Healthy School Buildings Mean Healthy Students and Healthy Learning

Using K–12 building design to improve student experiences

January 2019
Sponsored by ASI Group, Construction Specialties, CornellCookson, Elkay®, Excel Dryer, GAF, Inpro, NanaWall Systems, and Scranton Products®

By Peter J. Arsenault, FAIA, NCARB, LEED AP

Continuing Education

Use the following learning objectives to focus your study while reading this month’s Continuing Education article.

Learning Objectives - After reading this article, you will be able to:

  1. Identify the significance of using independent research as a basis for making design decisions in schools.
  2. Assess the health and safety performance aspects of a variety of design characteristics and materials as they relate to durability and sustainability.
  3. Explain the importance of making design decisions that have positive impacts on student performance, indoor air quality, and health.
  4. Determine ways to incorporate the design principles presented into buildings that are sustainable and high performing as shown in project examples.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on Architecture for Education (CAE) has more than 8,000 architects and allied professional members across the United States. It serves as a think-tank group “committed to enhancing design of educational facilities through thoughtful, research-based, and collaborative programming, planning, and design.” In that vein, the AIA-CAE also includes a very active subcommittee focused specifically on research. Through international collaborations, it has published research findings specifically focused on how physical learning environments impact students from the standpoint of learning, human health, and well-being. Since good health/well-being and good student performance are inextricably linked, there are multiple reasons to design K–12 spaces that promote and protect these traits, not detract from it. Research-based strategies such as creating appealing outdoor play spaces, improving a school’s indoor environmental quality, letting in more natural light, thoughtfully selecting surface materials, providing a safe place to learn, and controlling restroom experiences can all help to improve students’ health and well-being. With all of the above in mind, this course focuses on some of the products, materials, and methods available to help create functional, healthy, safe spaces for school students, teachers, and others who use the buildings.

Photo courtesy of Excel Dryer

School environments are intended for good learning outcomes, which means that health, safety, and well-being need to be designed into the buildings to facilitate those outcomes.

Outdoor Areas

One of the fundamental aspects of health that has received more attention lately is the promotion of physical activity by K–12 students, particularly as an alternative to extended, sedentary time periods in front of electronic devices. In order to facilitate that, there needs to be appropriate outdoor spaces for students to engage in organized or spontaneous play, sports, or athletic activities. In many cases, that means a paved area is needed or preferred. Some school designs may use a parking area to double as such a paved open area, or they may be designed for other specific purposes. Either way, the surface of that paved area becomes a significant design item.

Asphalt pavement is commonly used for such outdoor play, parking, bicycle, and pedestrian areas. Invariably, they are seal coated in black asphalt in a traditional manner as part of their ongoing maintenance. That can mean black soot is transferred from foot traffic into school buildings, increasing cleaning and maintenance costs. It can also mean that the pavement gets very hot in the sun, adding to the “heat-island” effect and making them less appealing for play. As an alternative, colored pavement coatings are a cost-effective, sustainable, and transformational option. Coated pavings on school campuses achieve a familiar gray uniform appearance but typically have solar reflectant components that sizably lower the pavement surface temperature, contributing to a reduction in the heat-island effect. Typical two-part water-based pavement coating technology also increases the durability of coated parking lots so the underlying pavement is less vulnerable to the impacts of vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

Perhaps most relevant, multiple studies show an increase in children’s playground activity when pavement surfaces are designed with bright-colored coatings. Michelle Carlin, senior product manager of coatings at GAF, notes, “Peer-reviewed studies have indicated that brightly colored stenciling on playground and school yard areas lead to a dramatic increase in students’ physical activity. And, whether you are transforming the pavement on an elementary school or a college, coatings that are solar reflective and maintenance deferring offer sustainable and protective designs to help campuses showcase their identity, logos, and culture.”

Beyond these features, pavement coatings are cost-effective when compared to traditional asphalt sealing due to the longevity of coatings. Coatings are flexible once applied and designed to conform to the normal expansion and contraction of asphalt surfaces. They are resistant to the harmful effects of UV rays from which pavement needs protection. They are available in a wide range of colors that allow for great creativity and purposeful designs that can enhance sports needs or creative play. They can go a long way toward making the outdoor areas more appealing to children and adults alike.

