And the winnier is Dux Hot Water! - Dux ReadyHot® was awarded the national HIA GreenSmart Product of the Year award

Hotline #010

With tough competition and arecord number of entries, the DUXREADYHOT® water recirculationsystem was awarded the highlycontestednational HIA GreenSmartProduct of the Year award at theSydney Hilton Hotel in August.

The prestigious event showcasesthe very best in sustainable homeconstruction, design andinnovation. It recognisesorganisations for theircommitment to improvingsustainability within the housingindustry.

Les Patterson, General Managerof Dux Hot Water commented,"We are extremely proud of thisachievement as an Australiancompany. This award is greatrecognition of Dux's ability todevelop innovative, economicaland environmentally friendlyproducts for the housing market."

READYHOT® was awarded for itssmart water-saving technology,based on specific and provenenvironmental benefits -embodying GreenSmart principlesand practical use in the residentialconstruction industry.

Dux's READYHOT® system is arevolutionary water recirculationsystem that is activated by amotion sensor or button andcirculates cooled water from hotwater pipes back to the hot watersystem to be heated again.

The system saves water thatwould otherwise be wasted downthe drain, thereby offeringconsiderable environmentalbenefits, in addition to savingmoney on household water bills.

Depending on plumbing layoutand water usage, the READYHOT®system can save householdsthousands of litres of waterper year.

Unlike rainwater tanks that canonly store water when it rains, theREADYHOT® system uses patentedtechnology to save water thatwould otherwise be wasted, savingwater for the household,regardless of rainfall. TheREADYHOT® system is compatiblewith all brands and styles of hotwater systems and can be eitherfitted to new homes or retrofittedto existing homes.

"With sustainability being oneof the biggest challenges facingthe building industry, we lookforward to seeing the growth ofthe READYHOT® system in newhomes in the near future,"concluded Mr Patterson.

Redesign delivers significant energy savings
Government regulations throughthe National Appliance andEquipment Energy EfficiencyProgram (NAEEEP) have setmandatory Minimum EnergyPerformance Standards (MEPS) forhot water systems, ensuring thatlow efficiency systems can no longerbe sold in Australia.

Leading the way in energyefficiency and meeting theminimum energy performancestandards, Dux Hot Water is proudto announce the changes made toits small electric water heaters. TheDUX® 25 and 50 litre units havebeen redesigned to reduce heat lossby 30 per cent, providingsubstantial energy savings for theenvironment and the householdbudget. For easy identification,these units are recognised by thenew model numbers of 25F1and 50F1.

According to Dux's Manager ofElectric and Gas Systems, HowardLloyd, "Dux is proud to be at theforefront of development of moreenergy efficient products in linewith the new regulations andcustomer needs. The MEPS standardis an important governmentinitiative and a key priority forDux. This is one example ofhow we are providing better valueto our customers and reducingenergy use."

After consultation with theplumbing industry we took theopportunity to incorporate the new"V-Fit" design concept to accountfor the size change. This allowed usto ensure we continue to deliver thesame volume of hot water as inprevious models, an importantcustomer consideration.

With the design and release ofthe new 25 and 50 litre models,Dux has achieved a considerablesaving in heat loss to meet industrystandards. Dux has also been ableto maintain the same inner tanksize which means these models willcontinue to provide the samevolume of hot water as theprevious DUX® models, unlike otherbrands on the market.

GWA International Limitedinvests millions of dollars in"Green Products"

Dux is a major division of thecountry's leading supplier of fixturesand fittings to households andcommercial premises, GWAInternational Ltd.

The Australian owned group hasa long tradition of innovation inenvironmentally friendly productswith the launch of a new generationof products to capitalise on concernsof both consumers and governmentregarding the environment -particularly water conservation.

The group's Dux Hot Water andCaroma Dorf brands havecommenced the roll-out of newproduct ranges that embrace thepush for more efficient use ofAustralia's water, energy and solarresources.

GWA has spent an estimated$10 million to date in developingthe new generation of products inbathroom suites, tapware and waterheaters that are at the forefront ofgovernment standards and industry.

