Latest IdealSpec news <p><strong>THE REVOLUTIONARY NEW PANEL SYSTEM</strong></p><p><img alt="" src="/Uploads/PageImages/Screen%20Shot%202013-06-19%20at%2009.20.08.png" /> </p><p>&nbsp;</p><ul><li>Only Panel solution compliant to (HBN) 00-10 Part C</li></ul><ul><li>100% sustainability, manufacturedfrom 100% recycled materials</li></ul><ul><li>BREEAM best practice for top sustainability scores</li></ul><ul><li>Hygienic - 100% waterproof, no panel splitsStrong, durable and made to last</li></ul><ul><li>Lower installation costs</li></ul><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;<img alt="" src="/Uploads/PageImages/Screen%20Shot%202013-06-19%20at%2009.21.41.png" /></p><p>&nbsp;<img alt="" src="/Uploads/PageImages/Screen%20Shot%202013-06-19%20at%2009.21.58.png" /></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>A panel system for the 21st Century</strong></p><p>Our original Integrated Plumbing System(IPS) and its copies were developed to satisfy 20th Century healthcare standards, such as HTM68, whose primary concern was performance. The latest (DOH) standard (HBN) 00-10 Part C adds sustainability and infection control:</p><p>Healthcare facilities must attain an“excellent” or “very good” sustainability rating for new builds and refurbishments respectively, as defined by BREEAM.</p><p>Hygiene and the elimination of Healthcare Acquired Infections (HAI) are paramount. Sanitary facilities must be“easy to clean, durable and impervious.”(HBN) 00-10 Part C requires a radical rethink of the panel system; it requires System21. Timber panels have gone,sub-frames have gone, panel splits have gone and recycled materials are in. </p><p>Pre-plumbed with water efficient Armitage Shanks sanitaryware and fittings, System21 is a solution for the 21st Century.</p><p><a target="_self" href="http://www.idealspec.co.uk/resources/brochures.html">CLICK HERE TO VIEW BROCHURE</a> </p> http://www.idealspec.co.uk/news/system21_28.html Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:00:00 GMT 2013-06-19T00:00:00 <p>ARMITAGE SHANKS TACKLES PSEUDOMONAS WITH MARKWIK21</p><p>Armitage Shanks, the UK’s leading manufacturer of commercial grade sanitaryware and fittings, has introduced new elements to its Markwik range to further reduce the risk of pseudomonas in healthcare environments.</p><p>Developed in conjunctionwith prominent healthcare professionals and bacteriologists, Armitage Shankshas created a new outlet designed to reduce the risk of pseudomona infection aswell as improved thermostatic sequential lever and proximity mixers to formpart of the newly titled Markwik 21 offering. </p><p>Pseudomonas are tough bacterial strains that can be found in healthcare water systems where stagnant water collects,such a tap’s stream straightener, allowing the bacteria to colonise. They can infect humans very easily and represent a genuine threat to the most vulnerable patients.</p><p>The new ArmitageBioguardMarkwik 21 outlet is a quick and easy way to lower infection risk where it’s needed most. It replaces the stream straightener and is shaped to not only provide a more open consistent flow, but to also drain after use. Coupled with anti-microbial copper lining it reduces the opportunity for water to collect, go stagnant and bacteria to colonise. The outlet can be fitted as part of a new installation or retro-fitted and is easily detachable for further sterilisation.</p><p>The clever design of the Markwik 21 mixers does away with the dual control traditional swan neck, which has shown in tests to be a haven for bacteria, and incorporates the thermostat close to the point of water discharge to both eliminate the‘dead-leg’ of cold water and minimise the volume of mixed water to reduce the risk of legionella.The proximity sensor options also further reduce the need for any physical contact to stop bacteria spread and can auto-rinse to eradicate stagnation.</p><p>Tony Rheinberg, channel marketing manager at Armitage Shanks, said: “We have a proud history of working with government agencies to not only produce products that create safer healthcare environments, but also set the benchmarks by which products are judged. </p><p>“As ever-increasing emphasis and stringent NHS regulations arise, hospital hygiene has never been more important - nowhere more so than in the water supply. With our new Markwik 21 range a small and easy change in the right place can massively reduce the risk posed by pseudomonas.”To help prevent the spread of Pseudomonas several actions are recommended:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Regularly check the water supply in all parts of the building for Pseudomonas -&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </li><li>Use all water fittings such as taps, mixers and showers at least daily to help to eliminate the risk of water stagnating (This can be helped by using an electronic fitting with an automatic flushing system such as Markwik21 or Sensorflow21)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </li><li>Clean the outlets of all fittings correctly and often. Replace outlet filters etc. at the recommended frequency</li><li>Try to use an open outlet without mesh or ribs (such as the new anti-pseudomonas outlet for Markwik21)</li><li>Follow the guidelines in HTM04-01: (The control of Legionella, hygiene, “safe” hot water, cold water and drinking water systems (Part A and Part B)), and HFN30 (Infection Control in the Built Environment) </li></ul>Visit idealspec.co.uk for more information http://www.idealspec.co.uk/news/armitage-shanks-tackles-pseudomonas-with-markwik-21_27.html Mon, 22 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT 2013-04-22T00:00:00 <p>The Energy Efficiency Exhibitions incorporating Renewables Roadshow return next September and will be designed to deliver the essential day in your year!Whether you're looking for information, innovation or inspiration you will find it here.So if you need to get up to speed or keep your finger on the pulse of the rapidly evolving energy efficiency marketplace make sure you make a date to visit the Energy Efficiency Exhibitions incorporating Renewables Roadshow next September.</p><p>Once again you will have the opportunity to attend an extensive range of FREE presentations and demonstrations delivered by industry experts, with a sharp focus on the critical issues of the day. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><a target="_blank" href="http://energyefficiencyexhibitions.co.uk"><img alt="" src="/Uploads/PageImages/468-x-60.gif" /></a></p> http://www.idealspec.co.uk/news/-idealspec-cms_26.html Wed, 13 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT 2013-02-13T00:00:00 <p><strong>RAISING THE BAR IDEAL STANDARD LAUNCHES NEW ALTO EV SHOWER BAR VALVE</strong></p><p>Ideal Standard, a leading provider of innovative and design-driven bathroom solutions, today announces the extension of its shower offering with the new exposed Alto EV shower valve and IdealRain S1 single function handspray. </p><p>Fitting seamlessly with Ideal Standard's existing shower range and price architecture, the Alto EV shower pack is German manufactured and blends style and technology with performance. Utilising the award winning IdealRain 80mm diameter single function handset, the Alto EV pack delivers industry best flow rate on low pressure water systems making it the perfect choice for properties with conventional gravity hot water systems. </p><p>The Alto EV is supplied with a new fast and easy fit installation kit which includes a drilling template and ensures final water connection to the valve is on wet side of the shower wall.The new Alto EV shower pack is suited to installers and consumers who are seeking an attractive solution at a competitive price point. </p><p>The Alto EV shower pack, which comes with a five year guarantee, will be available from February 2013, with prices starting at £165 (Inclusive of VAT). The Alto EV shower pack can be viewed exclusively now at Ideal Standard's elite resource centre, the Bath Room located in the heart of London's Clerkenwell. For more information please visit www.idealstandard.co.uk.</p> http://www.idealspec.co.uk/news/-idealspec-cms_25.html Tue, 5 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT 2013-02-05T00:00:00 <p><strong>IDEAL STANDARD OFFERS THE COMPLETE SOLUTION AT SLEEP 2012 </strong></p><p>Ideal Standard International, the leading provider of innovative and design-driven bathroom solutions, today announces its return to The Sleep Event 2012 for the fourth consecutive year. </p><p>The Sleep Event 2012 is the only international hotel event to focus entirely on hotel design, development and architectural excellence. It takes place from 21st to 22nd November at the Business Design Centre in Islington, London.</p><p> Ideal Standard will be displaying a range of tools, solutions and products developed specifically for the hotel market to make selecting the ideal bathroom easier. These will be showcased in a tri-modular approach - Ideal Vision, Ideal Plan and Ideal Care. </p><p>These three platforms demonstrate how Ideal Standard supports hotel architects and designers with a full holistic project package – from visualization, through project planning and specifications, to dedicated customer contact support and maintenance post-fit. </p><p>Ideal Standard recently commissioned a survey into customers’ attitudes towards hotel bathrooms, giving clear illustrations of what people are looking for from a hotel with regards to the bathroom. Ideal Standard uses this insight to develop suitable products and provide inspiration to hotel architects and designers.