School campuses can also benefit from stamped asphalt designs to emulate the appearance of pavers without the downtime or seams associated with pavers. Such stamped pavement can be designed to be ADA compliant and still be covered with a coating to protect the surface and add colors. The coatings are slip resistant, and the stamping can be controlled in a uniform manner to prevent any trip hazards.

Photos courtesy of GAF

Coated pavements provide a cost-effective outdoor surface that can help increase students’ physical activity, reflect solar radiation, and provide a cultural identity for a school.

Sun Controls

Allowing the outdoors into a school building through the use of natural daylight is proven to improve well-being and productivity in schools. However, excessive daylight can lead to uncomfortable glare and could add more solar heat gain than desired. For these reasons, providing a solution for controlling or directing daylight into interior spaces is important for a successful outcome. Research indicates that there are different design options that can yield the sought-after results.

Exterior Sunshades

Exterior sunshades have become a common and popular design solution, as they let filtered light into a building while still allowing occupants to see out. They are particularly attractive to architects because exterior sunshades are fully customizable to suit the design of a particular project or facility. Different components are available to create a complete system, including an array of patterns, hues, textures, and lighting.

Manufacturers offer a variety of custom architectural metal products, from geometric grilles to screening to cantilevered sunshades to completely unique and custom aluminum facade solutions. It is also possible to work directly with a manufacturer who offers full design assistance, including specification help, CAD detailing, and 3-D modeling.

From a performance perspective, exterior sunshades help protect people and property against harmful UV rays and reduce unwanted solar heat gain inside the building. That can improve the energy performance of a school building and even contribute toward LEED certification. Sunshades can also act as a vision barrier or sight interruption for certain applications. From a design perspective, sunshades are the architectural jewelry for the building that can be used to create highlights by utilizing different architectural treatments, such as perforated blades, twisted extrusions, or LED lit sunshades.

Interior Sun Shades

Controlling daylight and glare from the inside of a building is a design option in many cases for school buildings. Textured roller shades can be used that allow diffused daylight to pass through but use the fabric appearance of the shade to reduce the total light. Thus they reduce glare, add comfort, and produce a favorable light quality inside the building while still allowing views through to the outdoors. The use of natural daylight and views in schools has been demonstrated repeatedly to improve student moods and learning. An opaque or room-darkening choice can be also be added for times when audio visual equipment is in use.

Beyond light quality, interior sun shades have been studied and shown to help with the rejection of solar heat with a positive impact on reducing energy needs for cooling as a result. For example, independent research using computerized energy models run for a medium-sized, two-story building in the Midwestern United States compared a baseline building with no window shades to a building design that incorporated interior sun shades. Different types of shades were modeled that ranged in the percentage of openness in the fabric (i.e., less openness equals more shade fabric per square foot). The results of the modeling and analysis showed that annual energy savings related to space cooling, heat rejection, and ventilation fans could be realized between 5 to 9 percent. These savings were attributed to the ability of the fabric to reflect solar heat and keep the building from overheating on sunny days. Hence, this data demonstrates that it is possible to provide daylighting while still having a positive impact on overall energy use in a building.

Photo courtesy of Inpro

Interior roller shades with textured fabric maintain connections to the exterior while still reducing glare and helping with energy performance by reducing solar heat gain.

Interior Wall Surfaces

Schools are busy places with a lot of people and equipment moving daily. They are also places that need regular cleaning to help keep them healthy and sanitary.

Interior Wall Panels

Mounted wall panels are a durable design option that can be used to line corridors, in high-use meeting places where groups gather, or at a school entrance where an added design element can create a warm welcome. Such easy-to-clean manufactured wall panels can provide durability while still allowing for creative designs. Panels can be unique shapes, different sizes, and even different depths to create visual interest. Panel appearances can be selected from a variety of solid colors with the option to match school colors, simulated woodgrain, metal looks, or even digital printed imagery.

Photos courtesy of Construction Specialties

Manufactured wall panels in a creative pattern help provide a durable, easy-to-clean wall surface at Riverdale High School in Thornton, Colorado.

