Restrooms: Smart Specification
Part 1: Restrooms: Specification Starts with Preparation, Prevention
Part 2: Plumbing Technology Advances Help Meet Code Requirements
Part 3: Restrooms: Maintenance Should Focus on Shut-Off Valves
Part 4: Occupancy, Seasonal Changes Affect Restroom Maintenance
Part 5: Restrooms: Develop Standard Practices Manual
Plumbing Technology Advances Help Meet Code Requirements
By Thomas A. Westerkamp - March 2010
Advances in plumbing and restroom products in recent years have given managers access to an even greater array of benefits related to sustainability, hygiene and savings.
Plumbing products worth watching and discussing with suppliers and staff are: infrared urinal flush valves, waterless urinals, automatic toilet flush valves, automatic faucets, and energy-saving electrical fixtures.
In some cases, shifting regulations are the driving factors in managers' decisions. For example, in California, the government has mandated a change in the code requiring that, by 2014, all toilet fixtures sold use 1.28 gpf.
Such code changes can provide a reason for managers to pursue funding now for a system retrofit. If a manager waits to upgrade when mandated, adequate funding might not be available. It is less painful to do the upgrade over several years and begin getting the savings earlier, too.
Also, as building codes change, many plumbers will not undertake a project that involves non-compliant plumbing. They will insist on bringing the installation up to code. This roadblock can be very expensive if many sub-code conditions have accumulated.