</p><p>Ideal Standard’s London resource centre, the Bath Room, offers inspiration to hotel architects and designers and gives the opportunity to see and feel the products, whilst the 3D visualization service gives a clear vision of what the bathroom will look like. Ideal Standard remains involved throughout the project planning, delivery and installation and offers exceptional post-fit support and solutions.</p><p>The display will be amplified by a number of Ideal Standard’s new product ranges which reflect a deep understanding of the personal and intimate role the bathroom plays.</p><p>Ideal Standard Concept Blue is a beautiful new collection that offers innovative water and energy savings and is healthier to use. Developed with sustainability in mind, the Concept Blue fittings showcase IdealBlue technology - a revolutionary system engineered to use less water and energy. The amount of water held in the tap when closed is reduced by 80% meaning less water is wasted and reducing water bills. The low water content reduces the time taken to achieve the selected water temperature by seven seconds, saving both water and the energy to heat it. </p><p>Ideal Standard ArchiModule is a new modular built-in water control and outlet solution for showers, bathtubs and wash basins created by award-winning design house Artefakt. The sophisticated range gives freedom to configure the controls as you wish, whilst the latest technology (totally hidden pipes, mixing unit and alignment system) allows easy installation and perfect alignment of all the components, offering a clean and sleek look in the bathroom and making it the perfect choice for hotel projects where numerous units are installed. </p><p>Ideal Standard Concept Countertops Basin range has been designed with stylish practicality in mind and complements the Concept collection of innovative storage and modern accessories. The simple, yet stylish, countertop basins are available in ‘drop in’ and ‘under pin’ styles, allowing the choice of preferred design, with the flat surface of the basins making them quick and easy to clean. Available in three designs - Oval, Sphere or Cube - Concept countertop basins fit seamlessly into any bathroom. This versatile range is ideal for hotel bathrooms with specific requirements in terms of style and space and is available in a range of sizes and styles to suit individual needs.</p><p>Tony Rheinberg, Ideal Standard Marketing Manager commented, “We understand what hoteliers want to include in a bathroom. There is no ‘one size fits all’ hotel bathroom solution and so it’s important for us to be flexible. With over 60% of hotel customers stating that they expect hotel bathrooms to be regularly updated, it’s important to choose a suitable style that will last - our products offer something for all, ranging from luxury items to more practical solutions.”</p> http://www.idealspec.co.uk/news/-idealspec-cms_23.html Tue, 6 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT 2012-11-06T00:00:00 <p><strong>ARMITAGESHANKS INTRODUCES SANDRINGHAM 21 – THE GREAT BRITISH SUITE</strong></p><p>Sanitaryware and brassware made in Britainfor Britain and loved by millions ArmitageShanks, Britain’s best-known bathroom brand, haslaunched the new and improved Sandringham 21.</p><p>Sandringham 21 will replace Armitage Shanks’s alreadyhugely popular Sandringham range. With over 10 million pieces of Sandringhamsanitaryware sold alone in the last 10 years, it’s Britain and Ireland’sbest-selling bathroom range. The Sandringham 21 range is targeted at bothdomestic and commercial sectors, building on proven performance and reputation,while offering more modern designs with improved functionality at a competitiveprice. &nbsp;</p><p>Nearly 200 years of British manufacturing experienceand expertise at Armitage Shanks come together to round out this new suite ofproducts. The next generation Sandringham 21 range offers water-saving designsand a wide variety of co-ordinating products with the ability to fit into anysurroundings. With over 100 items in the range there is a solution forall requirements. The range is synonymous with quality andreliability and comes with both UK and Irish-based support that customers wouldexpect from a company that has been providing quality bathrooms since 1817.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Paul Frankish, Marketing Director, Ideal Standard International</strong> says,“At Armitage Shanks we recognise that balancing price, performance anddurability are as fundamental as design is to architects and installers. Wehave worked with leading European designers to blend style with innovativetechnology, leading edge manufacturing techniques and engineering excellence toproduce a range of sanitaryware and brassware of the highest standards.”&nbsp;</p><p>With this in mind, the new Sandringham 21sanitaryware includes a range of top-quality basins, WCs and baths, as well asa full brassware range, including:&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Sandringham 21 Basins</strong></p><p>The new wash and handrinse basins range comes in avariety of shapes and sizes including 55 and 50 centimetre washbasins, 45 and35 centimetre handrinse basins and a a 48 centimetre corner basin. It alsoincludes countertop and semi-countertop washbasins in 50 centimetre sizes.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Sandringham 21 WCs</strong></p><p>Its wide range of WCs include close-coupled WCs withvalve, lever, and low flush option tanks; low-level WCs with valve and leveroption tanks; BTW WC pans and wall-hung WC pans; as well as urinals.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Sandringham 21 Baths</strong></p><p>The new Sandringham 21 offers both acrylic and steelbaths – available in a variety of sizes, with or without grips and treadpattern in the acrylic options, anti slip within the steel bath ranges.&nbsp; They are available in sizes 150cm x70cm, 160 x 70cm and 170cm x 70xm.&nbsp;All acrylic bath options are pre-drilled with two tap holes. Some of thesteel options offer both pre drilled and no tap hole options.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Sandringham 21 Brassware</strong></p><p>Sandringham 21’s new comprehensive brassware rangeincludes fittings that offer flow rates to meet BS EN 200, unlike most othercommodity tap ranges. These are available in a variety of designs includingpillar taps; basin mixers with or without pop-up waste or a weighted chain;bath fillers; bath shower mixers; and kitchen sink mixers and high neckpillars. All brasswares fittings come with easy to use handles in threeseparate designs: 5 facet chrome, crosshead, and lever.</p><p>The European manufacturing standards ensure thatSandringham 21 fittings are the highest quality at competitive prices, offeringexceedingly high value for money. Sandringham 21 flow rates and minimumoperating pressures are quoted in Armitage Shanks’ Brassware book. Minimumoperating pressure is 0.1 bar for all fittings.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Sandringham 21 Takeaway Packs</strong></p><p>New over-the-counter takeaway packs are also nowavailable as full bathroom, toilet, or basin to-go packs as well as an Eco packwithin the Sandringham 21 range, offering both consumers and commercial userspure convenience at affordable prices. These new packs offer a ‘fit and forget’solution that makes it extremely easy to choose products. They also come withan eco option to suit all requirements as well as that complete qualityassurance which has become synonymous with the Armitage Shanks brand. An attractive support package will beoffered to trade customers. &nbsp;</p><p>The Sandringham 21 sanitaryware range ismanufactured at the Armitage Shanks’ factory in Staffordshire, while the bathsare manufactured at its Hull site.&nbsp;Producing products locally allows Armitage Shanks full control over themanufacturing process and quality assurance. It is nationally available andfulfils all UK installation and water legislation requirements.&nbsp;</p><p>Armitage Shanks provide a guaranteed UK after salessupport, a lifetime guarantee on sanitaryware, 25-year guarantee on acrylicbaths and 5-year guarantee on brassware. Customers can order spares easily andquickly online through Fastpart with next day delivery. In Sandringham 21,Armitage Shanks has designed the complete range of products, making it easy tospecify for any application.</p> http://www.idealspec.co.uk/news/armitage-shanks-introduces-sandringham-21_22.html Wed, 31 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT 2012-10-31T00:00:00 <div style="text-align: center;"> <strong>IDEAL STANDARD LAUNCHES NEW CONCEPT COUNTERTOP BASINS RANGE</strong> <br /> </div> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <em>New stylish range of countertop basins combines practicality and affordability with ability to personalise design <br /></em> </div> </p><p>HULL, UNITED KINGDON – Ideal Standard, a leading provider of innovative and design-driven bathroom solutions, has launched the new Concept countertops basin range. Designed with stylish practicality in mind, Concept countertop basins provide the perfect solution for your bathroom or washroom project.<br />&nbsp;<br />These contemporary basins complement the Concept collection of innovative storage and modern accessories. Designed by the award-winning UK designer Robin Levien, the new range gives users the flexibility to design their bathroom to suit their individual taste, space, and needs at a similarly affordable price for the Concept range.