From a detailing and installation standpoint, interior wall panels can be butt-jointed for a more seamless layout or reveals can create patterns. Reveal options include matching or contrasting colors as well as stainless steel or simulated metal looks. Aluminum trims can offer a modern appeal or a metal picture-frame look. Mounting options include permanent adhesive or demountable systems. The demountable version is available in a quick snapping method that is secured to the wall but has the possibility of being removed and replaced if damage occurs or if there is a reason to get behind the panel into the wall. This type of snap system also has the capability to be installed over many substrates including block walls.

Printed Interior Wall Surfaces

Wall surfaces in schools are commonly used to convey information through the use of artwork, graphics, or similar means. Just like any other wall surface, however, it needs to hold up against heavy use or even abuse, plus be easy to keep clean. To meet these needs, many architects are turning to wall-protection systems that also offer large-scale images that can promote school spirit and morale or spread inspiration for learning.

Printed wall-protection systems are commonly made using clear, rigid sheet plastic with crisp digital imagery printed on the reverse side. This creates greater durability since the rigid sheet protects the image from scratches, dirt, and other hazards, including impacts from backpacks, utility carts, etc. The clear sheet also allows the surface to be cleaned regularly without affecting the graphic image. This durability can be evidenced according to the ASTM D4060 Abrasion Resistance test, while stain resistance and clean-ability can be verified based on the ASTM D6578 test.

From a design standpoint, the possibilities are virtually unlimited in terms of the colors and images that can be printed. Logos, mascots, school mottos, beautiful artwork, or any other type of vibrant imagery is possible and best provided on printed interior wall surface-protection systems. Ultimately, the beauty of these systems is found in creating a design feature that doubles as wall protection that is durable and easy to clean.

Photo courtesy of Inpro

Printed interior wall surface-protection systems can be used in schools to promote team spirit or provide inspiration all while helping to keep walls clean and durable.

Acoustics and Flexible Space

There is a growing recognition that schools need good acoustical control in order to promote well-being and facilitate learning. At the same time, there is a common design request for more open and shared use of spaces as a way to utilize space efficiently and control the total square footage of a school building. Hence movable walls or folding glass walls have become very common in schools as a way to create smaller enclosed spaces that can open to larger communal spaces. However, when these operable walls separate interactive areas where both are being used simultaneously, sound isolation is needed for student focus and teacher instruction.

The best way to determine acoustical performance in walls is to have them tested to determine their sound transmission class (STC) rating. This common index provides a way to help determine how much sound (measured in decibels) is restricted from passing through a wall or similar assembly. The higher the rating, the less sound that passes through. Ratings on the order of STC 25 to STC 30 allow most speech to be heard or understood through the wall. A better condition that is often cited as a design goal is STC 35 to STC 45, which makes most speech illegible or inaudible. Higher than that is possible but more difficult to achieve.

The design challenge in schools can sometimes be finding a way to incorporate the flexible spaces being sought for classrooms and other spaces while still meeting the acoustical needs of those spaces. Fortunately, there are now folding glass wall products on the market able to achieve unprecedented sound control up to an impressive tested maximum of STC 45. These systems combine acoustically separated aluminum framing and specialized gaskets with acoustically enhanced laminated glass to achieve optimal performance. Some of the other notable aspects about these folding doors include the following.

  • Floor-supported folding: With floor-supported systems, the main weight of the unit is carried by the lower wheel assembly gliding on top of a stainless-steel floor track. Floor-supported systems are ideal for applications where load-bearing capability of the header is a concern, but they also assist with sound isolation when appropriate gaskets and other components are in place.
  • Surface-mounted flush sill: A minimal surface-mounted flush sill is available that is ADA and ANSI 117.1 compliant. When installed with finished flooring, it should not only have little if any raised surface, but the gap in the floor track should be minimal as well—as little as 15⁄16 inch (23.5 millimeters) is available. For easy installation, the shallow sill can be installed on the foundation or subfloor, and finished flooring can butt up to the floor track, creating seamless integration between interior spaces.
  • Minimal sightlines: Panel frames that are slim and contemporary, particularly where two adjacent folding panels meet, mean that transparency and visibility are optimized. Of course, if the interior design scheme calls for smaller-scaled elements, horizontal mullions are also possible.
  • Swing doors: To accommodate traffic flow, there are options for swing doors to be incorporated in widths up to 3 feet 3 inches (1,000 millimeters) into the side jamb at one end or both. These swing doors may have lower STC ratings than the rest of the system, but all other aspects of a swinging access door, including panic hardware, closers, and kickplates, can be accommodated.

