Innovation

The Nozzle is a little device that can be installed easily into your existing taps, allowing up to 98% water savings. The process used is the atomization of water: the device breaks water up into millions of tiny droplets. By creating a high-speed, heavy mist, the surface area of the water is increased, thereby allowing you to come into contact with almost all of the water coming out of your tap.

Customers can choose between different sizes of Nozzle (adapted to each tap) and between different colours (to fit the tap colour). The product is easy to install and offered at the affordable price of 39€, so that many people can afford it. The team spent a lot of time designing the product: ultimately, they chose to craft it in the shape of a drop to make a visual statement. It is also made with lead-free materials in order to respect the planet.

This device can save 85-98% of water use at a given tap. It allows people to conserve without changing their habits--or their taps. Two modes are available: Mist and Save. The Mist mode is well-adapted for washing hands, brushing teeth, and washing dishes--whereas the Save mode is perfect for filling a glass, pots or pans. These two modes join comfort, ease of use, and ecological sensitivity.

Inspiration

The inspiration for Altered: comes from a concern about the future, the planet, and access to water for everyone. Fresh water is a major need, and water stress is a growing global issue. The company believes that little steps toward protecting the planet can lead to major results. In order to reach a large population, their product is easy to use, affordable, and well-designed. Installing the Nozzle doesn’t require much change because the company believes that “It is hard for people to change. Therefore, the smaller the change, the bigger the potential market. And a bigger market leads to a larger potential impact on the problem.”

The invention of the Nozzle comes from the idea of Professor Kaj Mickos to atomize water in the faucet. From there, the team developed prototypes, registered patents, made some tests, and--after a few years--sold its first products.

Overall impact

Water stress is a truly global issue affecting over one billion people today, and an estimated 3 billion by 2020. Water covers some 70% of the Earth’s surface. Approximately 97.2% of it is saline and just 2.8% fresh. Less than one third of 1% of this fresh water is available for human use. The rest is frozen in glaciers or stored deep within the Earth. The world’s population is growing, and so is the need for drinkable water. Indeed, the human body needs water to function properly. The plants and animals we eat also require fresh water for their development. Excessive water consumption degrades production. Climate change also affects our need for fresh water: heat causes water to evaporate more quickly and decreases the amount of water available in lakes and rivers. Conserving water enables us to use our existing supply of water more efficiently.

In order to live on a more sustainable planet, saving water is crucial. States are looking for ways to conserve and share this scarce resource equitably around the world. On a small scale, everyone can help. Over the last fifteen years, various campaigns have encouraged people to save water by small changes in behavior: like turning off the water when people are brushing their teeth.

The old solution for saving water has been to restrict its flow. This solution only works up to a certain point, since it depends on consumers' willingness to give up some of their comfort. Instead of simply limiting water flow, the Nozzle maximizes the use of the water that's flowing. Atomizing creates a mist that dramatically increases the surface area of the water and makes the same amount of water achieve more.

The Nozzle is a way to save water without decreasing comfort. This will help to change consumption patterns and attitudes, leading to a positive impact on the planet. Moreover, the company spent a lot of time and money to design the Nozzle because it thinks that if the product is attractive and well-designed it will be used more widely and have a bigger impact. Indeed, lots of water-saving products that already exist do not combine strong design with ecological sensitivity.

Business benefit

Part of the business benefit is providing a product that supports water sustainability all around the world. The Altered:Nozzle is easy to use and well-designed, which drives sales. There are different prices, depending on the Nozzle size and colour. There is also a bulk discount. The goal of Altered: is to provide its solution worldwide, so its products can be shipped anywhere.

Social and environmental benefit

The main social benefit is the positive impact on water consumption. With the Nozzle, households all over the world are going to help save millions of gallons each day. The company is offering an affordable and easy-to-use solution to change our water usage. It will reduce water stress and help make our planet a better place to live. Another social benefit is the money-saving for households, stemming from reduced water consumption. According to Altered:, European households can save up to 203€ per year. The social benefits begin now. But they will continue to impact future generations.

There are two environmental benefits: the Nozzle is lead free, so it doesn’t pollute; and it reduces the energy consumption needed to clean, convey, and heat water.

Interview

Mikael Abbhagen, Design Director