Managing Director, Mr PeterCrowley said, "GWA's strategy is tocontinue leading Australian industryin embracing the ever increasingconsumer concerns about theenvironment and governmentregulations concerning waterconservation and energy efficiency.

"Dux Hot Water is at the heart ofour investment strategy which canbe summed up by the term 'hippockets and hearts', where we offerconsumers genuine savings and atangible contribution to theenvironment through more efficientuse of energy," he added.

Dux is already leading the marketwith its water heaters under theSUNPRO® and AIROHEAT® brands.

The SUNPRO® 305 gas hot watersystem employs patentedHOTLOGICT processor technology,which constantly searches for, andswitches to the most cost effective,energy source available. TheHOTLOGICT management systemremoves the usual need for solarheating to be boosted by acontinuous-flow gas heater attachedto the outside of the tank. Theheating boost is instead provided bythe relatively inexpensive gasburners, controlled by HOTLOGICT,and contained inside one of Dux HotWater's gas hot water storage tanks.

The energy efficiency of theSUNPRO® gas continuous producthas been recognised widely, beingawarded the prestigiousEnviron/DesignBuild EnvironmentalProduct Award, while Dux hasreported on the recent award for theREADYHOT® water recirculationsystem in another part of this edition.

The majority of the group'sresearch and development effort, aswell as manufacturing of the newproduct ranges, is Australian basedwith the group employing more than2,000 people at its operations incities and regional areas.

Dux's manufacturing facility inMoss Vale, NSW, is the SouthernHighlands' largest employer and hasdeveloped the system at home withslim solar roofing panels anddiscrete water storage tanks.

Mr Crowley concluded, "Ourwater conservation and energyefficiency strategy is attractingcustomers, who are interested in ourwell designed, fashionable products,which have the added bonus ofbeing environmentally friendly."

Dux of the Year Awards
With the standards getting higherevery year, and the overwhelmingamount of responses, thecompetition has closed for the 2006Dux Plumbing Apprentice of theYear Award.

Recognising the talent andambition of the apprentice plumberswho entered this year's competition,the judging panel had a difficulttime deciding on the winners.

Dux Hot Water is pleasedto announce the following:

National winner
Robert Swan
Sanctuary Point NSW

State winners

NSW
Daniel Hogarth
North Wollongong

VIC
Tyson Knight
Indigo Valley

QLD
Peter Russell Kynaston
Mackay

SA
Peter Sharp
Ascot Park

NT
Michael Lane
Katherine

No entries of sufficient meritfor the award were received fromWestern Australia or Tasmania.

More details of the awards willbe published in the February issueof Hotline.

Stability in housing pricescause an increase in homerenovations
The renovation market iscurrently enjoying growth,according to the results from theHousing Industry Associations latestrenovation report.

According to leading HIAEconomist Harley Dale, therenovation market appears to bemore resilient to interest rate risesthan the new house market.

With affordability being an issuefor those looking to buy a newhome, the cost of news homes isspurring homeowners to upgrade orextend their existing home.

The findings from the HIA reportindicates that renovation activityby licensed builders and contractorsin the June quarter, increased invalue by 4 per cent to $851 million.

On a national scale over 3months, more than 10,000households decided to renovatewith an average value of $84,000.

Major renovation expenditureincreased most in New SouthWales, which climbed by 15.9 percent, with particular strong growthrecorded in the Hunter region. Riseswere also recorded in WesternAustralia, Queensland andTasmania.

Mr Dale notes that people arespending less on home repairs,which is a reflection of theincreased uncertainty householdsare facing regarding interest ratesand fuel costs, and sees this trendcontinuing in the short term.

In good news, while expenditureon major renovations remaineddown on the peak levels of a fewyears ago, the first half of 2006appeared to be healthier thanlast year.

"The interest rate environmentthrows a shadow over the prospectof further gains in major renovationspending in 2006/07. With newhousing still not showing any signsof a recovery, the underlyingstrength in renovations is goodnews for those many buildingmaterial manufacturers andsuppliers who have been feeling thepinch," Mr Dale concluded.