John Brown, AIA, partner, Hollis + Miller Architects, speaks from experience on the schools his firm has designed. “Connectivity, flexibility, and visibility were all very important concepts in the design of the spaces within these schools,” he says. “While we still needed the capability of closing off spaces for more traditional classroom and learning spaces, we needed the capability of opening up the walls to accommodate larger groups, which would then allow for collaboration.”

David T. Esely, AIA, Sr., is a project architect with the firm and observed the folding glass doors it specified. “When closed, very little sound penetrates, which allows for diverse learning opportunities on both sides of the panels simultaneously,” he says. “When the panels are open, the opportunities within the space transform and can then be tailored to specific instructors’ needs and requirements. This is all done with ease, speed, and frequency.”

Images courtesy of NanaWall Systems

Flexible classroom spaces separated by folding glass walls no longer need to suffer acoustically since new products are available that are designed and detailed to achieve ratings on the order of STC 35 to 45.

Safe Rooms

A modern-day reality in schools is the ability to deal with severe weather storms of various types, particularly those in areas prone to high winds. Recent versions of the International Building Code (2015 IBC and later) identify the need for storm shelters in buildings based on separate standards. Specifically, ICC 500: ICC/NSSA Standard for the Design and Construction of Storm Shelters, published jointly by the International Code Council (ICC) and the National Storm Shelter Association (NSSA), has been developed. This standard provides minimum design and construction requirements for shelters to provide a safe refuge from storms that produce high winds, including hurricanes and tornadoes. The premise is that people need to evacuate during a storm or seek protection in a shelter designed for resistance to extraordinary wind loads and flying debris. The ICC 500 standard requires storm shelters in educational occupancies, among others, located in areas prone to extreme tornadoes. That means rooms and facilities that can serve as shelters are increasingly required in schools. The ICC 500 standard provides architects and other design professionals with minimum code requirements for the main wind-resisting structural system, openings, and cladding of these shelters. It also provides basic occupant life safety and health requirements for shelters, including means of egress, lighting, sanitation, ventilation, fire safety, and minimum required floor space for occupants.

Beyond codes, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has issued FEMA P-361: Safe Rooms for Tornadoes and Hurricanes: Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms. This standard addresses many of the same things that ICC 500 does but is more stringent in some cases. All safe-room criteria in FEMA P-361 meet the storm-shelter requirements of the ICC 500, but FEMA P-361 includes a few design and performance criteria that are more conservative than those in the ICC 500. Recognizing that schools are prime areas where safe rooms must be constructed, architects need to understand not only these standards but also the innovative products that are able to help them meet these mandates without compromising design flexibility.

Doors and windows are obvious places that are vulnerable in storms. Fortunately, specialized rolling steel doors that are ICC 500 and FEMA P-361 compliant can be used in a storm to cover over larger openings such as windows or other doors. That means architects can design spaces that allow for more natural light for the majority of the time when the space is used as planned but with the ability to be protected when needed. In schools, large spaces such as cafeterias or auditoriums are often the areas where all of the building’s occupants can gather and are good candidates for safe rooms or shelters. However, when swing doors are the only option for openings, these rooms can’t bring in the amount of natural light or equipment that may be desired. By comparison, rolling doors can be mounted on the inside of glass windows or other doors so that light, ventilation, and access are possible when the rolling doors are coiled up. Then, when needed, they can be lowered, thus making sure that any projectiles are kept from harming the building’s occupants. In addition, unlike swing doors, the rolling doors can be hidden out of sight and only used on demand (i.e., when a storm is imminent). In that regard, they provide much greater design flexibility for an architect to create a well-designed, functional, and safe space for students, teachers, staff, and even local evacuees.

