Shower Sensor to Reduce Water Usage

Solution to monitor length of showers and promote more sustainable water habits.
Climate Change Mitigation Resource Use

Problem Addressed

Statistics collected by the Energy Saving Trust show that showers and baths are responsible for the  highest percentage of water usage in an average household. With an average shower length between 6-8 minutes and an average flow rate of 12 litres per minute, reducing shower length by 2-3 minutes daily could save between 5,200 to 9,360 litres of water per person per year. By reducing hot water consumption, this would also reduce energy use and CO2 emissions.

Solution Overview

The Aguardio Shower Sensor can help reduce hot water consumption by providing access to showering insight data and encouraging sustainable behaviours. No changes to bathroom fixtures are required and it can be easily DIY installed in less than 60 seconds with durable, double-sided tape. The sensor works by detecting movement, frequency of water noise, temperature, and humidity to determine when a shower is being used. Shower time and water pauses (like while shampooing) are displayed in real-time, creating a documented reduction in shower duration and promoting lasting behavioural changes.

Aguardio has found that this sensor results in up to a 30% reduction in shower time in homes and a 21% reduction in hospitality and tourism. Messages can also be used to change shower time and reduce both water and energy. Surrey and Cranfield Universities have carried out extensive projects on shower behaviour using the Aguardio Shower Sensor. By collecting humidity and temperature information, the sensor can be useful for monitoring health issues in a bathroom and identifying where mould may be present.

Data from the sensor can be sent via Bluetooth to their digital Hub or App, and raw data can also be integrated with other systems using open API. Facilities managers can use the sensor data to access invaluable information about their customers’ shower usage, thus providing hot water where and when it is required. There is no maintenance required with the battery lasting 3 years. The ROI depends on shower usage but can be between 9-18 months. Additionally, the data provided by the sensor is useful for preventative maintenance and monitoring water usage and hot water generation. The Aguardio Shower Sensor improves the overall sustainability of a building and can even earn points towards building certifications.

Company name

Aguardio

UK availability

Yes

Date added

Nov, 2023

Links

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Case Study

Aguardio Shower Sensors were tested in seven tourism accommodations in Europe and North America. Over 25,488 showers were measured to test the effectiveness of real-time feedback on shower duration. Guests were given persuasive messages reflecting pro-environmental values to encourage shorter showers. The result was that the average duration of showers was reduced by 13.56% on average, with the most effective messaging tested resulting in a 21.27% reduction across all the accommodations. Per room per year, this intervention would save 4.44 M3 of water, 0.19 MWH of energy, and 33kg of CO2.

Facts and Figures

Up to 30 %

reduced shower time in homes

9-18 months

estimated ROI

£100-130

per sensor depending on quantity

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