Restroom Technologies That Help Keep Green Facilities Green
Klaus Reichardt ?????
CEO & Founder at Waterless Co Inc | Thought Leader and Influencer | Helping Facilities Use Water More Efficiently, Reduce Water Consumption, and Lower Operating Costs
The company cars are all electric at a large Atlanta architectural firm. The office paper is 100 percent recycled, and both sides of copy paper are always used before discarding. Styrofoam cups are never used—only ceramic coffee mugs—and all cleaning supplies are green-certified.
A walk through the firm's men's restrooms reveals more of the company's "Green Operations Plan," as they call it. Not only are water-saving toilets installed, but all the urinals are waterless.
Since the firm went "Green" four years ago, it is estimated that they have saved more than 300,000 gallons of water using these new restroom technologies.
According to a study by Texas A&M University, billions of gallons of water—as much as 20 percent of all the water used annually in the U.S.—are used to flush toilets and urinals. So that we know, just one conventional urinal can use as much as 35,000 gallons of water per year.
The consequences of this water usage include:
In California alone, at least 20 percent of the state's electrical power is used to transport water. For these reasons, let's look closer at why the Atlanta company installed waterless urinals and how they can benefit your facility.
Why Waterless
Waterless, aka no-flush urinal systems have been around for more than one hundred years. First found in Europe, they garnered little attention in the U.S. until the ecology movement of the 1970s.
Interest has increased over the past 25 years as more facilities aim to operate more environmentally responsible and, more recently, because of LEED? certification. Installing waterless urinals can help earn water conservation points.
Waterless urinals, which are manufactured by four or five companies in the U.S. and Europe, look like conventional urinals but lack flush valves and the plumbing typically found on traditional urinals.
Instead of using water to flush away urine, gravity drains the urine into a trap or cylinder (see image above) that sits atop the drain area of the urinal.
This cylinder is filled with a thin layer of liquid sealant that prevents odors from escaping into the air. As the urinal is used, urine overflows into a drainpipe much the same way as a traditional urinal.
In addition to water and electrical savings, waterless urinals offer other advantages, such as:
- Lower installation and plumbing costs because water lines to each urinal are unnecessary.
- No need for flush valves or sensors.
- Faster and easier installation compared to conventional urinals.
- No pooling of water at the base of the urinal, which can harbor germs and bacteria
- Reduced bacteria growth in general as the urinal stays drier than a conventional urinal.
While the benefits of waterless urinals are clear, it's crucial for building owners and managers to conduct a thorough investigation before making a no-water selection.
For example, the cylinders on some systems require more frequent changes than others. Further the costs for the cylinders can range from just a few dollars to more than $50 per cylinder. This offsets the financial savings a facility hoped to achieve by going waterless.
To avoid this, study the different types of no-water urinals available, and then go one step further. Contact a local distributor or the manufacturer of waterless urinals, discuss your needs, and let them advise you on what directions to take.
-Klaus