- LIXIL brands INAX, GROHE and American Standard enable responsible water consumption and provide access to conscious hygiene in water-stressed countries
- Social brand SATO scaling up efforts to build sustainable sanitation economies
By : Mohamed Elkholy
Water is the basis of life yet one of the world’s greatest sustainability challenges. Currently, 2 billion people lack safely managed drinking water[1], while 2.3 billion live in water-stress countries[2]. This World Water Day on March 22 is about “accelerating change” to help solve the ongoing water and sanitation crisis - a crisis that is closely linked to progress in other major global sustainability challenges, including health, hunger, education, and economic development.
LIXIL Corporation (“LIXIL”, TSE Code: 5938), maker of pioneering water and housing products, is committed to progressing Sustainable Development Goal 6: to ensure access to water and sanitation for all. To deliver on its aim to “make better homes a reality for everyone, everywhere”, LIXIL provides solutions that enable everyone to use water in more sustainable, smart, and safe ways. The approach starts with responsible use of water in its own operations, but a real difference can be made by providing products and innovations that conserve water and energy – enabling safe water – and by advocating for smart water policies. Today, LIXIL is leveraging its expertise to improve water access and quality, and increase water security for communities and nature.
Helping consumers save water with innovative products
LIXIL’s house of brands offers products that cater to many different lifestyle preferences and needs, while helping reduce water consumption and increasing water safety.
At the heart of LIXIL brand INAX lies cutting-edge technology. Its Navish hands-free faucet, for example, starts and stops water flow automatically, using its built-in sensor technology to reduce water consumption by 30% compared to traditional faucets. In addition, the INAX SATIS toilet achieves considerable water savings without compromising on performance; it can save up to 49% of water compared to conventional toilets, which use eight liters of water per long flush.
Similarly, LIXIL’s American Standard brand offers the Studio S toilet, which uses just one gallon (3.8 liters) of water per flush – almost 40% less than the US industry standard – thanks to its innovative PowerFlow flushing technology. To improve water quality and safety in the kitchen as well, the American Standard Saybrook filtered kitchen faucet leverages filtration technology to remove impurities such as lead, chlorine, and small particles from tap water, providing safe drinking water at the touch of a button.
New step change in water-saving technology
As an innovation that aims to promote efficient water use in the bathroom, LIXIL brand GROHE recently introduced its upcoming GROHE Everstream water-recycling shower system. Reusing the water within the showering process, it is designed to create a showering experience that meets all expectations while using as little fresh water as possible and far less energy. The shower system cuts water use by up to 75% and energy use by up to 66% for a 10-minute shower.
Scaling up efforts to build sustainable sanitation economies
Established as one of the three focus areas in the Corporate Responsibility strategy, LIXIL’s sanitation initiatives aim to innovate solutions to improve sanitation and hygiene for 100 million people by 2025.
As part of this, LIXIL’s brand and social business SATO offers innovative, affordable toilet and handwashing solutions for underserved communities, and partners with organizations, and entrepreneurs, both globally and locally, to increase the availability of products. Just recently, SATO celebrated its first decade in operation, impacting the lives of more than 35 million people in 45 countries.