In terms of activation devices, rolling doors can be tied to an alarm system or manually activated. Some advanced rolling doors can automatically react and even reset and reopen after an event (or a standard test). There’s no need to reopen every swing door that was shut during an event or test. Teachers can focus on keeping kids safe and calm instead of checking doors or reopening them. In terms of user safety, rolling doors can be outfitted with protection features, such as safety edges and battery backup protection that will hold the door open if power is momentarily lost—preventing nuisance drops. They can also be hooked up to a safe-room backup generator if one is present. In addition, a safe room with an opening that is part of a fire wall can incorporate rolling door products with their own fire ratings.

Images courtesy of CornellCookson

Cafeterias are good candidates for safe rooms or storm shelters in schools, but only if the openings are protected, such as by ICC 500/FEMA P-361-rated coiling steel doors that can be stored out of sight when not needed as shown here.

Bottle-Filling Stations

Staying hydrated is an important part of being healthy. Doing so at a school in a manner that is sanitary, accessible, and appealing can be both a design and operational task. Water fountains have long served a role in this regard and are even required by code in most cases, including the need to install at least one fountain at a wheelchair-accessible height that can be accessed from both a forward and parallel approach. However, many students may be looking for alternatives to water fountains, which often include vending machines that only dispense sugary drinks, not necessarily the healthiest choices. If bottled water is available, disposing of multiple plastic bottles is not particularly good for the environment. A better option is to encourage students to carry reusable water bottles with them; however, locating places to refill them can be a challenge.

Recognizing the need for better drinking options, manufacturers of drinking fountains now also offer water bottle-filling stations. These fixtures provide a clean, sanitary source of drinking water that can be supplied into reusable containers across the day. This option is appealing to many students. In the case of one school in Michigan, five bottle-filling stations were installed for use. In the very first month, the school saved more than 2,200 disposable bottles while notably increasing water consumption by students.

Bottle-filling stations can be stand-alone fixtures or incorporated into drinking fountains. They can be mounted on new or existing wall surfaces or recessed as “in-wall” installations. Most offer a “touchless” or hands-free operation based on using a sensor to activate the water flow when a bottle is present. In this way, water flows directly into the bottle with minimal opportunity of the spread of germs from hands or other bottles. That helps keep the spread of disease down and keeps students healthier in the process.

There are other typical features of these bottle-filling stations. Many are calibrated for a quick filling speed to encourage multiple users. Nonetheless, the focused stream may take advantage of a laminar flow of water and dedicated drains such that there is minimal splashing when filling bottles or cups. Many use antimicrobial protection through the use of coatings on key plastic parts to inhibit any mold or mildew growth. To help assure the quality of the drinking water, many also come with built-in filtration to reduce exposure to lead, Class 1 particulates and excess chlorine. In light of concerns about municipal water supplies in recent years, this can be a proactive and comforting feature to include, recognizing of course that the filters do need to be changed regularly. The filters can also notably improve the taste of the water and remove any odor, thus encouraging continued usage.

Enhanced versions of these fixtures can include energy-conscious features that allow for one simple power hookup for refrigeration and other needs. In energy-savings mode, the unit can be programmed to be powered down during the hours it is not expected to be in use. There is also the option to provide highly efficient LED lighting to illuminate the fixture and identify when the bottle is full. They can even come with built-in electronic diagnostics to be sure that everything is operating as it should be.

Particularly relevant to schools, there are vandal-resistant models available. These are built on a robust platform using full stainless-steel construction. Graphics are embossed, and there are vandal-resistant push buttons, bubblers, and screws that are used. The display screen glass, if part of the unit, is shatter resistant. All of this makes these units quite appropriate for high-traffic applications such as gyms, recreational areas, etc. Units such as these can also be used for outdoor drinking solutions as well in play or recreation areas to promote good hydration in those active locations.

Locker Facilities

School buildings typically incorporate lockers, and a lot of them, whether for student’s general daily use or in athletic locker rooms with showers. Keeping those areas clean and hygienic is important, but so is using durable, well-designed products.

Locker Choices

When considering lockers as part of a school design, there are many material choices from which to select, including metal, stainless steel, plastic laminate, phenolic, and high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Each have their own capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses, but HDPE plastic stands out due to its particular features and benefits for schools. HDPE is created from extruded polymer resin with a high strength-to-density ratio and is used in many different types of products. It is commonly used for school restroom partitions, where it provides a mid-priced option with the lowest cost of ownership due to its low maintenance requirements. It has also been used to create lockers because in all cases, it resists mold, scratches, dents, chipping, rust, oil, and bacteria, thus offering greater durability. Its finish, with a wide variety of colors and textures, is assured to be a long-term solution since it is produced with a solid color throughout and never needs painting. Because of these attributes, it is common to find it with a 25-year warranty for quality products.