</p><p><br />The simple, yet stylish, countertop basins are available in ‘drop in' and ‘under pin' styles, allowing homeowners and specifiers to choose their preferred design, with the flat surface of the basins making them quick and easy to clean. Available in three designs - Oval, Sphere or Cube - Concept countertop basins fit seamlessly into any space and provide the perfect solution for creating a stylish, yet practical bathroom. </p><p>This versatile range is ideal for bathrooms with specific requirements in terms of style and space and is available in a range of sizes and styles to suit your individual needs.</p><p><strong>Key Features:</strong></p><p>The Concept countertop basins collection offers a variety of choices for personalised solutions to optimise style and comfort, including: </p><p><ul><li>Modern style with 3 design shapes – Oval, Sphere and Cube</li></ul><br /><ul><li>14 models available in a range of dimensions (including those with and without tap deck)</li></ul><br /><ul><li>‘Drop in' or ‘Under pin' styles</li></ul><br /><ul><li>Large surface area around the basin</li></ul><br /><ul><li>Flat basin surface allowing for easy cleaning</li></ul><br /> http://www.idealspec.co.uk/news/-idealspec-cms_21.html Mon, 29 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT 2012-10-29T00:00:00 <p><strong>IDEAL STANDARD ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF IDEALSPEC APP</strong></p><p>Following the launch of the updated version of the popular Bluebook website powered by IdealSpec earlier this year, Ideal Standard International, the leading provider of innovative and design-driven bathroom solutions, has today announced the availability of the app version the website, which can now be downloaded free of charge from the Apple Store.</p><p>The availability of the&nbsp;&nbsp; new Bluebook catalogue via the IdealSpec app means that product with specification information can be viewed when visiting clients and on site.&nbsp; It brings a no-nonsense, easy to access online resource centre of information.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p><p>The new online specification system will not only benefit architects and designers but also anyone with building projects including merchants, retailers and installers who are tasked with specifying projects.The new app has been developed following extensive research into Specifiers needs. Specifiers can find complete product specification details and download drawings, images and data sheets. The new specification system allows users to choose products for a project, price them and then schedule the products by room and floor. Full schedule reports can be downloaded in NBS formats</p><p>There are over 3,500 Armitage Shanks and Ideal Standard products available to choose from -the Bluebook is now the most extensive online catalogue and specification system on the market. It also features the full Platinum Book – an extension of the Bluebook that provides information on Ideal Standard’s luxury and contemporary bathroom design.</p><p>The new Bluebook specification ‘offline’ system means users can also create projects, add products to them and prepare schedules without being logged on. When users log back online, their desktop and mobile devices will synchronise with each other and the web application.The system can be completely customised – from the ability to save specifications and favourites on the system to tailoring it to individual country needs – and incorporates ease of use with new unique features, including:</p><ul><li>Apple MAC compliant</li></ul><ul><li>New iPhone/iPad app2 and 3D CAD drawings</li></ul><ul><li>Drag and drop convenience</li></ul><ul><li>PDF generation</li></ul><ul><li>Downloadable desktop edition</li></ul><p>Tony Rheinberg, Ideal Standard Marketing Manager commented, “We are really excited about the launch of the new IdealSpec app and look forward to seeing how the industry benefits from the it. With such a vast range of product information now made so easily accessible whilst on the go, users will be able to browse, compare and select products for projects with more ease than ever before”</p><p>To download the IdealSpecapp please follow the following link: <a target="_blank" href="http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/ideal-spec/id542691949?mt=8%20">http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/ideal-spec/id542691949?mt=8 </a></p> http://www.idealspec.co.uk/news/ideal-standard-launches-new-idealspec-app_20.html Thu, 9 Aug 2012 00:00:00 GMT 2012-08-09T00:00:00 <div style="text-align: center;"> <strong>IDEAL STANDARD LAUNCHES NEW CONCEPT BLUE FITTINGS RANGE</strong> <br /> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <em>New range adds water-saving features to fittings offer</em> <p> </p></div>Ideal Standard, leading provider of innovative and design-driven bathroom solutions,has launched its new Concept Blue fittings range - a beautiful new collection that offers innovative water and energy savings and is healthier to use.<p>The comprehensive range of water-saving fittings complement the Concept collection of innovative storage and modern accessories designed by the award-winning UK designer Robin Levien– giving users the flexibility to design their bathroom to suit their individual taste and spaceat a similar affordable price.</p><p><strong>Saving water, energy and money</strong><br />Developed with sustainability in mind, the Concept Blue fittings showcase IdealBlue technology- a revolutionary system engineered to use less water and energy. The amount of water held in the tap when closed is reduced by 80% meaning less water is wasted. The low water content reduces the time taken to achieve the selected water temperature by seven seconds, saving both water and the energy to heat it.</p><p>Concept Blue basin mixers will carry the European Water Label which Ideal Standard has introduced across its entire range – a single label across Europe which clearly shows the volume of water that the tap or shower head will consume per minute if installed correctly and in accordance with manufacturer's instructions, and offers an actual performance band per product.</p><p>Jeff Williams, Brassware and Fittings Project Manager, Ideal Standard says, "Concept Blue pays for itself – saving water and energy saves households money, and those savings soon add up. The calculated saving from the basin mixer featuring IdealBlue technology and a 5l/min outlet flow regulators £174 per year giving a payback period of less than nine months .</p><p>"Low water content basin mixers are designed to save money and be healthier as standard, whilst being a perfect match for the Concept Arc and Sphere basins and offering the same excellent value for money."</p><p><strong>Key Features</strong></p><ul><li>IdealBlue technology saves water, energy and money</li></ul><ul><li>A 5l/min aerated flow regulator reduces water use</li></ul><ul><li>A multi-port IdealBlue cartridge improves flow rates at low pressure, and allows smoother, more sensitive handle control even at high pressure</li></ul><ul><li>Easy fix installation enables quick and effortless installation with no risk of leakage, no lime scale deposits and easier maintenance</li></ul><ul><li>Cool Body technology on basin mixers ensure the body is cool to the touch as a safety precaution</li></ul><ul><li>Lead and nickel-free IdealPure innovation on basin mixers improves water purity</li></ul><ul><li>Bath shower mixers are supplied with an IdealRain S1 shower set comprising of a handspray, holder, hose and hose retainer as standard.</li></ul><br /><strong>Health and wellbeing</strong><br />Concept Blue fittings offer improved safety since the IdealBlue cartridge keeps hot water away from the metal of the taps, giving them a cool body. The hot water limit stop allows users to control temperature and avoid getting burned.<p>Ideal Standard's lead and nickel free concept ensures no brass or chrome-plated parts are in contact with drinking water; waterways are engineering grade plastics, ceramic or stainless steel. This technology applies to all Concept Blue fittings which are used for drinking water and also the bidet mixer. </p><p><strong>Range</strong><br />Concept Blue includes four basin mixer options, two kitchen mixer options, three bath and shower mixer options, two bath fillers, ones hower mixer and a bidet fitting option to suit the wide range of Concept kitchen, basin, WC, bath and shower units. Prices start at £77 excluding VAT.</p> http://www.idealspec.co.uk/news/ideal-standard-launches-new-concept-blue-range_19.html Fri, 8 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT 2012-06-08T00:00:00 <p><strong>ARMITAGE SHANKS’ WATER AID INITIATIVE TO TEACH SCHOOLS THAT ‘EVERY DROP COUNTS’</strong></p><p>Armitage Shanks, a leading provider of innovative and design-driven bathroom solutions, is inviting schools across the UK to become involved in their latest initiative to help save precious water and support Water Aid, an organisation transforming lives by improving access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation in the world’s poorest communities. To take part in the new initiative, schools simply need to ensure that their contractors use Armitage Shanks products purchased from one of the Plumb Center’s 490 branches. For every order, Armitage Shanks will make a donation to Water Aid on behalf of the school.</p><p>If a school upgrades just two school washrooms (approx. x4 WCs, x4 urinals, x4 washbasins), Armitage Shanks will donate enough to buy a community water pump. If cumulatively 15 washrooms are upgraded, Armitage Shanks will donate enough to provide a sanitation block for a 300-student school in Africa. Each school to take part will also receive an ‘Every Drop Counts’ wall plaque to highlight the commitment which has been made to water saving.