LSN : News : Student designs retrofit innovation that turns rain into water for toilets

Student designs retrofit innovation that turns rain into water for toilets

Mains to Rains by Hope Underwood, UK

UK – Northumbria University graduate Hope Underwood has developed a retrofit rainwater harvesting kit designed to cut UK household water bills and to reduce the strain on a system facing climate pressure.

Toilet flushing accounts for approximately one-third of household water usage, about as much in a day as many people drink in a month (source: NIdirect). Underwood’s modular, wall-mounted tanks, called Mains to Rains, capture rainwater from downpipes via a filter and use it for flushing, supported by a mains water top-up.

‘One of the key findings that pushed this project for me was that by 2050, we will need five billion more litres of water a day,’ Underwood told Dezeen. Exhibited at New Designers, the project is seeking partners to bring it to market, reflecting the focus on products that support climate resilience and water scarcity solutions.

Our Retrofitting Revolution report explores why this approach will play an essential role in the UK meeting its 2050 net-zero target and in creating more sustainable homes.

Strategic opportunity

Develop scalable, retrofitted water-saving solutions and partner with utility companies to subsidise costs. This will help to position your brand as a leader in climate resilience while helping households to cut bills and future-proof against water scarcity

Foresight Friday: Temi Adepoju, foresight intern

Every Friday, we offer an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about. This week, foresight intern Temi Adepoju dives into A-level results day, Burberry’s marketing recipe and InStyle magazine’s TikTok series.

: If Christmas belongs to Mariah Carey, A-level results day belongs to Jeremy Clarkson. Once again, on the second Thursday of August, the presenter shared his annual tweet of encouragement stating: ‘You can still make it if you don’t get good grades.’ However, 82% of students landed a place at their top choice university this year (source: UCAS). Whether these brilliant Gen Z students will ‘make it’ after getting the good grades remains a question.

: Creative director Daniel Lee has done it again. It’s no secret that Burberry's campaigns have been killing it, but their latest might be my favourite of them all. Back to the City stars none other than Bemi Orojuogun, also known as the viral Bus Aunty on TikTok. Fans rejoiced after seeing aunty adorned in Burberry and claimed the pieces she was wearing were going ‘straight in their basket’. This is luxury fashion wrapped in the warmth of a hyperlocal legend. For more insights on the power of unexpected collaborations, read our Collaboration Culture report.

: One thing I love is social media done right by brands. InStyle magazine released its third iteration of The Intern series, this time with creator Mickycashflow. Inspired by The Office and Abbott Elementary, the short mockumentary follows the creator through a day in the life as an intern at the publication.

According to exclusive data from Rachel Karten, a social media consultant and the founder of the Link in Bio newsletter, the first episode alone hit 3m views on TikTok in the first 24 hours, with 99% of those viewers being non-followers and 59% under the age of 24. Season three has brought an increase of 365, 000 followers to the magazine’s TikTok account.

AI imagery by The Future Laboratory, UK

Quote of the week

‘It’s horrible to say but it’s almost like a sigh of relief when other players that weren’t Black missed a penalty, because the racism that would have come with LJ [Lauren James] being the only one that missed would have been astronomical’

Jess Carter, English professional footballer for The Lionesses (source: ITV)

Stat: Captive audiences mean that cruise retail is a hotspot for impulse buying

Cruise Saudi, Saudi Arabia

Global – Almost half of cruise ship guests make impulse purchases while on board, according to research from Harding+.

The cruise retail specialist says that investing in the on-board shopping experience can drive up sales by 35% and often significantly more.

With the global cruise industry projected to reach 42m passengers by 2028, these numbers point to a growing commercial opportunity, particularly as demand rises among younger travellers and new, larger ships have expanded capacity for retail.

Harding+ highlights the unique advantages of cruise retail: extended dwell times and a captive audience create a fertile environment for conversion, while the leisure and holiday context heightens emotional engagement. These factors make it a strong channel for brands that are seeking to connect with audiences.

Retailers can leverage these conditions to craft ‘memorable shopping journeys’ that resonate beyond the typical transactional model.

Explore insights from our Cruise Ship Market report, where we highlight the shifts in consumer behaviour that are underlining the potential of on-board retail.

Strategic opportunity

Cruise brands and retailers can capitalise on impulse buying by designing immersive, memorable on-board shopping experiences that turn extended dwell times into conversion opportunities, and partner with operators to optimise placement, merchandising and engagement