Water conservation
Experiencing someof the worst droughtrecords in years,Australia's watershortages and long-termsecurity of watersupplies are vital issuesin the lead up to summer.

Last year Sydney's1.6 million households(with 4.2 million people)used 526 BILLION litresof water. From this waterconsumption, showersaccounted for 29 percent and toilet flushingaccounted for 25 percent of the majority ofAustralia's domesticusage.

Looking at these statistics, thereis no better time to be remindedof the value and importance of:

• Installing a water recirculationdevice such as the DUXREADYHOT® system.
• Installing AAA rated showerheads,dual flush toilet cisterns, and flowrestrictors on taps.
• Purchasing water efficientwashing machines anddishwashers.
• Applying mulch to garden beds.

Changing households' water-usehabits can be achieved by:

• Washing clothes with cold water.
• Fixing leaking taps.
• Using dishwashers and washingmachines only with a full load.

Easy and effective tips to save water and energy includethe following simple actions:

1. Use the water that comes out ofthe PTR valve - Catch in a bucketNormally people think of relief valvedischarge, as wasted water but infact it is quite clean water (perhapseven cleaner than water from themains as many of the bacteria andprotozoa that naturally occur insmall quantities in mains water willhave been killed by the heatingprocess in the water heater).There is no reason why a bucketcannot be used to collect thedischarge produced. This can thenbe used on the garden etc.
2. Re-use the 'greywater'Collect and re-use "greywater"(waste water from showers, baths,basins and laundries) which canaccount for up to 60 per cent ofhouseholds' wastewater. Greywatercan be diverted from waste drainsfor use on lawns or gardens (exceptfor vegetables and fruit for familyconsumption) using cheap andcommonly available diverter devices.Greywater can even be treated forre-use for toilet flushing or washingclothes by the installation of aDomestic Greywater TreatmentSystem (DGTS) - check with thelocal council regarding thesesystems in the area.

Plumber Profile: Service is the key for Western Hot Water

In the competitive world of thehot water market, service excellenceand reliability for customers is thekey to success, according toWestern Hot Water.

Based in Sydney's West atFairfield, this booming partnershipof Michael Emerton and JohnButcher, prides its success on thereputation they have earned forproviding reliable, fast and efficientservice in the hot water market.

After having worked in theindustry for over 35 years, bothMichael and John have seen the hotwater market change dramatically,to become a very competitive field.

"When we started working inthis field many years ago, therewere only half a dozen specialistswho would service hot watersystems. Now, it's completelydifferent. There are so manybusinesses and prices have becomemuch more competitive,"said Michael.

"We endeavour to provide thebest possible service, using our teamof highly skilled technicians, whogive our customers the reliabilityand value they want. As a result ofthis, a lot of our customers are thosewith whom we have built long-termrelationships and as a result, repeatbusiness," he continued.

"Western Hot Water is a great,reliable source of information,providing Dux with great input andfeedback. We look to them for theiradvice on all matters of service andproducts, as they know their hotwater" says David Peace NationalService Manager for Dux.

A Dux Hot Water gold serviceagent, Western Hot Water looksafter repairs and replacements,meaning that a strong base of theircustomers are real estate agents orindividuals who have their systemsbreak down. With real estatereplacements being a huge part ofthe business, the ability to install,repair and deal with warrantiesunder the same roof is essential.

"Specialising in DUX® products,our team knows the brand very welland we carry all the parts. Mostimportantly, we look afterwarranties, which not manycompanies do. It's our best asset,because when something goeswrong and it needs to be fixedimmediately, we can do it straightaway," said John.

With a highly skilled team of fivetradesmen, the company hasenjoyed growth and success basedon referrals, sound workmanshipand the ability to respond promptly.

Both Michael and John startedtheir careers working for Dux, whenan opportunity arose to start theirown business. Michael and John areproud to be working with anAustralian brand that manufacturesin Australia.

"We only work with Dux andalways have. It's a great, highquality brand that we are proudto be associated with - especiallyas it is Australian owned,"concluded Michael.