</p><p>Updating school washrooms provides attractive new facilities with high durability and low maintenance. School washrooms might be one of the smallest rooms in the school, but they are also the most highly frequented, and can have the biggest impacts on pupil health, education and happiness.</p><p>Armitage Shanks has been a key supplier to schools since 1910. The company has worked with local authorities for over 100 years to advance performance of school washrooms. Water saving products designed for schools include: </p><p><strong>WCs</strong>: Contour 21 back-to-wall WCs (305mm and 355mm) flush on 4.5 litres of water instead of the standard 6 litres</p><p><strong>Taps &amp; Mixers</strong>: Contour 21, Sensorflow 21 and Avon 21 taps and mixers are supplied with a 5 litres/minute flow water regulator. </p><p><strong>Urinals</strong>: Timed automatic cisterns provide urinal flushing only during the school day. Sensorflow user detection ensures a urinal is only flushed when it has been used. Aridian waterless urinals do not require water, they are the ultimate water saving urinal.</p> http://www.idealspec.co.uk/news/water-aid-initiative-to-teach-schools_18.html Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT 2012-05-11T00:00:00 <div><strong>STOP AND THINK AS IDEAL STANDARD RETURNS TO ECOBUILD 2012</strong></div><div><br /></div><div>Ideal Standard, the leading provider of innovative and design-driven bathroom solutions, is highlighting the need for water efficiency at this year’s Ecobuild event on Tuesday 20th March. Ecobuild is the world’s biggest event dedicated to sustainable design, construction and the built environment: visitors to Ideal Standard’s stand will be encouraged to think about their water waste via a selection of water saving products from Ideal Standard’s top 100. </div><div><br /></div><div>Recent research for Ideal Standard’s water saving campaign in association with leading charity Waterwise revealed that water use around Britain could spike if people continue to ignore water conservation messages. 1 in 10 people have a bath once a day, the average time spent in the shower is as high as 10 minutes, and those showering still tend to let the water run for nearly a full minute (54 seconds) before getting in. </div><div><br /></div><div>Despite the many water saving products available to help limit usage, over a third of people surveyed said they don’t know enough about them to bother with them, a quarter said they couldn’t afford to install them and a quarter said they didn’t think they used enough water to warrant getting them. In light of this, visitors to Ideal Standard’s Ecobuild stand will be asked to think, act and change their water consumption habits to help meet the water saving demands of today and tomorrow.</div><div><br /></div><div>To help Ecobuild visitors to visualise the troubling levels of water waste in the UK and how modern living challenges sustainable change, Ideal Standard’s Active stand will feature an installation sculpture of a man constructed from water bottles. This volume of the installation will equate to 335 litres representing the average amount of water the average family unit consumes every day in the UK.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ideal Standard’s S840 stand will also feature Ideal Standard’s key water saving products such as the Ventuno Watersaving Bath, new Softmood with water saving low flush WC and IdealRain Pro, a new range of hard wearing shower heads and kits that run on only 8 litres per minute. There will be live demonstrations of Ideal Standard’s revolutionary new specification tool, Bluebook powered by IdealSpec.</div><div><br /></div><div>In October 2011, Ideal Standard commissioned The Future Laboratory to research and assess the features, products, experiences and services we can expect to see in the bathroom within the next decade and the environmentally friendly ways in which consumers will use them. The report shows that consumer desire to be environmentally responsible is growing.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Future Laboratory surveyed 1,500 homeowners on their attitudes and needs and the type of technology and products being developed. More than three quarters of consumers surveyed wish they could waste less water in the bathroom, while 37% would like future bathrooms to be powered by renewable energy, which demonstrates that consumers are becoming increasingly ‘green.’</div><div><br /></div><div>Ideal Standard is committed to making a difference to water wastage and acts on this through the development of innovative water saving technology. Ideal Standard already has the largest range of water saving products in the industry with over 400 products on the Bathroom Manufacturer Association’s (BMA) water efficient labelling scheme, designed to help consumers identify water efficient products. The scheme gives consumers a variety of choice and price ranges.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ideal Standard stand details: (S840)</div><div><br /></div><div>Ecobuild takes place on Tuesday 20 – 22 March 2012 at ExCeL London</div><div><br /></div><div>Opening hours:</div><div>Tuesday 20th March<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span>10.00 – 17.00</div><div>Wednesday 21st March<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span>10.00 – 18.00</div><div>Thursday 22nd March<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span>10.00 – 16.00</div><div><br /></div> http://www.idealspec.co.uk/news/ideal-standard-returns-to-ecobuild_17.html Thu, 15 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT 2012-03-15T00:00:00 <p><strong>IDEAL STANDARD LAUNCHS NEW BLUEBOOK WEBSITE</strong></p><p>Ideal StandardInternational, the leading provider of innovative and design-driven bathroomsolutions, has today launched a new updated version of the popular Bluebookwebsite.</p><p>The new Bluebook catalogue and specificationsystem, has been designedspecifically with architect and design needs in mind.&nbsp; It brings a no-nonsense, easy to access online resourcecentre of information with tools that allows the specifying of projects easy.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;</p><p>The new specification system will not only benefit architects anddesigners but also anyone with building projects including merchants, retailers and installers who aretasked with specifying projects.&nbsp;</p><p>Bluebook is a website of&nbsp;bathroom,washroom and showering products aimed at professional specifiers.The site isvery popular and receives an average of 100,000 hits a day with an average of2,500 individual sessions.&nbsp; Researchshows that 60% of people spend between 10 minutes and half an hour on the siteper session.&nbsp;</p><p>The new site has been developed followingextensive research into Specifiers needs.There are more ways to search forproducts and it is now Apple MAC compliant.Specifiers can find complete productspecification details and download drawings, images and data sheets.&nbsp;</p><p>Within the site is a new specificationsystem which allows users to choose products for a project, price them and thenschedule the products by room and floor.&nbsp;Full schedule reports can be downloaded in NBS formats.&nbsp;</p><p>There are over 3,500 Armitage Shanks and Ideal Standard productsavailable to choose from -the Bluebook is now the most extensive onlinecatalogue and specification system on the market. It also features the fullPlatinum Book – an extension of the Bluebook that provides information on IdealStandard’s luxury and contemporary bathroom design.&nbsp;</p><p>The new Bluebook specification ‘offline’ system means users can alsocreate projects, add products to them and prepare schedules without beinglogged on. When users log back online, their desktop and mobile devices willsynchronise with each other and the web application.&nbsp;</p><p>Thesystem can be completely customised – from the ability to save specificationsand favourites on the system to tailoring it to individual country needs – andincorporates ease of use with new unique features, including:&nbsp;</p><ul><li>Apple MAC compliant</li></ul><ul><li>New iPhone/iPad app&nbsp;</li></ul><ul><li> 2 and 3D CAD drawings</li></ul><ul><li>Drag and dropconvenience</li></ul><ul><li>PDF generation</li></ul><ul><li>Downloadable desktopedition&nbsp;</li></ul><p>Tony Rheinberg, IdealStandard Marketing Manager commented, “We are really excited about the launchof the new Bluebook website.&nbsp; Weare looking forward to seeing how the industry benefits from the innovativetechnology which the updated site uses. With such a vast range of productinformation now made so easily accessible, users will be able to browse,compare and select products for projects with more ease than ever before”</p><p> </p> http://www.idealspec.co.uk/news/ideal-standard-launches-new-bluebook-website_16.html Mon, 12 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT 2012-03-12T00:00:00 <p><strong>IDEAL STANDARD LAUNCHES ‘IDEAL SOLUTIONS' FOR HOTELS</strong></p><p>Ideal Standard International, the leading provider of innovative and design-driven bathroom solutions, has launched a new service designed to provide an all-inclusive solution for selecting, installing and maintaining hotel bathrooms.</p><p>With this new strategic focus, the company aims to increase its market share by enabling hotels throughout the UK to attract more visitors and additional revenue throughout 2012 in what has become a tough economic climate.