Spotted: In the average European household, showers are responsible for over a third of water loss and around a quarter of energy usage. And with rising energy prices across Europe, one 10-minute shower could cost almost €3. To help save people money and energy, a Swiss-based company, Joulia, has created technology to recover heat energy from a warm shower.
The Joulia-Inline heat recycling technology uses a shower drain channel that is connected to cold water pipes. When someone takes a shower, the warm shower water runs over these pipes instead of going straight down the drain and preheats the incoming cold water. With the preheated cold water, the shower uses less hot water at the mixer valve. By reusing water heat, Joulia helps customers reduce their energy consumption, utility bill, and carbon footprint, while providing a comfortable shower experience.
The technology is completely hidden, with the heat exchanger directly integrated into the shower area to recover energy. The line is also available in many lengths and efficiencies.
With its durable technology, Joulia says customers can save 60 per cent of their energy usage and because installation is quick, users can start saving on their bills immediately.
Showers, while relaxing, can break the bank and waste a lot of water and energy, and Springwise has spotted many innovations to reduce these stressors. These include a brand that has introduced a recycling shower that reduces water usage by 75 per cent and a smart sensor that encourages users to save water in the shower.
Asian diner chain Light Years has renovated its restaurant in the Australian surf town of Byron Bay, with interiors conceived by local practice Studio Plenty in collaboration with home-grown artists and designers.
The team behind Light Years wanted its flagship eatery to mirror the playful visual identity established across its three other venues on Australia’s East Coast while refining and elevating their aesthetic.
Studio Plenty has renovated the Light Years diner in Byron Bay
“We were asked to reimagine the Byron Bay restaurant, taking cues from its sister diners but with greater restraint in composition,” Studio Plenty founder Will Rathgeber told Dezeen.
“We were looking to achieve something refined without letting go of the relaxed culture behind the brand, with satisfying colours and patterns, and playful shapes and materials.”
Terracotta tiles were used to finish the walls and floors
Soft corners and gently curving walls help to create a sense of intimacy, according to Rathgeber, while the restaurant’s colour palette of soft pink and terracotta tones “embraces you like a warm hug”.
Underpinning the playful feel of the eatery is a careful focus on the practicalities, with arched openings and material thresholds helping to define three distinct spaces – the main dining room, a curved bar with counter seating and a private dining area for larger groups.
Arched openings separate the restaurant’s different dining areas
The restaurant’s material palette incorporates handmade terracotta tiles with a rustic brushed finish and a rusty colour that is also picked up in the restaurant’s floors and the Fibonacci terrazzo bar counter.
In the main dining room, the ceiling was treated with an acoustic spray to absorb sound while contributing to the earthy, vernacular look of the diner thanks to its bumpy texture.
Rattan acoustic panels cover the ceiling near the entrance
Since the acoustic spray does not adhere to pipes, Studio Plenty specified a motorbike exhaust wrap for the pipes to achieve a harmonious ceiling plane.
In the bar area, ceilings are clad in rattan acoustic panels by local product designer and interior stylist Sarah Ellison, who also worked with Studio Plenty to design the restaurant’s custom furniture including the chunky tables and bistro-style chairs.
Artist collective Studio of the Sun created two colourful murals for the restaurant, with one featuring playful illustrations laser-printed onto a section of glossy white tiles.
“The client was committed to a locally focussed project, hence approaching Studio Plenty to design the restaurant and Sarah Ellison and Studio of the Sun to collaborate,” said Rathgeber.
A curved terrazzo bar provides counter seating
Rathgeber founded his Byron Bay practice in 2020 after cutting his teeth working for architecture firms Woods Bagot and Jackson Clements Burrows in Melbourne.
“We believe happiness is achieved through sensible design, not excess,” he explained of his studio’s ethos. “We have an appetite for rational design and an obsession with functionalism.”
The private dining area is defined by a Studio of the Sun artwork
Elsewhere in Byron Bay’s bustling bar and restaurant scene, Australian studio Pattern has designed the interiors for an eatery serving South America-style small plates and cocktails.
Its patchy grey surfaces and concrete fixtures were designed to reflect the “raw beauty” of late-night eateries in Mexico.
Warm nest provides a calming environment for recovery
Ark-shelter showcases their expertise in creating calm environments with Warm Nest, a Maggie Center in Belgium. The healthcare facility is designed to provide a comfortable setting while patients receive cancer treatment and heal. Maggie Keswick Jencks conceptualized the Maggie Center after experiencing cancer diagnosis, treatment, remission and recurrence. Her insights were valuable in pioneering a new architectural approach to cancer care. In Warm Nest each room is specifically designed to reflect the level of intimacy and the emotions that occur within.
