Green Demand Dominating Restroom Installations

By Kris Alderson

Bradley Corporation

You don’t have to be a tree hugger or eat granola to appreciate why green technology is in demand these days. According to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), expanding use of green technology accounts for an 8 to 9 percent decrease in overall building-operating costs. And now, under the new administration in Washington, funding for energy-saving construction and fixtures has become a critical part of the economic stimulus program.

 

USGBC’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and green practices for both new construction and existing buildings. Leed practices help building owners and operators measure operations, improvements and maintenance.

Even at a time when most commercial construction is languishing, building green and retrofitting older buildings with energy-efficient fixtures is surprisingly active. Schools, in particular, are looking for green updates. That’s all good news for plumbing and hydronic contractors.

 

What are some of the most asked-for updates in older restrooms? Popular considerations are for products that lower utility costs by reducing water, electricity and gas usage:

 

Slow the flow

 

Toilets and Faucets — Traditionally, the United States and other developed nations use 10 times more water than poor nations. According to GreenBiz.com, a nonprofit information resource for businesses, commercial buildings use about 9.5 billion gallons of water each day. That volume of water drives up maintenance and operating costs — and strains municipal water storage and treatment providers. Now, more facility managers are rethinking their water usage and choosing environmentally friendly auto flush valves and low-flow aeration faucets.

 

Replacing older toilets that use as much as 4.5 gallons per flush (gpf) with low-volume toilets that use only 1.6 gpf can save a substantial amount of total water use. Ultralow-flow toilets and urinals restrict flow to 1.28 gpf, and 0.125 gpf, respectively. Dual flush toilets curb water use to 1.6 gpf for solids and 0.8 for liquids. Low-flow fixtures, metered faucets and waterless urinals can reduce water consumption by more than 30 percent.

 

Likewise, seeing that public lavatories must utilize products that have 0.5 gpm or less, there are many new handwashing products that are curbing water usage. Sensor activations can reduce water usage up to 70 percent, and infrared activation on faucets can save water by restricting the flow to a preset time.

 

Group handwashing fixtures use less water, save on materials for installation, reduce required floor space, and can conserve as much as 80 percent of water, in addition to energy savings, when compared with conventional faucets.

Curbing the flow of water in restrooms can translate to major cost savings in water and sewer bills, as well as energy costs for heating water.

 

Photovoltaic Cells — Photovoltaic cells integrated into the top of a lavatory system can store and use energy collected from normal restroom lighting — and that energy can power the lavatory’s sensors and valves. These units operate without expensive batteries and without electricity. Eliminating batteries also cuts down on maintenance and the number of batteries that end up in landfills.

 

Increasing the lifecycle

 

In addition to conserving water, using more durable plumbing fixtures and accessories with longer lifecycles also helps conserve natural resources and keeps waste out of landfills.

 

Recycled Materials — Product manufacturers are increasingly incorporating post-consumer recycled content in restroom products, such as solid plastic toilet partitions made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) plastic (i.e., recycled milk jugs). This solid plastic material stands up well to heavy usage and traffic. Lockers made of this same recycled material also make a sound choice in restrooms and locker rooms.

 

Solid-Surface Materials — Specifying recycled solid-surface lavatory systems or countertops in restrooms will also help ensure long-term durability and ease of cleaning. Recycled solid surface looks, feels and performs like regular solid surface, and it meets current code and standard requirements. The integrated bowl design used with solid surface material eliminates crevices where microbes can hide, and the material is naturally resistant to bacteria.

 

Stainless Accessories — Consider stainless steel washroom accessories and partitions made from a majority of recycled stainless content. These products are long-lasting, vandal-resistant and won’t need replacement for years.

We have only touched on some strategies for “greening” restrooms. As technology advances and demand for sustainable products increases, it’s guaranteed that more water and energy — and cost — conserving technologies will emerge in America’s restrooms.

 

Kris Alderson is a senior marketing manager for Bradley Corporation of Menomonee Falls, Wis., a USGBC member and manufacturer of locker room products, plumbing fixtures, washroom accessories, partitions and emergency fixtures. She can be reached at 1-800/BRADLEY.