</p><p>Tony Rheinberg, Ideal Standard Marketing Manager commented, "We understand how valuable the right bathroom can be to both a hotelier and its guests. A hotel bathroom should inspire and excite, be easy to maintain, and look good everyday. There is no ‘one size fits all' hotel bathroom solution and so it's important to be flexible. At Ideal Standard, we can help with bathroom installations ranging from high-end guest rooms to spas to public washrooms."</p><p>Ideal Standard developed the simple three-step approach - Ideal Vision, Ideal Plan, and Ideal Care - to meet a growing demand in the hotel sector for a single company which can help design, plan and then maintain all aspects of a bathroom. These three platforms will support architects and designers with a full project package – from visualisation, through project planning and specifications, to dedicated customer contact support and maintenance post-fit.</p><p><strong>IDEAL VISION</strong></p><p>Ideal Vision shows customers the vision of what can be possible with a new bathroom, in an artistic and unique way. Ideal Standard's comprehensive resources include:</p><ul><li>The Bath Room, a unique resource centre in Clerkenwell, London, which allows you to view, select and build the perfect bathroom;</li></ul><ul><li>Room visualisation – a bathroom vision is brought to life through 3D visuals,showing how different product options will work together;</li></ul><ul><li>Idealspec– a brand new website that holds all the information needed to create comprehensive specification for the bathroom.</li></ul><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>IDEAL PLAN</strong></p><p>Ideal Plan guides and supports customers throughout the project to ensure they choose the right product for the job, and that all components work together. This solution includes project tracking,sustainable thinking to reduce water wastage, installation support and mock–up training.</p><p><strong>IDEAL CARE</strong></p><p>Ideal Care begins once the products are fitted, providing ongoing support for a business following installation. The Ideal Care package includes low maintenance products, a bathroom ‘first aid kit' for quick maintenance, fast delivery of parts and spares, and dedicated customer contact.</p> http://www.idealspec.co.uk/news/ideal-solutions-for-hotels_15.html Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT 2012-02-16T00:00:00 <p><strong>REVEALED: The Future of Beauty in the Bathroom</strong></p><p><em>Research highlights that we want more indulgent, pampering experiences in the bathroom</em></p><p>London, UK – An independent report into the future of the bathroom by the Future Laboratory has revealed the ways in which our bathroom will transform into a centre for all our beauty needs in ten years time. Commissioned by Europe's leading bathroom provider, Ideal Standard International, the report surveyed 1,500 homeowners on their current attitudes as well as looking into the beauty products, experiences and services we can expect to see within this space in the next decade.</p><p>The bathroom is the space where we prepare ourselves to face the day.&nbsp; We use it to beautify ourselves before nights out and pamper ourselves after a stressful day. More than half (56%) of people in the UK use their bathroom for personal grooming and, for more than one in five (22%) the bathroom is the room where they choose to pamper themselves. </p><p>The future of the bathroom will therefore capitalise on this growing trend, with:</p><ul><li>Interactive mirrors for giving make-up and shaving tutorials and showing how to complete a look with clothes and accessories, but without the hassle of trying them on</li></ul><ul><li>Social connections where you can link up with friends via an interactive social networking mirror to share experiences, such as getting ready for a night out together</li></ul><ul><li>Technology that engages those senses often neglected during days spent in front of a computer screen. Touch, sound, smell and taste will be part of the experience, as haptic technology, synthetic scents and 3D sound immerse us.</li></ul><p>Women spend an average of one hour in the bathroom every day, a total of 15 days a year, while men spend around 44 minutes or 11 days. The male grooming market is on the rise with more than half (52%) of 18–34-year-old men using the bathroom for personal grooming and the global market for men's grooming is predicted to grow by £2.4bn in value by 2014, according to research company Euromonitor. ‘The men's grooming market is going from strength to strength. We're seeing men's products being replicated from women's, like rollerball eye-pens and eye-creams,' says Krista Madden, founder of independent female lifestyle blog Beauty and the Dirt.</p><p><strong>Interactive Beauty</strong></p><p>In the bathroom of the future, we can expect to see friends link up via an interactive social networking mirror in order to get ready together. Geo-located social networks such as Sonar, which gives smartphone users information on people around them, will be linked to the bathroom, allowing us to find out who is attending an event. You could be getting ready to go to a bar on Friday night, check in while getting ready in the bathroom, then use the information to decide whether to go to that event or a different one, what to wear and to whom you would like to talk when you arrive.</p><p>In addition, the ability to see what looks good on, without having to physically try it on, right from the comfort of your own bathroom will become the norm. ‘In retail environments, you can already see whether something is a tight fit on a screen without having to put it on, and you will see that in the home. My mirror could look at what I'm wearing and suggest something else that would go with it better: ‘Why don't you wear the white shirt you bought last week?', for example,' says Matthew Bagwell, global creative director, EMC Consulting, and founder of The Fantastic Tavern, where digital planners and creative's meet to share insights and ideas.</p><p><strong>Tutorials</strong>&nbsp;</p><p>The next step in online beauty and grooming tutorials, made popular by beauty gurus such as Lauren Luke, are augmented reality tutorials. Augmented reality is also used in a Shiseido store in the Ginza district of Tokyo. Customers can scan their faces using digital cosmetics mirrors, then test make-up virtually and receive personalised beauty advice.</p><p>‘A lot of face creams now give directions on how to massage, what direction to rub your face in, how to do dry-skin brushing. People are taking techniques home and doing them themselves,' says Madden. Augmented reality tutorials will guide people on how best to massage their skin, shave and exfoliate – far easier than printed instructions. And just in case you're not sure about a look or an outfit, you will be able to get instant advice online through your wifi activated bathroom mirror. You can already get instant style and beauty advice from community members of sites such as GoTryItOn, Fashism and Oh That's You! by posting photos online.</p><p><strong>Sensual Bathrooms</strong></p><p>Tactility and scent will be key to the relaxing bathroom experience. One in five people would like their future bathroom to resemble a spa, a desire more prevalent among 18–34-yearold women (37%). Krista Madden agrees that the bathroom is a place to stimulate the senses. ‘In the bathroom, you're away from your computer screen and, by massaging your face or smelling an essential oil, you use senses that you don't normally use.'</p><p>‘Ritual is key to the idea of the pampering space. The bathroom gives you the chance to escape from the location of everyday life, to take pride in your grooming process,' says Joanna Tulej, beauty specialist, online news and consumer insight network LS:N. Global Experts agree that the bathroom is a space in which people prepare to face others, making themselves look and feel good. ‘The bathroom is about self-indulgence, it's doing something for you. I have a bath to make myself feel good,' says Professor Cary Cooper.&nbsp;</p><p></p><p></p><p></p> http://www.idealspec.co.uk/news/the-future-of-beauty-in-the-bathroom_11.html Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT 2012-01-13T00:00:00 <p><strong>REVEALED: The Future of the Bathroom</strong></p><p><em>Research shows space and storage concerns will drive future bathroom design</em></p><p>London, UK – An independent report into the future of the bathroom by the Future Laboratory has revealed the paradox that our bathroom is set to become in ten years time. Commissioned by Europe's leading bathroom provider, Ideal Standard International, the report assessed the features, products, experiences and services we can expect to see in the bathroom within the next decade as well as the diverse ways in which we will use them.</p><p>The Future Laboratory surveyed 1,500 homeowners on their attitudes and needs and the type of technology and products being developed in response and highlights how the use of space and layout is becoming an increasing issue in today's bathrooms. About a third (33%) of people in the UK feel that their bathroom is too small, while almost three in 10 say that their bathroom doesn't have enough storage or space for their products. </p><p>The bathroom of the future will be mouldable, flexible and adaptable. Homeowners will define the shape of the fixtures they want by simply shaping them ‘in the air'. The bathroom will remember and respond to each user and will feature intuitive technology to make the experience easier for the young, the old and the less mobile among us, changing surface textures to reflect our individual desires.