In many school designs, lockers are placed in corridors for easy access and convenience. Of course, that also means there may be fire-resistance requirements to comply with building codes. Manufacturers recognize that, and at least one offers HDPE hallway lockers are fully fire-rated for corridor application. Such lockers are also designed to meet the demands of the school corridor environment and have been shown to withstand the harshest daily use. Because of the durability of the material and the surface, damage is resisted and graffiti is easily wiped clean with a common, nonabrasive cleaner. All of this is understandably appealing to school administrators who seek to keep maintenance costs low.

From a school health standpoint, HDPE partitions and lockers make a lot of sense too. They are available in low- or no-VOC products that are not a source of chemical off-gassing. Further, they don’t require paints or harsh cleaners that may contain VOCs either. Because they are nonporous solid surfaces, mold and mildew growth is resisted helping with a healthier indoor environment. As such, they can contribute to points under the LEED green building certification program. Some even have earned GreenGuard certification as administered by UL Environment. Overall, HDPE has become a preferred choice for locker rooms, school lockers, and related partitions since they help those spaces remain healthy and attractive for the long term.

Locker Room Showers

Locker rooms with communal showers have been common in schools for decades, but times are changing. There are new norms about bathing privacy that have raised new concerns and challenges related to restroom and shower design. Further, additional risks of serious bacterial infections for athletes and other users puts new focus on the design and surface cleanliness of communal shower installations.

Separated shower stalls or compartments are becoming more common in schools instead of communal shower arrangements. In order to be effective, they need to include spaces not just for showering but also for adequate dry-floor changing space that allows bathers to disrobe and get dressed within that space. In designs where space may not allow the combined shower and changing area, an inline approach only with individual showering stalls can be used. In the interest of healthier showers, many designers are choosing solid surface material for the shower enclosure. This eliminates the need for grout lines, which can harbor mold or mildew.

Photo courtesy of Inpro

Locker rooms in schools with individual shower stalls reflect the changing design needs compared to a few decades ago.

Restroom Environments

Design of restrooms in schools is very important not just for the convenience and purpose they provide but also for providing clean, safe, and hygienic spaces. Designed poorly, they can become a source of disruption where feelings of insecurity and lack of cleanliness can contribute to a poor learning mindset. Designed well, they can be a place where students feel safe and clean, generating positive feelings that permeate their day. Cyrus Boatwalla, director of marketing, ASI Group, has a good bit of experience in this area, and architects he has spoken with agree with his observation that “bathroom products typically cost less than 1 percent of the cost of the building, and yet they can shape 100 percent of the opinion of a building. That effect is magnified in schools where the bathroom can impact the learning experience of students.”

Total Coordinated Restroom Experience

There are more products available for restrooms than ever before, so it is easy to end up with a mismatched or incoherent design. Finding a single manufacturer who can meet multiple restroom specialty needs can help in this regard since the entire restroom can be viewed holistically to create an overall positive experience for students and other users. Here, in particular, product selection is instrumental in achieving not only a successful design but also creating a long service life.

Toilet-stall partitions used in restrooms and locker rooms first need to address privacy. Partitions are available that have zero sightlines into the stalls and create a safer feeling with regard to the restroom experience. Many different partition-height options are also available with different methods to eliminate sightlines. This privacy can be achieved using a variety of materials that also address appearance, functionality, hygiene, and durability. Plastic or phenolic products are particularly appropriate for very wet/humid environments like locker rooms or aquatic facilities. Powder-coated steel or stainless steel has also been successfully used for common areas where water and humidity are less of a concern. Similarly, plastic laminate partitions have been used as a cost-effective solution with a variety of design appearances that can transcend an institutional look by incorporating wood grain, colors, etc. To ensure a longer life in plastic laminate partitions, at least one company uses a special edge-banding process to guard against moisture penetrating through the joints in the partitions. This feature allows for an extended warranty on this product.

