A deep dive into WELS ratings: Choosing water efficient fittings
While many trends in home design and fittings come and go, one in particular has shown tenacity since coming into fashion. Of course, we’re talking about sustainability.
Ever since we started to become aware of our impact on the planet, and its finite resources, eco-friendly home design has become more and more of a pressing concern for Australians. And there’s good reason for this, even on top of ‘doing the right thing’. Generally speaking, many of the same things you can do to make your home more environmentally friendly will also save you money, so it really is a win-win.
Today, we’re going to be looking at one of the systems designed to help you choose eco-friendly products for your home: the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) scheme. We’ll show you what this is, and how to find products with high WELS scores.
What is the WELS scheme?
The WELS scheme came into existence through a law passed in 2005, which aimed to empower people buying products that consume water (everything from toilets to kitchen taps to dishwashers) about their efficiency.
Products covered in the scheme receive a star rating depending on how water efficient they are, which is basically a measure of how much water they use to carry out their function (e.g. flushing a toilet, or running a tap).
Why do WELS ratings matter?
According to YourHome.gov.au, despite being the driest populated continent on the planet, Australia uses more water per person than the majority of other countries. Given that clean water isn’t an infinite resource, this could become a problem – particularly as the climate warms, meaning we’re likely to need to consume more, not less water in future
Now consider that a leaking tap can waste as much as 20,000 litres of water per year. Not only is this obviously unhelpful as we try to conserve water, by contributing to potential future water shortages, it also means you’re almost literally throwing money down the drain.
So, by investing in products with high WELS ratings, like this Gareth Aston Park Avenue Basin Mixer (with a WELS rating of 6 stars) you’re doing your bit for the planet, and for your wallet.
What products are covered by the WELS scheme?
In Australia, the following products come under the WELS scheme:
- Tapware
- Showers
- Toilets and urinals
- Dishwashers
- Washing machines
- Flow controllers
How much of a difference can it make financially?
WaterRating.gov.au has run the numbers on how much you could save by installing more efficient applications in your home.
For example, replacing a shower that runs at 15L/min with a 3 WELS star model like this Round Shower model from Gareth Ashton could save you around $210 per year. When you consider that this unit costs between $117.00 – $154.4, the math starts to look pretty good!
Similarly, if you’re looking to make your kitchen more eco-friendly (and these tend to be high water waste rooms), this 304 Gooseneck Kitchen Mixer has an impressive 5 WELS star rating, meaning it could save you between $33 – $60 per year. Every little bit helps, as they say!
Interested in making your home more environmentally friendly, and potentially saving yourself a significant amount of money on the way? We’ve got plenty of water efficient, yet stylish, appliances for your kitchen, bathroom and laundry. To get inspiration for your next sustainable reno, drop into your nearest Abey showroom today or make an appointment to ensure one of our product experts is available to help.