&nbsp;</p><p>Designs that aim to respond to these demands include claytronics, a concept that uses nanoscale robotics to create 3D shapes by drawing silhouettes on their surfaces, as in Michaël Harboun's Living Kitchen concept. This could be used for taps, basins and showerheads. Personalised and interactive textile walls feature in work by designer Anat Dotan, while Nacho Carbonell's Skin Furniture uses thin, close elastic layers to adapt and take the form of the objects they contain. This membrane-like material could be used in the future bathroom, ‘swallowing' objects in order to provide more creative storage for small spaces.</p><p>&nbsp;Put simply, the bathroom of the future will use space more effectively. More than half (54%) of people in the UK already feel their bathroom does not suit all their needs. About a third (33%) of people in the UK agree that their bathroom is too small, which is particularly true among women aged 18–34 (44%). Around 29% of us agree that our current bathroom does not have enough storage space for our products, and again it is women aged 18–34 who feel this most (40%).&nbsp;</p><p>‘The average bathroom is the same size as a king-size bed, about 3.5 square metres,' comments Robin Levien, leading bathroom product designer.</p><p>In the future this will become even more important. Around 47% of people would like the bathroom of the future to be more spacious and for 19%, the adaptability of the bathroom space is an important feature. More than a quarter (28%) would like our bathrooms of the future to be easier for the elderly and less mobile to use, while 32% of people would like their bathroom to be safer.&nbsp;</p><p>Adaptable space and storage will not only be desirable, it will be a necessity. We are living longer – today's 20-year-olds are three times more likely to live to 100 than their grandparents, according to the Office for National Statistics. We are getting taller and wider – today's 11-year-olds are 2–4cm taller, with waists 7–8cm bigger, than 11-year-olds in 1978, according to the National Childrenswear Survey. And we're getting larger – obesity rates in the UK are the highest in Europe, according to the OECD. The bathroom of the future must cater for this expanding population.</p><p>Bathrooms of the future will feature Nanotech basins and showerheads, created through touch. Facial recognition technology means your bathroom will be able to remember who you are and deliver specific pre-set preferences such as temperature, water pressure and even a personalised floor texture, so it will feel like you are walking in a meadow or on desert sand.</p><p>Consumers are also becoming increasingly green. More than three quarters (78%) of people in the UK wish they could waste less water and 37% would like future bathrooms to be powered by renewable energy. In the future, the bathroom will be a water- and energy-efficient space. Water-wise behaviour will be encouraged by applications that make being green a game, along with devices that eliminate chores and nuisances, such as cleaning and condensation, from the bathroom.</p><p>The bathroom is already the sanctuary of the home. About 41% of people in the UK use the bathroom as a place to think, while a quarter use it as a place to relax. The bathroom is clearly becoming a refuge from the pressures of modern life, ‘a sanctuary and a place to escape', as designer Robin Levien puts it.&nbsp;</p><p></p><p></p> http://www.idealspec.co.uk/news/the-future-of-the-bathroom_10.html Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT 2012-01-13T00:00:00 <p><strong>REVEALED: The Paradox of the Future of the Bathroom</strong></p><p><em>Switching on versus switching off paradox set to make the bathroom of the future much more than just cleansing and bathing</em></p><p>London, UK – An independent report into the future of the bathroom by the Future Laboratory has revealed the paradox that our bathroom is set to become in ten years time. Commissioned by Europe's leading bathroom provider, Ideal Standard International, the report assessed the features, products, experiences and services we can expect to see in the bathroom within the next decade as well as the diverse ways in which we will use them.</p><p>The report shows that our attitudes towards shared and private space are changing; we want a bathroom that adapts to suit our changing moods. The bathroom of the future will become a paradox to the consumer of today, offering us both solitude and sociability. </p><p>The Future Laboratory surveyed 1,500 homeowners on their attitudes and needs and the type of technology being developed to respond to this.&nbsp; Research shows we spend 13 days a year in the bathroom – however, it is the last room in the house to respond to social changes. The advancement of digital technologies is set to affect beauty and grooming rituals, and the way in which we manage both our health and the environment around us.</p><p><strong>Switching Off</strong></p><p>The bathroom is currently a space we use to get away from it all. Ten million people in the UK people say that their work/life balance has suffered as a result of the financial crisis. Four in 10 (41%) UK consumers use the bathroom as a place to relax. The bathroom has become a refuge from the pressures of modern life, ‘a sanctuary and a place to escape', comments designer Robin Levien. </p><p>Designers are already developing new ways to fully engage our senses. According to the report, this will be a driving force in how the bathroom will look – in the future we will be transported into our favourite natural environment, away from the daily deluge of information. Imagine being able to walk into the bathroom and feel as if we're in a rainforest or lush meadow, bathing underneath a waterfall or stepping through fresh grass or feeling water like petals or the heat of the sun on your skin all year round.</p><p>The bathroom of the future will surround us with nature using scents, sounds and tactile experiences to mimic nature and engage all the senses:</p><ul><li>Touch - Tactile showers that will both cleanse and exfoliate the body</li></ul><ul><li>Smell - Scents will be designed to recreate happy memories to help us smell the past and the memories associated with itTouch - Haptic technology will be used to that simulate touch, making digital screens feel rough, sticky or slippery according to our preference</li></ul><ul><li>Sound - 3D sounds will immerse us and allow us to escape technology</li></ul><ul><li>Taste - Programmable surfaces will give us the ability to change the texture of our exfoliating brush and specific taste of our toothpaste</li></ul><ul><li>Sight - Choosing the backdrop for our bathing experience through interactive surfaces</li></ul><p>The research, technologies and products to enable these choices are already emerging with the introduction of augmented reality. Material designer Marie Rouillon's has developed a series of cups that look identical but are different to the touch, while at Keio University in Japan an electric lollipop lets you taste fireworks or a desired flavour. Designer Esther Yaloz's illustrations of flowers on fabric use thermochromic and photochromic textile dyes to react to light and touch. Fragrance chemist Roman Kaiser is already capturing and preserving the scents of endangered plants, so that they can be recreated synthetically in the future. </p><p><strong>Switching On</strong></p><p>The bathroom of the future will also be a social space in which users can stay connected to their friends and family, multi-tasking and sharing their experiences through multi-media and across social networks. More than a fifth (22%) of adults and nearly half (47%) of teenage smartphone owners answer calls or use their handset in the bathroom.?The sociable bathroom experience is inevitable for digital natives, who already live and breathe this connectivity. A quarter (24%) of people in the UK already wishes the time they spend in their bathroom could be more sociable. The ways in which consumers will be able to do this in the future will be vast as technology continues to rapidly evolve and include; </p><ul><li>Making it easier for people to decide when, how and with whom they want to connect from the comfort of their bathroom</li></ul><ul><li>Opt-in technology will be part of the bathroom experience and help digital natives connect to their friends and family</li></ul><ul><li>Augmented reality covers will protect our modesty when making video calls or chatting online</li></ul><ul><li>Social networking in the shower or bath will become the norm</li></ul><ul><li>Motion-controlled gaming in the bath</li></ul><ul><li>An E Ink shower curtain will help us catch up with the news or browse the internet. Flexible touchscreens containing graphene means the shower curtain of the future will have the potential to display both today's news and your friends' Facebook updates‘</li></ul><p>The mind is becoming more capable of micro-interactions and moving from one channel to another channel: I'm tweeting, then I'm Facebooking, then I'm sending a couple of emails, then I'm back to Twitter. Those cycles and patterns are becoming quite pervasive for Digital Natives,' says Matthew Bagwell, global creative director, EMC Consulting, and founder of The Fantastic Tavern, where digital planners and creatives meet to share insights and ideas.</p><p>As a space where many people go to relax (25%), or just to take a break, combined with the rapid rise of constant connectivity and media multi tasking, will make the bathroom an obvious entertainment centre. We are seeing the rapid rise of constant connectivity and media multi-tasking. People are watching multiple screens and playing games on their mobiles, more than eight in 10 of UK and US mobile-media users are using their TVs and computers simultaneously.