Ark-shelter showcases their expertise in creating calm environments with Warm Nest
ark-shelter uses neuroscience to design different spaces
The design practice Ark-shelter specializes in prefabricated dwelling constructions with organic materials, dark tones and heavy glazing, exuding a sense of peace. The feelings evoked in these dwellings are what AZ Zeno wished to capture in the healing center. Throughout the design process, Ark-Shelter consulted a neuroscientist in order to better grasp the influence of space on the human consciousness. The task was to carefully analyze the various emotional touchpoints that occur through cancer treatment and to construct ‘brain healthy spaces’.
the healthcare facility is designed to provide a comfortable setting while patients heal
a calming and comfortable space where patients regain strength
The concept for Warm Nest is a welcoming, non-intrusive space that focuses on calm gatherings, time to regain strength, and the journey to recovery. A soft ramp leads to the entrance and almost every inch of the building has views to the outdoors. The light wood interiors coupled with abundant windows removes the hospital look and feel from the facility. A comfortable courtyard provides a serene slice of nature while protecting from the wind.
Maggie Centers pioneer a new architectural approach to cancer care
Restaurant interiors with natural finishes have been popular on Pinterest this week, including a beach club restaurant in London and a Japanese restaurant in Canada featuring paper lanterns. Follow Dezeen on Pinterest and read on to find out more about the projects.
Pinners have been predominantly drawn to the Dezeen’s boards that feature restaurant interiors. The most popular have soft, warm lighting schemes and make use of natural materials and wooden furniture.
A sushi restaurant in Dubai stood out due to its black tiles, grey plaster and dramatic lighting.
Scroll down to see eight popular projects pinned on Dezeen’s Pinterest and browse our restaurants Pinterest board to see more projects.
Ikoyi restaurant, UK, by David Thulstrup
Copenhagen-based designer David Thulstup carried out a complete renovation of the interiors of London’s Ikoyi restaurant.
Informed by spices from sub-Saharan Africa, he created a warm and earthy colour palette featuring a variety of materials including copper and oak.
Find out more about the Ikoyi restaurant ›
Milk Beach Soho, UK, by A-nrd
Natural materials feature in this eatery designed by London design office A-nrd to resemble an Australian beach club.
The restaurant’s seating is made from timber and rattan, while sandy-hued Palladian terrazzo covers the floor.
Find out more about Milk Beach Soho ›
Hello Sunshine, Canada, by Frank Architecture
Japanese design elements like paper lanterns and ceiling-hung textile artworks feature in the interiors of the Hello Sunshine bar and restaurant in Alberta, Canada.
The studio incorporated plaid curtains, stone and wood to suit the restaurant’s mountain location.
Find out more about Hello Sunshine ›
Sahbi Sahbi, Morocco, by Studio KO
Influenced by female chefs and Morrocan cuisine, Studio KO used earthy colours and natural materials like wood to create a warm and inviting space for guests at Sahbi Sahbi (above and top).
Finer details include rust-coloured ceramic urns, clay pots and pans and orange-brown paint used for an alcove above a sink.
Find out more about Sahbi Sahbi ›
Saga Hirakawaya restaurant, Japan, by Keji Ashizawa
Materials “with a sense of simplicity” including wood and concrete were used to create minimalist interiors for a tofu restaurant in Japan’s Saga prefecture.
Wood was used for the entrance, windows and undersurface of eaves to match the wood from Ariake, a furniture brand also based in Saga. To complement its stripped-down interior, Japanese designer Keji Ashizawa added wooden furniture and pale grey walls.
Find out more about The Saga Hirakawaya restaurant ›
Bao Express, France, by Atelieramo
Traditional Hong Kong diners informed the design of Bao Express, Paris.
To recreate the 1970s Hong Kong urban atmosphere, the studio included celadon-green walls and curvaceous wooden booths. Pastel colours and neon lights also feature.
Find out more about Bao Express ›
Bacchanalia London, UK, by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio
Martin Brudnizki Design Studio was informed by classic Greek and Roman mythology when designing the interiors of this London restaurant.
Sculptures more than 2,000 years old can be found at the bar and five specially-commissioned monumental statues by Damien Hirst dominate the main dining room.
Find out more about Bacchanalia London ›
Origami, Dubai, by VSHD Design
A moody and dark interior was created for a sushi restaurant in The Dubai Mall, United Arab Emirates.
