ATLANTA

Delta Faucet Company (DFC) recently expanded its green program to help people use water in smarter, more environmentally responsible ways. Its green platform, showcased at the 2009 Kitchen & Industry Bath Show (KBIS), includes a range of water-efficient products as well as improved processes for reducing the company’s ecological footprint.

Visit www.deltafaucet.com/green for more information about the company’s green initiatives.

Water-Efficient Bath Faucets
Today all Delta® brand residential lavatory faucets flow at 1.5 gallons per minute (gpm) at 60 pounds per square inch (psi). A majority of Delta products are also WaterSense® labeled to meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) water-efficiency standards.

The WaterSense label provides consumers with assurance that Delta bathroom sink faucets, such as Lahara®, Dryden™, Lockwood™ and Victorian®, are approximately 30% more water-efficient than their standard 2.2 gpm counterparts. As a WaterSense partner, Delta Faucet is committed to working with the EPA to encourage efficient use of water resources and to actively protect the future of our nation’s water supply.

In the commercial sector, all Delta lavatories have a 1.5 gpm outlet as standard – with the option of 0.5 gpm for further savings. In addition to contributing LEED credits, commercial metering products also provide reassurance that the faucet won’t be left running. As a step up from manual metering lavatories, Delta also offers a wide range of electronic, hands-free activation lavatories for the commercial sector.

Water-Efficient Shower Options
In both residential and commercial showers, Delta offers its exclusive H₂Okinetic Technology® which changes water droplet size and velocity, as well as thermal dynamics, resulting in a warmer, more drenching shower experience. When paired with water conserving properties, it will deliver the feeling of a standard 2.5 gpm shower at a 1.5 gpm (at 60 psi) flow rate, and decrease water usage by 40%.

By installing a water-efficient showerhead, households can potentially save an estimated 10,000 gallons of water per year. Here’s how it works:

8 minute shower X 2.5 gpm (standard shower) = 20 gallons per shower
8 minute shower X 1.5 gpm (water-efficient showerhead) = 12 gallons per shower
8 gallon savings X 4 persons/day X 365 days/year = approximately 11,680 gallons saved per year for a four person household

H₂Okinetic Technology is also incorporated into body sprays and jets found on Delta Jetted and Custom Shower Systems™ with multiple outlets. For example, in a custom shower with four body sprays using H₂Okinetic Technology – multiply a 40% savings across the four body sprays (at 1.5 gpm vs. 2.5 gpm), and the resulting water savings is 4 gpm.

Electronics
New electronic technologies, such as touch technology, make it easier to turn off the water flow when hands are messy or when water flow is not needed between tasks. This conserves water and energy by delivering water only when it’s needed.

The Pilar™ pull-down kitchen faucet with Touch₂O™ Technology by Delta enables the homeowner to turn water on and off with a simple tap anywhere on the handle or spout.

Leak-Free, Lead-Free* Technology
In 2008, Delta Faucet Company introduced a patented new water delivery system that provides guaranteed protection from leaks and drips, thereby conserving water. Comprised of a next generation DIAMOND™ valve and seamless, one-piece InnoFlex™ waterways, DIAMOND™ Seal Technology reduces the number of potential leak points and lasts up to 10 times longer than the industry standard. (Standard based on ASME A112.18.1 = 500,000 cycles.)

DIAMOND Seal Technology also satisfies California statute AB 1953 and Vermont’s S152 law mandating that by January 1, 2010, the weighted average lead content in pipes, fittings and fixtures used to convey drinking water cannot exceed 0.25% on wetted surfaces. (*Once inside a faucet featuring DIAMOND Seal Technology, water is not in contact with potential metal contaminants.)

DIAMOND Seal Technology is available on pull-out and pull-down kitchen faucets by Delta including Pilar, Victorian, Allora®, Saxony®, Leland® Palo® and Signature®, as well as the Innovations® single-handle lavatory collection. In January 2009, DIAMOND Seal Technology will continue to phase in on additional Delta single-handle kitchen and single-handle lavatory faucets.

Recycle/Reuse
In addition to providing water-efficient products, Delta Faucet Company also practices environmentally friendly manufacturing processes. In 1999, it became the first domestic faucet manufacturer to be ISO (conformance standard for environmental management.) In 2008 alone, Delta Faucet Company also recycled or reused:
• 6,854 tons of brass
• 581 tons of other metals
• 1,126 tons of cardboard
• 72 tons of plastics
• 63,386 gallons of oil (and treated for reuse)
• 73 million gallons of water (enough to supply more than 500 households for a year at an average usage rate of 400 gallons per day)

Ecovaluation
In 2008, Delta Faucet Company partnered with General Electric to help identify potential resource savings throughout its manufacturing processes. In an Ecovaluation audit of three of its domestic manufacturing facilities and its Indianapolis headquarters, the company looked for ways to reduce its overall environmental impact.

As a result, it identified a potential reduction in CO₂ emissions of 17,734 metric tons across all facilities. This reduction is equivalent to planting approximately 4,845 acres of trees or taking 3,415 cars* off the road for one year. (* Average mileage = 12,000.) In addition, the company discovered a potential water use savings of 6.28 million gallons per year.

By identifying and addressing the largest energy/water saving opportunities across its operations, Delta Faucet Company is engaging in a smarter way to do business and a better way to manufacture faucets. It also is encouraging employees to think and act on process improvements, so that reducing water and energy consumption becomes a part of the corporate culture.