&nbsp; Designers are responding to this and developing new forms of entertainment that will influence the bathroom of the future. For example, Romy Design has created an interactive mirror for children, which enables them to play with characters and be part of the story, using touch screen and motion-capturing software.</p><p>The paradox of using the bathroom to both switch on and switch off, combined with the advancement of technology, will lead us to choose exactly what we want from our bathroom experience in the next decade – stretching far beyond the realm of just cleansing and bathing.</p> http://www.idealspec.co.uk/news/the-paradox-of-the-future-of-the-bathroom_9.html Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT 2012-01-13T00:00:00 <p><strong>Give your shower a splash of power!</strong></p><p><em>Ideal Standard introduces the new Ideal Standard Boost shower packs</em></p><p>Ideal Standard, a leading provider of innovative and design-driven bathroom solutions, has launched its new Boost shower packs, offering consumers a powerful, reliable shower designed to enhance performance in homes with low pressure systems. </p><p>Innovative and practical the shower valve boosts water flow in low pressure areas, giving a much higher flow rate than an electric shower. The result is excellent showering performance in a sleek package, particularly suitable for bathrooms that are often unable to use conventional thermostatic Thermostatic products deliver accClick and Clean. The lower wheels and panels can be released to expose the for thorough cleaning. Panel then easily clicks back into position to ensure a water tight seal.urate thermostatic control ensuring the water temperature you select is maintained even if the pressure varies within your home. This means you and your children are safe regardless of any changes in water usage elsewhere in the home.showers including guest rooms, en suites and attic bathrooms. &nbsp;</p><p>Boost allows homeowners a power shower without requiring a fitted pump, Boost works by using the power from a main pressure cold water supply to give a strong, yet controllable shower from a low pressure hot water supply. This is achieved using the venturi effect - when high pressure cold water passes through an orifice and pulls hot water into the throat of a venturi cartridge. The mixture then accClick and Clean. The lower wheels and panels can be released to expose the for thorough cleaning. Panel then easily clicks back into position to ensure a water tight seal.elerates down the tube, producing a high yet controllable flow rate.</p><p>Aside from the obvious advantages of having a powerful, reliable shower as a result of this unique technology, homeowners will also benefit from the economical cost of Boost. With no necessity to fit a pump, the cost of an electrician is eliminated along with the installation costs. Furthermore, when comparing showering performance and whole life costs between Boost and an electric shower – Boost is the clear winner.</p><p>Key features: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </p><ul><li>Three new Boost shower packs</li></ul><ul><li><strong>Boost Exposed Pack with Shower Kit</strong></li></ul><ol><li>Sleek, modern bar valve design&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </li><li>Proven venturi cartridge</li><li>Ceramic disc Ceramic Disc flow control</li><li>Metal handles</li><li>Idealrain M1 shower kit with 100mm single function handspray, 600mm slide rail and 1.35m hose</li><li>&nbsp;List price £426.02</li></ol><ul><li><strong>Boost Built in Pack with Shower Kit</strong></li></ul><ol><li>Trevi TT valve body</li><li>Proven venturi cartridge</li><li>Ceramic disc Ceramic flow control</li><li>Metal faceplate</li><li>TT dual sealing offering additional resistance to water damage</li><li>Can be mounted vertically or horizontally</li><li>Interchangeable non-return valves to prevent replumbing if hot and cold supplies are reversed</li><li>Supplied with plaster guard to protect valve during installation</li><li>Idealrain M1 shower kit with 100mm single function handspray, 600mm slide rail and 1.35m hose</li><li>List price £426.02&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </li></ol><ul><li><strong>Boost Built-in pack with Rainshower</strong></li></ul><ol><li>Trevi TT valve body</li><li>Proven venturi cartridge</li><li>Ceramic disc flow control</li><li>Metal faceplate</li><li>TT dual sealing offering additional resistance to water damage</li><li>Can be mounted vertically or horizontally</li><li>Interchangeable non-return valves to prevent re-plumbing if hot and cold supplies are reversed</li><li>Supplied with plaster guard to protect valve during installation</li><li>Idealrain S1 rainshower with 100mm single function head and horizontal arm</li><li>List price £426.02</li></ol>Boost is available now. http://www.idealspec.co.uk/news/give-your-shower-a-splash-of-power_7.html Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT 2012-01-11T00:00:00 <p><strong>ONE IN FIVE PARENTS FEEL BATHTIME IS MORE STRESS THAN SPLASH</strong></p><p><em>Follow Ideal Standard’s quick and easy tips to make bathtime with your children safer and less stressful</em></p><p>Bathtime is a great way to bond with your child, but for many parents, the experience is fraught with worries about safety in the bathroom. Ideal Standard International, leading provider of innovative and design driven bathroom solutions says research reveals one in five parents resort to getting help bathing baby from a family member or their partner, or even avoid bathtime altogether.</p><p>Parents’ worries are understandable; over one million children under the age of 16 attend A&amp;E departments as a result of accidents in the home every year, and over 10% of these accidents occur in the bathroom. Moreover, 40% of parents don’t have any safety provisions in place in their bathrooms.</p><p>Ideal Standard has teamed up with parenting expert and practicing family doctor Dr. Carol Cooper to create some handy tips for parents to help prevent unnecessary accidents and create a safe and fun-filled environment for family bathtime.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><ul><li>Supervision– “Never leave your child alone in the bath, even if your child can sit up alone or you are using a baby bath seat. Drowning is the most common cause of death in babies and young children and can happen in less than an inch of water so popping out for even a second is never a good idea,” advises Carol. “At bath time you need to focus all your attention on your child so try to gather all supplies ahead of time and avoid getting distracted by the phone or the doorbell. Let voicemail handle your calls and don’t be tempted to text or check emails either.”</li></ul><ul><li>Water temperature –“The right water temperature is extremely important for a safe bath,” says Carol. “Make sure the water is a comfortable, lukewarm temperature as a child’s skin is more sensitive than an adult’s and what is slightly warm for you can cause your child a serious burn.” Carol advises checking the temperature by dipping your elbow in the water as this is more temperature sensitive than your hand, or for accuracy use a bath thermometer. If your child often comes out of the tub looking red, the water is too hot. Hot taps can be just as dangerous, so ensure you keep your child away from them where possible. If you can, turn down the hot water thermostat in your home too if you can to help prevent accidents if a child turns on the tap.Ideal Standard has a range of thermostatic bath mixers s that use technology to keep the tap safe to the touch as well as safety stops to limit the maximum water temperature.</li></ul><ul><li><em>Ideal Standard’s range of Ceramix Blue mixers uses innovative COOL BODY technology to prevent the body of the tap from getting hot, offering you enhanced safety and peace of mind. Ideal Standard recommends installing the Ceramix Blue bath and shower mixer (RRP £172) to allow your children to play safely in the bath.</em></li></ul><p><em></em></p><ul><li>Avoid Slip Ups–“Children enjoy playing in the bath, but since they don’t have the natural caution that grown-ups have, slips and tumbles happen all too easily. A lot of parents bathe children together, but horse-play increases the chance of mishaps so a non-slip surface becomes all the more important,” advises Carol. </li></ul><ul><li>For extra safety,&nbsp; Ideal Standard suggest fitting a FIRST bath (RRP from £300), which has a lower step-in height of just 48cm, 7cms less than an average bath, making it particularly easy for small children to get in and out. The lowered height also gives you easier access to your child when bathing them.</li></ul><p></p><p></p><em></em><ul><li>Storage –“It is very important to keep all dangerous products safely tucked away from little inquisitive hands,” says Carol. “The bathroom isn’t really an ideal place to keep medicines and cleaning products anyway as it is often too damp for storage,” advises Carol. “You may also like to keep all cleaning products in one place, like a kitchen cupboard fitted with a child-resistant latch.&nbsp; Once you do that, you will have far less to store in the bathroom and can choose a smaller wall-mounted bathroom cabinet which avoids a jumble of things falling out when you open it".</li></ul><ul><li><em>The Concept furniture range by Ideal Standard offers a number of high wall-mounted storage solutions to keep potential hazards safely out of harm’s way. Prices start from RRP £161.