Reclaiming the costs of restroom products

The nation’s improving economic outlook is slowly but surely impacting the commercial building and construction industry. That’s not to say, however, that plumbing contractors and specifiers have a blank checkbook when it comes to designing and specifying products for commercial restrooms. Budgets remain tight and influence every decision relative to restroom retrofits or new construction.

Due to these financial constraints, it’s important to evaluate which restroom materials and products will achieve the greatest return on investment. Increasingly, project managers are asking tougher questions about the products they specify and insisting on longer durability and greater performance. Just years ago, the expectation for the lifecycle of restroom fixtures was about five to seven years. The bar is now raised to 10 to12-year performance lives and, in certain cases, up to 20 years.

Durable products get pay-back

Investing in high-quality durable restroom furnishings, such as lavatories, partitions, toilets and other washroom accessories, will pay back in a number of ways. For one thing, sturdier and higher-quality washroom fixtures translate into less upkeep and maintenance. This not only saves costs over time on maintenance and repairs but it also frees up time for staff to focus on other duties.
Such resilient products typically have superior design, making them more aesthetically appealing to end-users, consumers and other stakeholders. This attractiveness and feeling of quality, in turn, helps to create a good impression of the overall business and management.

Additionally, sturdier fixtures ward off vandalism and don’t break down as much as their cheaper counterparts. Encountering graffiti on counters and partitions or blocked-up faucets or toilets can be frustrating and disturbing for a consumer, even raising doubts about a facility’s security.

The negative impacts of restroom problems

Research conducted in 2010 by Bradley Corp., manufacturer of restroom and plumbing fixtures, found that 60 percent of Americans have had an unpleasant experience in a public restroom due to the condition of the facilities. The survey, which looked at American’s handwashing habits in public facilities, uncovered that the most common action taken due to a negative restroom experience is simply leaving the facility without completing their intended business. Further, one-fourth suggested that they would spread negative word-of-mouth about the business.

These findings underscore that attractive, functional and well-maintained public restrooms offer significant benefits. For the facilities manager and the building owner, they encourage repeat users. And for the health of the community and general public, they can foster hand washing and prevent flu and other serious infections.

Durability aligns with aesthetics

The days of restrooms furnished with plain industrial-looking products are long gone. One manufacturer of restroom products offers washroom fixtures that are as tough as they are aesthetically appealing.

One of the newest durable materials available is a new molded natural quartz material that can be sculpted into a range of design options typically not associated with restrooms — graceful curves, soft radius edges and elegant shapes. Customized configurations can be specified, such as an elongated basin with a hidden drain and a lavatory system that uses a minimalist trap cover to conceal plumbing below. This resilient and low-maintenance product is available in more than a dozen colors, with variances in color and texture, much like granite.

This material costs less than granite and is virtually maintenance-free, since it does not require sealing, buffing or reconditioning and, unlike granite, it can be repaired. In addition, its smooth, seamless finish has a non-porous surface, so it does not support microbial growth. It is composed of a resin made of soy and corn, so it is eco-friendly.

Solid surface composite materials for sinks and basins also fit the mold of a beautiful, yet tough, material for lavatories. The solid surface resists stains, chemicals, scratches and heat, which reduces the likelihood of repairs and the need for replacements.

Here are a few more suggestions for selecting fixtures and furnishings that can provide return on your investment:

• Toilet partitions. Quality partitions made of lustrous granite or stainless steel with a brushed pattern can transform the look of a restroom and become the new focal point of the room. Such surfaces cannot be easily scratched or damaged and do not require painting, so they are ideal for high-traffic washrooms.

• Photovoltaic cells. Environmental efficiency can translate into cost efficiency. One example is a light-activated lavatory system that uses photovoltaic cells integrated into the top of the lavatory. The cells convert either normal restroom lighting or day lighting into energy that is stored and used to power valves and sensors in the handwashing fixtures. These fixtures eliminate the need for batteries and electrical hookups, thereby cutting operating costs and the excess of used batteries sent to landfills.

• Hands free. Capacitive sensing technology eliminates the sensor windows on faucets that can be punctured, cracked or gunked up with soap scum. While these new faucets are known for their attractive curves, they are also highly vandal resistant and water efficient. The spout of a capacitive sensing faucet serves as an omni-directional sensor that is set off by any angle of approach, so users are less frustrated and maintenance has fewer headaches.

Further, infrared sensors save water by ensuring that water is only running while someone is washing hands. Metered faucets have a flow rate limit of 0.25 gallons per cycle (gpc), which is the amount of water used during each activation.

Infrared activation can be used to control water at peak times, saving scarce resources and reducing utility charges. Depending on local codes, water used by lavatories varies from 2.5 gallons per minute to 2.2 gpm, with many public restrooms using just 0.5 gpm.

• Hand dryers. Hand dryers, paper towel dispensers and soap dispensers also come in touchless models. Newer models of hand dryers use 80 percent less electricity than other dryers, while drying hands in as little as 10 seconds, about three times faster than most other models. This saves money on electricity, hand towels, labor costs for ordering, storing, replenishing dispensers, collecting and disposing of paper towels. That’s not to mention the environmental benefits of conserving resources and eliminating excess paper waste.

The bottom line: It pays to specify restroom furnishings and fixtures designed to keep a restroom attractive, in good working order and resistant to wear and tear and vandalism. Initially, it may cost more to choose superior and durable products, but they pay dividends in the long run.

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 Bradley Corp., W142 N9101 Fountain Blvd., Menomonee Falls, WI, 53052