I know, I know, I riff on parenting products a lot. That is my world right now. My toddler has discovered the outdoor faucet and the garden hose and the joy of mud which just happens to undo any garden work or landscaping I complete. I love the kid but the faucet fun has to stop.
I could use a simple product, a faucet with a keypad that shuts off the water from the source.
Why a key pad and not one of those keyed faucet heads? Why not a faucet lever with a pad lock? Why not just tighten the handle so tight it cannot be used by 3yr old hands? Well, the outdoor faucets aren't the only faucets I want to control. Indoor faucets with pad locked handles would look pretty crazy right? Imagine you come to dinner and the wash room faucet is on lock down! That won't work.
So I need a faucet shut off system that could be controlled centrally, ideally from a mobile device. A system that gives me powerful interactive tools to teach the value of clean, fresh water and conservation to my son. I need an app centrally located in the cloud that talks to some very simple valve sensors in my home, below the faucet head. I want the ability to lock out the outdoor faucet on the fly and use the technology to measure water usage in the home.
Sounds a lot like the climate control thermostat/apps that already exist right? Right. Hooray for precedent! Maybe that product/service start up could make this faucet "keypad" so I can buy it? Dandy idea!
Besides feeding my inner control freak or providing a virtual remote control what else could this system do to generate value?
First, in water restricted places like Southern California this could provide active metering empowering the user to understand their own consumption and impact on the surrounding community eco system. The metrics could lead to solid tax incentives geared especially at people who water their desert based, east coast style lawns. Less outdoor water consumption, bam, tax credit!
Second, it would help consumers monitor and track their own water usage to better understand where and how their water is being used. Example, imagine a simple pie chart showing usage by zone: 20% kitchen faucet, 40% washing machine, 15% outdoor faucets, 20% master bath, 5% unknown (probably an internal leak that needs fixed). Perhaps, if I see 40% washing clothes then maybe the system/service would hook me up with deals on low flow, low hydro products.
Third value: community usage metrics. Say a new community is created and all homes in said subdivision or condo have this water management product. The community could begin to understand usage by type. What percent is drinking water or for foods? What percent is simply toilet water? What percent is washing maching or lawn care? Imagine entire cities with the ability. What if municipal water treatment centers could devise innovative new ways to deliver a range of "product" solutions. I don't need to drink the water that waters my garden so perhaps that cost could be reduced and a new system developed aligning consumption to targeted treatment and delivery.
Fourth, more tax breaks. (This is for the conservatives out there. I know how ya'll operate!)
Ha, really number four is enabled choice, not more tax breaks. The last thing a consumer wants is to be stuck with only one mfg'er and the last thing a mfg'er/startup wants is to be saddled with the SKU management nightmare related to home styling. A valve system puts the tech in a nice hidden place, under the sink or in the wall. Consumers are free to use any style of existing faucet, toilet or sprinkler system on the market. Part of the magic in this is it forms a powerful co-brand opportunity with faucet, toilet, dishwasher/washing machine and sprinkler/lawn care product brands. Choice for everyone gets a big thumbs up because it enables an open and networked system to thrive.
Fifth, a new home sell feature. Imagine a sales pitch that talks about personal choice and control, a pitch showing the brilliant functionality of the new century home and it's eco minded, community centric features (who wouldn't want a world that you'd be proud to hand over to your grand children?). A pitch that would end with a pic of a smiling toddler, drenched in water, sitting in puddles on a bathroom floor covered in bubbles -with the slogan, "Life can get a little slippery sometimes, add peace of mind, control and security to your home."
Ok, hope you enjoyed. Let me know if you didn't and perhaps I will rewrite it just for you ;).
CL
I could use a simple product, a faucet with a keypad that shuts off the water from the source.
Why a key pad and not one of those keyed faucet heads? Why not a faucet lever with a pad lock? Why not just tighten the handle so tight it cannot be used by 3yr old hands? Well, the outdoor faucets aren't the only faucets I want to control. Indoor faucets with pad locked handles would look pretty crazy right? Imagine you come to dinner and the wash room faucet is on lock down! That won't work.
So I need a faucet shut off system that could be controlled centrally, ideally from a mobile device. A system that gives me powerful interactive tools to teach the value of clean, fresh water and conservation to my son. I need an app centrally located in the cloud that talks to some very simple valve sensors in my home, below the faucet head. I want the ability to lock out the outdoor faucet on the fly and use the technology to measure water usage in the home.
Sounds a lot like the climate control thermostat/apps that already exist right? Right. Hooray for precedent! Maybe that product/service start up could make this faucet "keypad" so I can buy it? Dandy idea!
Besides feeding my inner control freak or providing a virtual remote control what else could this system do to generate value?
First, in water restricted places like Southern California this could provide active metering empowering the user to understand their own consumption and impact on the surrounding community eco system. The metrics could lead to solid tax incentives geared especially at people who water their desert based, east coast style lawns. Less outdoor water consumption, bam, tax credit!
Second, it would help consumers monitor and track their own water usage to better understand where and how their water is being used. Example, imagine a simple pie chart showing usage by zone: 20% kitchen faucet, 40% washing machine, 15% outdoor faucets, 20% master bath, 5% unknown (probably an internal leak that needs fixed). Perhaps, if I see 40% washing clothes then maybe the system/service would hook me up with deals on low flow, low hydro products.
Third value: community usage metrics. Say a new community is created and all homes in said subdivision or condo have this water management product. The community could begin to understand usage by type. What percent is drinking water or for foods? What percent is simply toilet water? What percent is washing maching or lawn care? Imagine entire cities with the ability. What if municipal water treatment centers could devise innovative new ways to deliver a range of "product" solutions. I don't need to drink the water that waters my garden so perhaps that cost could be reduced and a new system developed aligning consumption to targeted treatment and delivery.
Fourth, more tax breaks. (This is for the conservatives out there. I know how ya'll operate!)
Ha, really number four is enabled choice, not more tax breaks. The last thing a consumer wants is to be stuck with only one mfg'er and the last thing a mfg'er/startup wants is to be saddled with the SKU management nightmare related to home styling. A valve system puts the tech in a nice hidden place, under the sink or in the wall. Consumers are free to use any style of existing faucet, toilet or sprinkler system on the market. Part of the magic in this is it forms a powerful co-brand opportunity with faucet, toilet, dishwasher/washing machine and sprinkler/lawn care product brands. Choice for everyone gets a big thumbs up because it enables an open and networked system to thrive.
Fifth, a new home sell feature. Imagine a sales pitch that talks about personal choice and control, a pitch showing the brilliant functionality of the new century home and it's eco minded, community centric features (who wouldn't want a world that you'd be proud to hand over to your grand children?). A pitch that would end with a pic of a smiling toddler, drenched in water, sitting in puddles on a bathroom floor covered in bubbles -with the slogan, "Life can get a little slippery sometimes, add peace of mind, control and security to your home."
Ok, hope you enjoyed. Let me know if you didn't and perhaps I will rewrite it just for you ;).
CL
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