</em></li></ul><p><em></em></p><p><em></em></p><ul><li>Hazards – “Before bathing your child, scour the bathroom for any other potential hazards your child might find – it’s surprising how many there can be that you may not have even considered. Children love to find out how things work and fiddling around is your child’s way of learning, so it’s no surprise that little fingers get hurt by closing toilet lids,” says Carol. To avoid this, Carol recommends fitting a soft-close toilet seat with a resistance function. “Your child will feel grown-up putting the seat up and down themselves, and they won’t make an irritating noise when they’re lifted and dropped repeatedly. You’ll appreciate the quietness later on, when your child is older and getting to the loo alone in the night and will eliminate the seat slamming on little fingers.” </li></ul> <ul><li><em>Ideal Standard recommends the CONCEPT slow close seat and cover, RRP £100, to eliminate hazards and prevent accidents. </em></li></ul> http://www.idealspec.co.uk/news/one-in-five-parents-feel-bathtime-is-more-stress-than-splash_6.html Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT 2012-01-11T00:00:00 <p><strong>IDEAL STANDARD LAUNCHES NEW SOFTMOOD COLLECTION</strong></p><p>Ideal Standard, a leading provider of innovative and design-driven bathroom solutions, today launches its new bathroom collection, SoftMood.&nbsp; Characterized by its soft and rounded design with high tech solutions, its reliable product features help to create a warm and comfortable bathroom experience with a personal touch.</p><p>SoftMood follows the trend towards organic and round shapes, comprising of a selection of basins, furniture units and accessories in a variety of sizes to suit all requirements.&nbsp; SoftMoods creates personal solutions with a wide range of products lending itself to integrated design, easy cleaning and storage solutions.&nbsp;</p><p>The ceramic is designed by one of Italy’s most successful designers Franco Bertoli.&nbsp; The range includes hand wash basins, vanities, pedestal and semi pedestal basins as well as semi countertop and vessel versions.&nbsp; There are three WC options, close coupled, back to wall and wall hung, along with a choice of floor standing and wall hung bidets.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p><p>The furniture collection is designed by leading design house Artefakt.&nbsp;&nbsp; There are various models of basin, drawer and storage units, all with push to open doors and drawers to eliminate the need for handles for effortless functionality and sleek aesthetics.&nbsp; Units are available in four finishes including one Walnut finish. The furniture can be perfectly integrated with the ceramic and accessories.</p><p>To complement the furniture and ceramics a comprehensive mirror and accessory range is available.&nbsp; Options include LED lighting, mirrored cabinets with full storage capacity, all mirrors (with the exception of the guest solution) has an anti steam/fog system.&nbsp; Accessories feature frosted glass with a chrome finish and inviting shapes to bring true enjoyment in the bathroom. Ideal Standard SoftMood will add that luxurious final touch to help make every moment in the bathroom count.</p><p><strong>Key Features</strong></p><p>The SoftMood collection offers a variety of choices for personalised solutions to optimise style and comfort, these include:</p><ul><li>Ceramic combinations with furnitureCreating a flexible and complete program offering a full range of options within the collection, with vanities, traditional basins, vessels and also semi countertop/WC unit solutions.</li></ul><ul><li>Variety of finishes Including lacquered matt light brown, glossy light grey, glossy white and melamine walnut veneer.</li></ul><ul><li>Design DetailAll fronts and tops and sides have a thickness of 25mm that give the units a luxury appeal together with the integrated chrome plated bar.</li></ul><ul><li>Anti Steam / Fog systemIncluded in mirrors (not in guest solution) with 25mm total mirror thickness with Aluminium colour frame.</li></ul><ul><li>Optional LED lightingIP44 rated with in rounded shape to suit standard mirrors round profile.</li></ul><ul><li>Mirror cabinets &nbsp;IP44 LED lighting, 25mm door fronts and sides and full storage capacity availing of 100% of space use when opening.</li></ul><ul><li>Basin Draw units Push to open and close system – no handles! High quality chrome trim highlight the furniture's soft edged design. </li></ul> http://www.idealspec.co.uk/news/-idealspec-cms_14.html Thu, 5 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT 2012-01-05T00:00:00 <p>London, UK – An independent report into the future of the bathroom by the Future Laboratory has revealed the paradox that our bathroom is set to become in ten years time. Commissioned by Europe's leading bathroom provider, Ideal Standard International, the report assessed the features, products, experiences and services we can expect to see in the bathroom within the next decade as well as the diverse ways in which we will use them.</p><p>The Future Laboratory surveyed 1,500 homeowners on their attitudes and needs and the type of technology and products being developed in response and highlights how the use of space and layout is becoming an increasing issue in today's bathrooms. About a third (33%) of people in the UK feel that their bathroom is too small, while almost three in 10 say that their bathroom doesn't have enough storage or space for their products. </p><p>The bathroom of the future will be mouldable, flexible and adaptable. Homeowners will define the shape of the fixtures they want by simply shaping them ‘in the air'. The bathroom will remember and respond to each user and will feature intuitive technology to make the experience easier for the young, the old and the less mobile among us, changing surface textures to reflect our individual desires. </p><p>Designs that aim to respond to these demands include claytronics, a concept that uses nanoscale robotics to create 3D shapes by drawing silhouettes on their surfaces, as in Michaël Harboun's Living Kitchen concept. This could be used for taps, basins and showerheads. Personalised and interactive textile walls feature in work by designer Anat Dotan, while Nacho Carbonell's Skin Furniture uses thin, close elastic layers to adapt and take the form of the objects they contain. This membrane-like material could be used in the future bathroom, ‘swallowing' objects in order to provide more creative storage for small spaces.</p><p>Put simply, the bathroom of the future will use space more effectively. More than half (54%) of people in the UK already feel their bathroom does not suit all their needs. About a third (33%) of people in the UK agree that their bathroom is too small, which is particularly true among women aged 18–34 (44%). Around 29% of us agree that our current bathroom does not have enough storage space for our products, and again it is women aged 18–34 who feel this most (40%). </p><p>In the future this will become even more important. Around 47% of people would like the bathroom of the future to be more spacious and for 19%, the adaptability of the bathroom space is an important feature. More than a quarter (28%) would like our bathrooms of the future to be easier for the elderly and less mobile to use, while 32% of people would like their bathroom to be safer. </p><p>Adaptable space and storage will not only be desirable, it will be a necessity. We are living longer – today's 20-year-olds are three times more likely to live to 100 than their grandparents, accClick and Clean. The lower wheels and panels can be released to expose the for thorough cleaning. Panel then easily clicks back into position to ensure a water tight seal.ording to the Office for National Statistics. We are getting taller and wider – today's 11-year-olds are 2–4cm taller, with waists 7–8cm bigger, than 11-year-olds in 1978, accClick and Clean. The lower wheels and panels can be released to expose the for thorough cleaning. Panel then easily clicks back into position to ensure a water tight seal.ording to the National Childrenswear Survey. And we're getting larger – obesity rates in the UK are the highest in Europe, accClick and Clean. The lower wheels and panels can be released to expose the for thorough cleaning. Panel then easily clicks back into position to ensure a water tight seal.ording to the OECD. The bathroom of the future must cater for this expanding population.</p><p>Bathrooms of the future will feature Nanotech basins and showerheads, created through touch. Facial recognition technology means your bathroom will be able to remember who you are and deliver specific pre-set preferences such as temperature, water pressure and even a personalised floor texture, so it will feel like you are walking in a meadow or on desert sand.</p><p>Consumers are also becoming increasingly green. More than three quarters (78%) of people in the UK wish they could waste less water and 37% would like future bathrooms to be powered by renewable energy. In the future, the bathroom will be a water- and energy-efficient space. Water-wise behaviour will be encouraged by applications that make being green a game, along with devices that eliminate chores and nuisances, such as cleaning and condensation, from the bathroom.</p><p>The bathroom is already the sanctuary of the home. About 41% of people in the UK use the bathroom as a place to think, while a quarter use it as a place to relax. The bathroom is clearly becoming a refuge from the pressures of modern life, ‘a sanctuary and a place to escape', as designer Robin Levien puts it.</p> http://www.idealspec.co.uk/news/the-future-of-the-bathroom_13.html Tue, 3 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT 2012-01-03T00:00:00 http://www.idealspec.co.uk/news.rss