Looking at other aspects of a total restroom design in schools, attention to the permanent accessories can help with the coordinated overall experience as well influence the smooth, long-term operation and maintenance of restrooms. For example, soap-dispensing systems often require a lot of time for maintenance staff to refill them on a regular, even daily basis. Products are now available in top-fill soap-dispensing systems that can refill up to six soap dispensers with one pour. This saves time, but it can also mean that all dispensers are full and hands are actually washed at school, thus preventing the spread of germs and disease in school environments.

Hand drying is critical for good hygiene and hence an important detail in restroom design. The common options are paper towels and hand dryers, and while each has its pros and cons, there is room for both, even in the same restroom. One manufacturer even makes a three-in-one unit that has a paper towel dispenser, waste receptacle, and built-in high speed hand dryer. While paper towels can generate waste and may be more expensive in the long run (since they are a consumable), there are instances where they are needed for uses besides hand drying, like cleaning up a mess in a restroom or even using them to avoid touching surfaces with which people don’t want direct contact.

Photos courtesy of ASI Group

Permanent restroom accessories such as multi-fill soap dispensers and zero-sightline toilet partitions can help create a positive overall experience not only in restrooms but also in the general perception of the school building.

High-Speed Hand Dryers

A major sanitation concern in a restroom is hand drying. Paper towels are common, but they bring the risk ofw spreading germs, particularly if they are not disposed of properly. A more sanitary and environmentally friendly solution are high-speed hand dryers. Not only do they eliminate the problem of waste paper towels in restrooms, but they have also been shown to represent less overall energy use than paper towels. The cradle-to-grave environmental impacts of high-speed hand dryers have been determined using a life-cycle assessment performed based on global product category rules (PCRs) by UL Environment, a business division of Underwriters’ Laboratories (UL). Manufacturers who have used this process can then issue environmental product declarations (EPDs) for their dryers. This can help facilities qualify for several LEED v4 Credits but more significantly provide superior indoor environmental benefits and energy performance to schools.

High-speed hand dryers can be specified to include adjustable speed and sound controls, adjustable heat settings (high, medium, low, and off), an externally visible service LED, and multi-voltage options for 110V–120V or 208V–277V volts in 50 or 60 hertz. At least one manufacturer also offers custom digital imaging for covers; this gives schools a unique opportunity to place mascots, mottos, or other images on the dryers in a range of finishes, from traditional white to brushed stainless to textured graphite or other appearance.

In addition to wall-mounted dryers, new sink-mounted hand dryers are also now available as part of integrated sink systems. These systems seamlessly integrate components of proper hand hygiene in an engineered design, placing no-touch, high-efficiency fixtures together on the sink deck. This facilitates a one-stop process for washing, rinsing, and drying hands hygienically and effectively. Some dryers also feature an optional HEPA filtration system that creates a clean air flow by removing up to 99.97 percent of potentially present bacteria at 0.3 microns from the airstream.

Joe Tomaselli is the former Aramark director of operations for Niles Township School District 219 in Skokie, Illinois, where high-speed hand dryers were installed. He says, “We were able to set an example for students about the importance of reducing waste and making smart decisions about energy conservation.” Design professionals who would like to do the same in their school projects should know that manufacturers are willing to work together to achieve common goals. William Gagnon, vice president of marketing and sales for Excel Dryer, comments, “We work closely with architects, interior designers, and specifiers to serve your vision and complement your design, bringing the restroom up to the standards of the rest of the space you are creating.”

Conclusion

School environments encompass many different outdoor and indoor spaces that need to encourage and facilitate healthy activities that promote a variety of learning opportunities. Recognizing the range of products and design options available for many of these different spaces and needs can help architects design school spaces that are more appealing to students, easier to care for by staff, and healthier for all.

Peter J. Arsenault, FAIA, NCARB, LEED AP, is a nationally known architect, consultant, continuing education presenter, and prolific author advancing building performance through better design. www.linkedin.com/in/pjaarch, www.pjaarch.com

ASI Group Construction Specialties
CornellCookson Elkay<sup>®</sup>
Excel Dryer, Inc. GAF
Inpro NanaWall Systems
Scranton Products<sup>®</sup>  

 

Originally published in Architectural Record