It’s been more than two years since kitchen and bath professionals, designers and builders have gathered for the industry’s largest trade show and conference — the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS), which is held annually in conjunction with the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA).

Electrification is often presented as a strategy for reducing carbon emissions, but the truth is, it’s not practical to rely on electricity alone because no single energy source can solve the long-term challenges we face.

While the overall kitchen and bath industry continues to show healthy growth for the year, the overall index is down 4% quarter over quarter as lingering issues caused by the pandemic seem to be catching up to consumer sentiment. Despite this, the industry is coming off of a record-breaking quarter of growth in Q2, which has fueled projections for the year at around 12% growth in sales year-over-year, with many members still encouraged about future growth in 2022.  

The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) released its annual Design Trends report. The 2022 study, a deep dive into all aspects of both kitchen and primary bathroom design, forecasts the styles, features, materials and innovations expected to be most popular over the next two to three years. The current study finds that the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated consumer interest in and adoption of key trends in their homes such as integration of smart technology, multi-functional spaces and natural and nature-based designs.  

AD is reporting member sales in the first nine months of 2021 were $44 billion, an increase of 34% across its 13 divisions and three countries. Same-store sales were up 19%. Member companies’ purchases from AD supplier partners grew 31%. Net distributions to its members were up 41%. 

With government regulations constantly decreasing the amount of water used in every flush, it’s no wonder that low-flow toilets are getting more and more popular, especially those with the WaterSense certification. 

Governor Gavin Newsom and the California State Legislature have enacted Assembly Bill (AB) 100 into law. Authored by Assembly member Chris Holden, AB 100 adopts industry standard NSF/ANSI/CAN 61 2020 as the lead-testing requirement for certified endpoint drinking water devices sold in California.