To replicate the atmosphere of Japanese underground sushi bars, VSHD Design used textured grey plaster, matte-black tiles and dramatic low lighting.
Find out more about Origami ›
Follow Dezeen on Pinterest
Pinterest is one of Dezeen’s fastest-growing social media networks with over 1.4 million followers and more than ten million monthly views. Follow our Pinterest to see the latest architecture, interiors and design projects – there are more than four hundred boards to browser and pin from. Currently, our most popular boards are Apartments and Concrete houses.
In the US, about 13% of total CO2 emissions come from heating residential and commercial buildings. Because so many buildings rely on natural gas and heating oil, significant opportunity for reducing heating emissions lies with electric heat pumps. Heat pumps have been popular in the South for decades, but there are a lot of questions about how well they work in colder climates.
“A huge portion of our global emissions come from heating buildings,” says Brian Stewart, co-founder of Electrify Now, a volunteer organization devoted to electrification. “Since our homes are a big part of that, it’s important for us to understand the options we have for zero-carbon heating.”
Recently, researchers from the University of California, Davis did the math on switching from a gas furnace to an electric heat pump. Even with the mix of fuels that currently powers the electrical grid, a heat pump will produce far fewer emissions than a gas furnace, no matter where in the US you live. As the grid gets cleaner, the difference between electric and gas heating emissions will only continue to grow.
“We know that electrification works from a decarbonization standpoint, and we know that these heat pumps work in many situations,” says Stewart. “But we still have so many people wondering: Will heat pumps work in cold temperatures?”
Heat pumps, not just for warm climates
“With a standard heat pump, you start to lose efficiency as temperatures dip below 40°F,” explained Shawn LeMons, Performance Construction Manager for Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US. “So, the system needs more electric power to extract heat from colder air.”
That’s where cold climate heat pumps come in.
Also known as high-efficiency heat pumps, these high-tech systems are specially designed to operate at a higher heating capacity in lower temperatures. “Cold climate heat pumps may look similar to standard heat pumps, but their internal technology and computer programming are far more advanced,” LeMons added. “They’re specifically built to function at subzero temperatures, all while operating as efficiently as possible.”
Location, location, location
Cold climate heat pumps are purpose-built for heating comfort and ease of use in inclement weather. You can use them in any “heating-dominated” region where HVAC systems spend most of the time heating instead of cooling. This includes climates with frequent snow and ice, as well as coastal climates with cold rain and fog. As long as your system is operating properly, it should be able to handle prolonged subzero temperatures, even at elevations thousands of feet above sea level, explained LeMons.
Households in milder temperature zones may also prefer a cold climate heat pump when the weather outside starts to get snowy or icy. You may not necessarily need a cold climate heat pump year-round, but having one will give you added benefits and comfort during the cold winter months.
Buying a cold climate heat pump
“Generally, because of the special features and programming, cold climate heat pumps can cost around 20% to 30% more than standard heat pumps,” said Jonathan Moscatello, Business Development Manager for Daikin North America. That’s because you’re paying for the system’s ability to pump heat in colder temperatures, and that’s where cold climate heat pumps shine.
“Compared to traditional heat pumps, they produce more heat per dollar spent, making them a better value in the long run,” said Moscatello. And that’s before you consider the potential tax incentives you’ll get when you make the switch!
Take note: Some manufacturers put all their premium technology into their cold climate models, so you’re also paying for features unrelated to the cold climate performance, Moscatello pointed out. So don’t be afraid to shop around for the best value.
What should you look for when picking out a cold climate heat pump? It depends on whom you ask. Start with the EnergyStar and Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) published standards for cold climate heat pumps. Most utility and government rebate programs also use these specifications.
“Manufacturers also have their own standards for what qualifies a heat pump for cold climate operation,” added Moscatello. “Examples of this include Mitsubishi’s Hyper-Heat line and Daikin’s Aurora line.”
Ratings and features to look for
LeMons and Moscatello recommend the following guidelines when shopping for a cold climate heat pump:
Rated performance at 47°F.
Maximum performance at 5°F.
Capacity ratio at 5°F. This is the ratio of #1 and #2 above; the closer this number is to 100%, the better it can handle very low temperatures.
Coefficient of performance at 5°F You want this number to be below 2. The lower the number, the better the system’s heat efficiency.
Published performance at very cold temperatures, such as -13°F, -15°F, or -22°F. Keep in mind that these numbers give an idea of how the heat pump will perform on the coldest days. Many systems continue to work well at even lower temperatures.
