Water Consumption Awareness

2009 / Roca /

Initial Challenge

In an era where water conservation is increasingly critical, many users remain unaware of their personal water consumption during daily activities. Roca identified the need to develop a solution that would raise user awareness about water usage directly at the point of consumption, encouraging more sustainable behaviors.

The Method

To tackle this challenge, the following approach was employed:

Focus Identification: Initiated the project under the theme “Old problems, new solutions,” emphasizing innovative approaches to longstanding issues.
Concept Development: Explored various ideas to provide real-time feedback to users about their water consumption, aiming for a solution that is both informative and unobtrusive.
Collaboration with Engineering: Worked closely with electronic engineers to identify cost-effective technologies capable of accurately measuring and displaying water usage.

The Solution

The outcome was the development of Drain New, a device designed to enhance user awareness of water consumption:
- Flow Measurement: Utilizes flow meters on both hot and cold inlet pipes to measure the amount of water supplied to the tap.
- Wireless Data Transmission: Transmits the collected data wirelessly to a receiver integrated within the waste fitting.
- Real-Time Display: Features a display that shows the number of liters used during each session, resetting after every use.
- User-Friendly Installation: Designed for easy installation and can be retrofitted into existing systems without extensive modifications.
- Sustainable Power: Operates on rechargeable batteries, ensuring energy efficiency and reducing environmental impact.

My Involvement

As the Service & Concept Design Researcher, my responsibilities included:

Concept Creation: Led the development of the Drain New concept from initial focus identification through to the final deliverable, ensuring alignment with Roca’s innovation objectives.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Coordinated with electronic engineers to devise a cost-effective and technically feasible solution for real-time water consumption measurement.
Usability Focus: Emphasized user-centric design principles to create an intuitive interface that effectively communicates water usage information to users.
Presentation and Demonstration: Contributed to showcasing Drain New at the ISH bathroom fair in Frankfurt in 2011, highlighting its features and benefits to industry professionals and potential customers.