Commercial restrooms infuse residential

plumbing designs and finishes

BY JON VILLWOCK

Special to The Wholesaler

Traditionally, commercial restrooms were...well, commercial looking.  Three key things have changed public restroom design 180 degrees:

• Growing consumer preference for spa-like bathrooms in their home
• A greater awareness and concern about germs in public places
• New technologies designed to enhance restroom performance. 

These factors are a driving force behind commercial restroom design and new product development.

High-end finishes

Not so long ago, most homeowners chose either tile or laminate countertops for their bathrooms. In just a few years, granite and other natural stone has become the material of choice as consumers outfit bathrooms with luxurious spa amenities including rain and steam showers, technology systems and more.

Cool symmetry - shows a light-activated lavatory with built-in trash receptacles, stainless steel partitions

On the commercial side, high-traffic public restrooms must be as durable as they are attractive. Granite requires frequent sealing to prevent damage and can be chipped or smashed -- not a good choice for washrooms with heavy traffic. Plumbing product manufacturers are increasingly offering alternative solutions to give designers the upscale look they are trying to achieve in materials that are more vandal-resistant.

Lavatory systems made of durable, commercial-grade solid surface materials are a good substitute for natural stone. The earthy shades and grainy texture of new solid surface materials are designed to look like granite, and they resist stains, burns, chemicals and impact. In the unlikely event that the surface is damaged, it can be easily repaired with everyday cleaners or fine-grit abrasives.

Integral sink bowls give the fixtures a seamless finish. Cleaning is simplified because the bowl is designed as one continuous, smooth surface with rounded edges and no crevices for dirt build-up. Since soap and water runs right into the bowl, there are no countertops to harbor excess soap, stagnant water or germs.

Another benefit of solid surface lavatories is that they can accommodate multiple users at one time, a big plus for restrooms that must service a high volume of users during peak times. Solid surface group handwashing fixtures are available in a number of different configurations from one to three user stations. 

In other areas of the restroom, materials also mimic those being used in residences. Just as stainless steel has replaced white, almond and avocado appliances in kitchens, it is becoming a trend-right choice in commercial interiors and restrooms. To be sure, stainless steel has been used for some time as a durable finish for dispensers and other accessories, but designers are using stainless as an attractive and industrial-looking design element. Stainless steel toilet partitions with a brushed pattern, for example, are an ideal solution for high-traffic washrooms because the surface cannot be easily scratched and does not require painting.

New technologies

Although flat-screen televisions are not the norm in public restrooms yet, other kinds of technologies are transforming these spaces. The next generation of hands-free technology -- capacitive sensing -- helps eliminate user frustration and false activations. Instead of a small sensor window below the spout that can be punctured, capacitive sensing uses an “omni-directional” zone around the entire spout to detect a user’s presence from any angle of approach.

Touchless faucets, soap dispensers, towel dispensers and automated flush valves are an important part of restrooms because they help prevent the spread of germs. Fewer surfaces to touch means less cross contamination and a greater chance that hands will remain clean once washed. Users do not want to touch anything and appreciate the hands-off approach.   

Better performance and improved efficiency is another important trend. Light-activated lavatory systems and waterless urinals help reduce restrooms’ impact on the environment and conserve natural resources. Today’s hand dryers use less energy and are more efficient than older models. Better units can dry hands in 25 seconds or less. These kinds of improvements are making restrooms easier for consumers to use and building owners and facility managers to operate.

Less is more

As in other areas of interior design, minimalism is the buzz in restrooms. From the sleek capacitive sensing faucets to recessed, wall-hung towel dispensers and built-in waste receptacles --less is more. The same logic is one reason many designers are moving away from individual wall-hung china sinks in favor of more streamlined units such as multi-height lavatory systems that accommodate a standard-height lavatory with a lower, ADA-compliant sink all in one smooth wave-shaped fixture.

To help facilities reduce maintenance, commercial plumbing product manufacturers are always looking for ways to help prevent tampering. Lavatories with sensor-operated sprayheads and soap dispensers integrated into the unit give vandals fewer opportunities to damage the equipment, for instance. Security features and better construction separate commercial plumbing fixtures from their residential counterparts, even as overall design melds together. 

Expect to continue seeing the lines blur between the two as residential plumbing borrows technologies from commercial plumbing -- better valve systems, touch-free faucets, etc. -- and commercial manufacturers incorporate more attractive designs into their product lines.

Jon Villwock is a product manager at Bradley Corporation, a leading manufacturer of plumbing fixtures, washroom accessories, partitions, emergency fixtures and solid plastic lockers. He can be reached at Bradley Corp., W142 N9101 Fountain Blvd., Menomonee Falls, Wis., 53052-0309.  For additional information, call 800/bradley or visit  www.bradleycorp.com.