Some typical features to look for:
Inverter compressors and advanced motors for greater energy efficiency
Advanced programming for cold climate operations, such as hot discharge air temperatures and “just right” airflow
Intelligent defrost cycles and drain pan de-icing
Optional wind baffles for an outdoor unit
At the end of the day, you’re buying a heating appliance, and you want to make sure it’s purpose-built for cold winter comfort. So, definitely read reviews and ask around before you buy!
The US Department of Energy’s Residential Cold Climate Heat Pump Technology Challenge is working with manufacturers to develop next-generation electric heat pumps.
Busting heat pump myths
Myth #1: You need a backup system to handle the coldest winter temperatures.
“Dual fuel is a legitimate path, but it’s not really necessary with a cold climate heat pump,” explained Stewart. Sure, standard heat pumps may need an alternate heating source like a furnace or boiler to take over when temperatures drop below freezing. Cold climate heat pumps, on the other hand, are equipped to handle the most frigid winters.
Laura Martel, Research and Evaluation Manager for Efficiency Maine offered an example of cold climate heat pump performance. “Caribou is a town in northeast Maine that’s IECC zone 7, the coldest climate zone in the United States. Homes in Caribou need their heaters for 6,444 of the 8,760 hours in a year.”
According to data from Efficiency Maine, it’s cheaper and more efficient to heat a home in Caribou with a cold climate heat pump than with a dual fuel system, natural gas, propane, or oil. While natural gas or propane systems may become more efficient when outdoor temperatures drop below 0°F, that only accounts for around 500 total hours each year in Caribou. Therefore, natural gas is more efficient than heat pumps only 5% of the time. For propane, that number drops to 1%.
“When you look at annual operating costs for various systems, heat pumps save people between $1,000 and $3,000 or more per year. Even if you switch to natural gas or propane for the small fraction of time that they’re cheaper, you’d only save an additional $26 per year, max,” said Martel. So, even though cold climate heat pumps may cost around $2,500 more to install than boiler systems, the yearly cost savings can quickly add up to make up for that initial expense.
Myth #2: Turning down the heat at night saves energy.
“We’ve been told for decades that we should turn down our home heater systems when we’re sleeping to save energy. That works great for boilers and furnaces, but I wouldn’t recommend it with heat pumps,” says Martel.
While furnaces can quickly blast heat into your home, heat pumps take longer to raise the temperature. When you turn your heat down at night, you reduce the rate of heat output of your system, temporarily lowering your energy usage. But when you turn it back up in the morning, your heat pump has to work extra hard to get the temperature back up. It doesn’t help that it’s usually colder in the early morning.
“Turning the heat down or off at night just isn’t as efficient as picking a comfortable temperature, setting it, and leaving it alone,” she said.
Still have questions?
If you’re interested in learning more about heat pumps, check out Electrify Now’s electrification fact sheet. You can also use this savings calculator from Rewiring America to estimate the tax incentives you’d receive from installing a heat pump in your home. Note that this article springs from Electrify Now’s cold climate heat pumps webinar, so check out their YouTube channel for more eco-friendly tips and technologies.
As the days get darker in the northern hemisphere, our latest lookbook spotlights 10 living rooms rendered in warm yet discrete colour palettes, proving that neutrals don’t have to feel clinical.
Mixing tactile natural materials with toasty shades of chocolate brown, creamy beige and blush pink can help to create a sense of homeliness in a room without being overbearing.
From a São Paulo apartment filled with Brazilian modernist design to a converted biscuit factory in Los Angeles, here are 10 American homes that show how it’s done.
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring bathrooms with statement sinks, homes with Eames chairs and contemporary living rooms in Victorian and Georgian houses.
Photo is by Joe Fletcher
Twentieth, USA, by Woods +Dangaran
This Santa Monica home features two separate living areas – a family room (top image) and a formal living room (above) – which flank a central courtyard housing a decades-old olive tree.
Despite being framed by glazing, the rooms maintain a homely atmosphere with the help of an earthy material palette ranging from the travertine fireplace to a rose-gold cashmere rug and club chairs finished in tactile chocolate-brown corduroy.
Find out more about Twentieth ›
Photo is by Sean Davidson
Amity Street Residence, USA, by Selma Akkari and Rawan Muqaddas
Architectural designers Selma Akkari and Rawan Muqaddas used warm oak floors and cream-hued walls, contrasted against dark stone and stained-wood bookshelves, to enliven this “neglected” apartment in a 20th-century building in Brooklyn.
