There are two touch-free faucet sensing types—infrared and capacitance (proximity) sensors. The former senses the reflection of infrared light when a valid ‘target’ is within range while the latter picks up the electrical field surrounding a ‘target.’ In both cases, the range can be adjusted. For infrared sensing an infrared beam of light is sent out from an emitter. Once the light hits a target (user of the fixture) it reflects or bounces back to a receiver. The faucet then processes whether or not it has sensed a valid target before it decides to turn on or stay off. All of this ‘thinking’ occurs within milliseconds and is imperceptible to the average person. With capacitance sensing the sensor can detect the small electrical ‘signal’ all living things emit from their bodies. Once a person comes within range, it arms the sensor, preparing it to flush.
The hygienic benefits of sensor-operated faucets speak for themselves, but there are numerous other advantages of automatic faucets. Thanks to the Internet of Things (IoT), automatic faucets are smarter than ever. Facilities teams can now adjust settings, monitor fixture and water use, and diagnose wirelessly—all right from their fingertips. The Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), Nashville, Tennessee, is seeing these benefits firsthand, as its new faucets feature an underdeck control box that reduces the service time needed by its maintenance team and provides the ability to remotely monitor each individual unit from an interconnected smartphone app. With the ability to conduct weekly check-ins on specific fixtures throughout the facility, VUMC’s team is able to accurately measure and report water use.
Sensor-operated faucets also deliver sustainability benefits through their energy harvesting capabilities. These faucets can provide solar energy harvesting by using ambient light to extend battery life up to 10 years in low-to-moderate use facilities, while turbine energy harvesting uses the energy of moving water to extend the battery life up to 10 years in moderate-to-high use venues. The current battery life for flushometers is six years and three years for faucets (the latter tends to be activated more frequently).
While hygienic benefits are first and foremost when it comes to faucet specification, as facilities respond to the coronavirus pandemic, the design elements coming along with them are an added bonus. Commercial restroom manufacturers have created a range of special finish options—from graphite and brushed nickel to brushed stainless and polished brass—to leave a positive, lasting impression on users. These sleek finish options can be matched with touch-free soap dispensers and hand dryers to create a unified and cohesive aesthetic across the entire restroom. The customization does not stop there. Organizations are now able to bring their brand into the restroom. Take Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium for example, where the facility was able to engrave its logo on several of its faucets to bring an added level of visibility to its brand.
Do-it-all sinks
Sinks are at the center of the commercial restroom’s touch-free movement. As they are now able to encapsulate every step of the handwashing and drying process, sinks now deliver benefits to end users and maintenance teams alike.
At the epicenter of this renaissance are integrated sink systems. These sink basins combine a faucet, soap dispenser, and hand dryer that work together as one touch-free and highly efficient system—all within an arm’s reach. This all-in-one sink design allows users to streamline the handwashing process within the confines of one station, making it conducive to high-traffic restrooms. When the Upper Canada Mall in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada, conducted its recent renovation, it opted for integrated sinks to cater to the over seven million guests it receives each year. These sink systems are now enabling visitors to expedite the handwashing process in a sanitary method to quickly return to their shopping. Given the fact the touch-free hand dryers remain within the sink basin, it removes the need for guests to walk across the restroom with wet hands. This takes the burden off facility maintenance teams by eliminating water dripping from hands and ultimately decreases the potential of a slip-and-fall hazard.
