From Homescape

I’m a Sci-Fi, “Lord of the Rings,” technology gadgets kind of geek. While my DVR still gets me scratching my head at times, I don’t love it any less. With over 1,500 different vendors showcasing at this year’s International Home Builders’ Show in Orlando, Fla., it was hard to visit every nail-drilling, home-building, kitchen-design booth. But one vendor that didn’t get lost in the haystack was Kohler. As a leader in high-end, cutting-edge bathroom technology and design, crowds of people herded into their massive booth area to see what they have up their sleeves for 2008.

Best in bath                                                                    
If Macintosh and Elizabeth Arden Spa had a kid, it would be named the DTV custom showering system. Kolher’s DTV digital system uses leading-edge technology and six-port thermostatic valve to create the ultimate luxury shower experience. I know it sounds over the top, but this shower is on steroids.

Programmable presets let individual users select the shower of their choice with a touch of a button. Consumers can select from a range of settings, from pulsating hydromassage to a relaxing shower. The six presets allow you to personalize the shower with a vast combination of options. With a second digital interface (optional) installed outside the shower, users can even have the shower system remember how warm or cold they like their water temperature to be before they unrobe and step in. Installed inside the shower, the streamlined digital interface eliminates the need for multiple valve handles.

The valve’s six ports enable the use of a variety of shower heads, body sprays and hand showers. If you really want to pamper yourself, have the WaterTile Rain overhead shower installed. This unit showerhead emits a light, warm mist to make you feel like you’re bathing under a gentle waterfall.

Even though Kohler launched this technology two years ago, it is still catching on slowly. The digital interface alone can cost $1,036 and up, so you won’t be finding these custom showers in many homes across the country anytime soon.

Money not flushed down the toilet
Expanding their line of high-efficiency, water-conserving toilets, Kohler showcased their Pressure Lite technology by introducing the San Raphael toilet.

The San Raphael Pressure Lite toilet is Kohler’s – and the industry’s – first one-piece, 1.0 gallon-per-flush (gpf) high-efficiency toilet with pressure-assist technology. The toilet uses compressed air within its reservoir to propel water to the rim and a siphon jet for robust flushing power. The 1.0 gpf could save a household of four up to 20,000 gallons of water annually, versus and older 3.5 gpf toilet.

This toilet is also WaterSense labeled as part of a partnership program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which ensures consumers are purchasing a product that reduces water usage and meets strict performance guidelines. To be eligible for WaterSense, toilets must flush on average with 20 percent less water than the standard 1.6 gpf. The new San Raphael Pressure Lite toilet flushes with nearly 40 percent less water, making it one of the most efficient toilets on the market today. While consumers can expect to pay about $690 and up for this environmentally conscious toilet, the savings will be seen in the water bill.

Got hot local housing tips or a story you want to share? Contact Amy Le at openingdoorsblog@homescape.com