalent to planting 210 trees every year.7
- A family of four could save around £100 a year on their energy bills by replacing their standard mixer shower with a Kelda shower.8
Kelda Showers’ verified products are now listed on the Energy Saving Trust Register, our searchable online catalogue that highlights equipment and technologies to customers and businesses looking for energy saving products and appliances. The company also has access to the Energy Saving Trust Verified brandmark to highlight that its products meet our standards and have been recognised by us.
Sustainability
Kelda aims to become a leading sustainable manufacturer, and this includes the responsibility of its products throughout their life cycle.
“Kelda are pioneers of high-efficiency showers using Air-Powered™ technology. Our aim is to reduce water, energy and carbon emissions from showering while enhancing wellbeing. We hope that we can play our part in creating a more sustainable future.”
– Paul Ravnbo-West
Caveats
- Some figures have been further rounded to avoid the implication of a precise prediction of actual savings. All statements are correct as of June 2021 and valid for 12 months, subject to the terms and conditions of the Energy Saving Trust Verification Licence Agreement.
- Compared to the weighted average flow rate for a range of typical mixer shower systems in the UK.
- For a household with average occupancy, each occupant showering once per day and water heated by gas boiler of average stock efficiency. Assumes a gas price of 3.827 pence per kilowatt hour and combined water and sewerage price of 0.268 pence per litre.
- For a household with average occupancy, each occupant showering once per day and water heated by gas boiler of average stock efficiency. Assumes a gas price of 3.83 pence per kilowatt hour.
- For a household with average occupancy, each occupant showering once per day and water heated by gas boiler of average stock efficiency. The tree carbon equivalent is based on new UK woodland plantations at 1,900 trees per hectare.
- For a household with average occupancy, each occupant showering once per day.
- Assumes each occupant showers once per day and water heated by gas boiler of average stock efficiency, with a gas price of 3.827 pence per kilowatt hour and combined water and sewerage price of 0.268 pence per litre. The tree carbon equivalent is based on new UK woodland plantations at 1,900 trees per hectare.
- Assumes each occupant showers once per day and water heated by gas boiler of average stock efficiency, with a gas price of 3.827 pence per kilowatt hour.