“A dialogue of opposites was the main theme behind the creation; minimal but warm, understated yet rich,” Muqaddas told Dezeen.
Find out more about Amity Street Residence ›
Photo is by Denilson Machado of MCA Estúdio
Hygge Studio, Brazil, by Melina Romano
A black fireplace is suspended from the ceiling in this living room to contrast with the otherwise soft colour scheme of the interior, reflected in everything from the cream sofa and woven rug to the cobogó block screen that acts as a room divider.
Walls and floor throughout the São Paulo apartment are covered in terracotta tiles, chosen by local designer Melina Romano to strike a balance between “modern and bucolic”.
Find out more about Hygge Studio ›
Photo is by Nicole Franzen
East Village Apartment, USA, by GRT Architects
New York-based GRT Architects used warm tones and materials to modernise this renovated East Village apartment – set in a Beaux-Arts building on Second Avenue – while “preserving its turn-of-the-century disposition”.
In the lounge, this was achieved by adding a storage wall backed with sienna-coloured panels and complementing it with a geometric, art deco-style rug rendered in muted shades of sage green and dusty rose.
Find out more about this East Village Apartment ›
Photo is by The Ingalls and Matthieu Salvaing
Santa Monica Proper, USA, by Kelly Wearstler
Although not technically a living room, the lounge of the Santa Monica Proper hotel features all the trappings of a cosy den – timber bookshelves, creamy-white Soriana lounge chairs and a Coulmier limestone coffee table with three orbs for legs.
Interior designer Kelly Wearstler used natural materials and neutral colours throughout the hotel to reference its seaside setting.
“Organic materials, neutral colour stories, everything has a texture,” Wearstler told Dezeen. “There’s a patina, there’s a hand, there’s something that feels very warm.”
Find out more about Santa Monica Proper ›
Photo is by Sean Davidson
West Village apartment, USA, by Olivier Garcé
American interior designer Olivier Garcé found a creative outlet during last year’s coronavirus lockdown by working remotely with friends and colleagues to transform his West Village home into a show space for contemporary art and design.
His lounge now houses a vintage Axel Einar Hjorth rocking chair, paired with a lava-stone coffee table and side chair upholstered in alpaca wool by New York designer Ian Felton, complementing the terracotta-coloured tiling on the building’s original fireplace surround.
Find out more about this West Village apartment ›
Photo is by Brian Ferry
20 Bond apartment, USA, by Home Studios
Curves feature liberally throughout this family apartment in New York’s NoHo neighbourhood, from its copper-edged skirting to the rounded oak-and-brass shelving unit in the living room, which was made bespoke by interior practice Home Studios.
The muted tones of the timber are complemented by a set of antique Danish armchairs with woven leather seats and a blush-coloured version of designer Sabine Marcelis’s Candy Cube side tables.
Find out more about 20 Bond apartment ›
Photo is by Fran Parente
Gale Apartment, Brazil, by Memola Estudio
Furnishings are coloured in grounding, earthy hues inside this lounge flanked by two double-height statement walls – one housing the owners’ art collection and the other clad in a broken-edge stone mosaic.
“Furniture has been reupholstered to match the new colour palette, inspired by the autumn and the sunset colours found in the horizon,” said design practice Memola Estudio, which was responsible for renovating the São Paulo apartment.
Find out more about Gale Apartment ›
Photo is by Justin Chung
Biscuit Loft, USA, by OWIU Studio
Japanese design informed this apartment in a converted 1920s biscuit factory in Downtown Los Angeles, with a guest room modelled on a traditional Ryokan inn that also functions as a space for hosting gatherings and tea ceremonies.
Local practice OWIU Studio added Noguchi pendant lights to bathe the room in a warm glow, while a convertible platform made from pale wood conceals extra storage and functions as a base for a futon when guests are staying over.
Find out more about Biscuit Loft ›
Photo is by Denilson Machado
DN Apartment, Brazil, by BC Arquitetos
Walnut wood panelling and soft furnishings upholstered in caramel-coloured leather help to temper the chunky concrete columns of this apartment, housed in a 1970s building in São Paulo’s traditional Jardins neighbourhood.
Local practice BC Arquitetos describes the home as a “gallery apartment” as it houses an extensive collection of mid-20th century Brazilian art and design, ranging from the net-backed Janguada armchair by Jean Gillon to Jader Almeida’s Verde Corvo sofa, which is finished in a faded olive green.
Find out more about DN Apartment ›
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring bathrooms with statement sinks, homes with Eames chairs and contemporary living rooms in Victorian and Georgian houses.
