Of all the rooms in the house, environmental building codes have had the most impact on the design of our bathrooms. Saving water and energy in the bathroom is paramount to meet green building standards, while recent design innovations also mean that these efficient bathrooms look great.

If you’re aiming for a modern and green bathroom, look at using wood, stainless steel and glass. These materials are more sustainable, and also easier to maintain, and will give a much more stylish finish.

Water conservation is an easy one; installing a low flow shower head and tap faucet and a dual flush toilet will make sure that you’re using as little water as possible. Toilets can use as much as 27% of your household water, and a low-flow dual flush model will go a long way towards reducing this.

In addition to a low flow tap faucet, you may also consider adding a motion detector to guarantee that really you’re only using as much water as you need. An in-built water filter will also improve the performance of your low flow shower head and make any shower residue much easier to remove.

Installing an all-in-one bathroom heater, fan and light unit is a must for saving space, maximising energy efficiency and helping to maintain a healthy and dry area. The IXL Tastic Neo is a great choice with clean and minimalist design that sits flush with the ceiling. Perfect for creating bathrooms that meet the standards for 5 Star Homes, the IXL Tastic Neo vents directly outside, preventing any unwanted drafts.

The downlights are gimbal-mounted for directional lighting, so you can direct the light to where it’s needed. Tungsten halogen heating lamps sit behind the specially designed frosted, toughened glass that diffuses the heat evenly. 

Once you have your appliances and accessories in place, don’t forget that the final touches are vitally important to any green scheme! Think about using towels made from natural fibres, non-toxic cleaning products, and for the dedicated, recycled toilet paper.