Milan 2010: Best Green Designs from Eurocucina and Salone del Bagno

Eurocucina and Salone Interzationale del Bagno are biannual exhibitions focusing on bath fixture, kitchen furniture, and technology in the home. Luxury materials, and sleek forms are a given for the companies that choose to exhibit here, but this year we spotted some eco-innovation from even the most posh brands on the market. This extensive showing of nearly 500 companies is only one quarter of the entire <a href="http://cosmit.it">Salone International del Mobile</a> event held at the Milan Fairgrounds. But don't get overwhelmed, because we have hand picked our <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/inhabitat/tags/leaeurocucinabagno/">top eco kitchen and bath products</a> from this first day of the show for you.

The <a href="http://www.antoniolupi.it/">Antonio Lupi</a> “Dressed Stone” Competition winners utilize glass and stone sheets to create sinks that are objects of desire. These slab forms require a small amount of processing and produce little waste compared to popular composite and resin materials, not to mention that they have a sculptural quality worth of an art museum. The Design above is from <a href="http://www.danelonmeroni.com/">Claudia Danelon</a>, and you can check out the other winning designs in our <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/inhabitat/tags/leaeurocucinabagno/">gallery</a>.

Low-voltage bathroom lighting combines with water delivery in <a href="http://www.bossini.it/">Bossini</a>’s new lines of showerheads. The light fixtures are available with a variety of decorative shades, or could be customized with a graphic for specific architectural projects. The product style won’t fit everyone’s taste, but it stood out as a innovative solution for a two-in-one bath fixture.

<a href="electrolux.it/">Electrolux</a> has a strong showing this year with an array of sleek and functional appliances. This wall hung washing machine does only a small load, but uses a very minimal amount of water (I believe it is estimated at 3 liters per load!) The LED ring picture above is an indicator that the load cycle is complete. Check out <a href="electrolux.it/">other awesome products from Electrolux in our gallery</a>, including a faucet that adds bubbles to your water, and an energy-saving refrigerator.

<a href="http://www.whirlpool.it/">Whirlpool</a>'s Eco Kitchen 2.0 concept features an induction oven, a water-saving dishwasher, and has a water recycling system. See some details from their video by checking out the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/inhabitat/tags/whirlpoolecokitchen20/">slides in our gallery</a>.

<a href="snaidero.it/">Snaidero</a>'s unstained wood cabinet fronts are shown here with a rustic-looking stone countertop material that we loved! The natural wood materials are juxtaposed with the high-tech induction cook tops and LED-lit drawer interiors. A reclaimed wood slam is show at the opposite end of the island as a counter-height space to pull up a chair and enjoy a meal. More photos of their natural wood products are in our <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/inhabitat/tags/snaidero">Saloni 2010 gallery</a>.

<a href="http://www.alpesinox.com/SITE/MAIN/3_notizie.asp#">Liberi in cucina</a> is the new project from <a href="http://www.alpesinox.com/SITE/MAIN/index.asp">Alpes</a> for free-standing stainless steel kitchen modules that may be configured to fit any space and taste. They can be coordinated and placed side by side or usable as an island. They are independent and integrate all the functions of washing, cooking, food preparation, separation and waste disposal and exhausting. Specific accessories transform the sink into a complete and organized food preparation area, as shown here, featuring sliding cutting boards. The stainless steel faucet's unique pull-out sprayer uses a hydroprogressive ceramic cartridge which is designed to save water and energy.

Wall sculpture? Decorative Seating? Robe hook? The <a href="http://www.tubesradiatori.com">Tubes Soho</a> modular system is all of the above, but it actually first and foremost a low energy radiator. They components are made from aluminum (an uncommon material for this type of heat technology) and are 100% recyclable at the end of their life. The main sustainable feature for the line is that they use 75% less water compared to traditional forced hot water tubular systems. Radiant heating is a very efficient heat technology and very common for the European market, because the system takes little time and energy to warm up and retains heat well. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/inhabitat/tags/tubessoho/">Soho</a> can be combined with a condensation boiler or heat pump for greatest energy savings.

LED lighting accents this kitchen island display from <a href="http://www.mkkitchen.com/">MK.</a> Low-energy lighting sure does make a kitchen look fantastic! The warm glow also serves as night lighting. Check out the really cool space-saving, hideaway kitchen countertop, also from MK, that we saw at the show in our gallery.

The Custom Ice concept appliance from <a href="http://www.indesit.com">Indesit</a> has programmable compartments for storage, cooling, freezing, or defrosting. By allowing the users to program, and also remotely control the compartments via an iPhone or the internet, the appliance should never be cooling more than is necessary. The unit also has <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2010/02/11/exciting-advances-in-insulation-with-aerogel/">aerogel</a> insulation panels.

This washstand from <a href="http://ww.ellenbergerdesign.de">Ellenberger Design</a> has a thermo-molded sink top formed from a single <a href="http://www.lghi-macs.com/">Hi-mac</a> sheet - an acrylic/natural mineral composite material. The stand for the sink and the removable accessories are made from sustainably-sourced ash wood.