This CE Center article is no longer eligible for receiving credits.
The COVID-19 pandemic impacted schools in a big way and has led to new opportunities to think about how learning is carried out – both virtually and in-person. It also brought to the forefront the need to create learning environments that are safe, healthy, and that inspire wellness for not only the students, but for teachers and staff, too. Private and public sector efforts are emerging to help address the new needs and opportunities in school design. For example, the recently introduced Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund has allocated over $100 billion to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on students, educators, and their families. Projects to improve indoor air quality, enhance the health of students, and otherwise renovate and upgrade school operations are among the allowable uses for the funds. In light of these needs and opportunities, this continuing education course looks at some strategies that can help architects design or renovate schools to address many of these concerns.
Photo courtesy of © Dee Zunker
The design of K-12 schools needs to address ongoing learning approaches as well as heightened concerns over
health and welfare.
21st-Century School Design
Before the COVID-19 Pandemic, school design was strongly influenced by 21st century thinking about how students work by focusing on new visions of learning environments combined with computer-based technology. Some of those aspects have been reinforced by the pandemic, such as online learning, while other aspects have been updated or reinvented, such as ways to create and use space safely in a school building. While the overall goal remains providing better learning environments, school health and safety have become critical and influential design criteria as well.
One of the strategies that has emerged to address a number of these needs is the use of opening glass walls in school buildings. They provide several attributes that are helpful to school design, as discussed in the following sections.
Photos courtesy of NanaWall Systems
Flexible spaces that open or close onto each other in school buildings can be achieved with opening glass walls.
Properly specified opening glass walls can provide separation and sound control as needed between adjacent spaces.
Flexible Space
Opening glass walls eliminate the fixed walls of the traditional classroom by opening to shared areas. Such a flexible design concept can take a variety of forms. First, it could allow classroom-to-classroom connections, meaning that multiple rooms or grades can be combined, or closed off, at will, to accommodate teaching needs. The separation also allows for greater control of the number of students in a space, when isolation or separation is needed for health reasons. Second, opening glass walls can be used to connect classrooms to common areas, allowing greater interactions and/or isolations to suit the needs of an entire wing or section of a school building. Third, they are quite effective when used in resource centers, so that space and equipment or other things can be shared with different sized groups or grades. The general benefits of this design approach include areas for project-based learning or common areas where students work together on a range of activities with shared resources or presentation areas. Furthermore, creating a flexible classroom configuration optimizes the floor space within the building envelope which can translate into reduced total square footage needs and the related construction costs.
Connection to Outdoor Space
Opening glass walls can also be designed as a connection to outside spaces. This creates an indoor / outdoor learning environment that provides multiple health and educational benefits for students. First, the large glass areas bring daylight and views into the building, which has been shown to benefit the general health and well-being of students, teachers, and staff. Second, the ability to open the glass walls partially or fully allows for an abundance of fresh air ventilation. Such fresh air (and outdoor activity) continues to be a key strategy in preventing the spread of airborne disease. From an educational perspective, opening the glass wall allows for the opportunity for outdoor learning experiences as well.
Sound Control
With opening glass walls, there is a need to properly address the control of sound in and between the spaces where they are located. In particular, sound isolation is needed in flexible space designs so students can properly focus on their work or understand instruction from their teachers. 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, manufacturers of opening glass walls have found ways to deliver impressive acoustical properties so designers can feel confident that incorporating such systems into school designs will not be seen as any type of a compromise. 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 that meet acoustical standards promulgated by independent rating programs (i.e., LEED, WELL, CHPS, etc.) can be achieved using properly specified opening glass walls. In so doing, the good acoustics can help create a positive learning environment.
Ceilings That Promote Wellness
Ceilings are a significant design element that can play an important role in the health and well-being of everyone inside a school building. A high-performing ceiling needs to address good acoustics but can also contribute to general indoor air quality. To do so, a lot can depend on the choice of the materials that are used in ceilings.
Stone Wool Acoustic Ceiling Tiles & Panels
One ceiling material that is being used increasingly in schools is stone wool. It is a proven material that demonstrates great acoustic properties, resistance to mold and mildew, and excellent fire and smoke performance. Since it is made from stone, it is naturally resistant to mold and mildew growth – it is hydrophobic, does not absorb moisture, and will not support mold, mildew, or other potentially harmful microorganisms. No antimicrobials are needed to provide this level of performance. This resistance can be critical in high-humidity environments, especially if HVAC is turned off when the building is unoccupied, as may be the case over the summer months. Mold and mildew can create an indoor air quality health concern in schools, particularly for people with asthma or other respiratory conditions.
Stone wool is also unaffected by changes in temperature and humidity, so opening windows and allowing fresh air to enter the building does not affect the ceiling performance. Further, stone wool ceiling tiles and panels have earned UL Environment GREENGUARD Gold Certification for low VOC emissions in schools. This certification process takes into consideration safety factors that may impact those with vulnerable immune systems, including children. The stringent UL GREENGUARD Gold certification is recognized by numerous green building and wellness programs including the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS), the WELL Building Standard, and LEED.
Photo courtesy of © Dee Zunker
The proper acoustical control of sound in schools needs to include the ceiling, walls, floors, and background sounds in
each room or area.
The COVID-19 pandemic impacted schools in a big way and has led to new opportunities to think about how learning is carried out – both virtually and in-person. It also brought to the forefront the need to create learning environments that are safe, healthy, and that inspire wellness for not only the students, but for teachers and staff, too. Private and public sector efforts are emerging to help address the new needs and opportunities in school design. For example, the recently introduced Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund has allocated over $100 billion to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on students, educators, and their families. Projects to improve indoor air quality, enhance the health of students, and otherwise renovate and upgrade school operations are among the allowable uses for the funds. In light of these needs and opportunities, this continuing education course looks at some strategies that can help architects design or renovate schools to address many of these concerns.
Photo courtesy of © Dee Zunker
The design of K-12 schools needs to address ongoing learning approaches as well as heightened concerns over
health and welfare.
21st-Century School Design
Before the COVID-19 Pandemic, school design was strongly influenced by 21st century thinking about how students work by focusing on new visions of learning environments combined with computer-based technology. Some of those aspects have been reinforced by the pandemic, such as online learning, while other aspects have been updated or reinvented, such as ways to create and use space safely in a school building. While the overall goal remains providing better learning environments, school health and safety have become critical and influential design criteria as well.
One of the strategies that has emerged to address a number of these needs is the use of opening glass walls in school buildings. They provide several attributes that are helpful to school design, as discussed in the following sections.
Photos courtesy of NanaWall Systems
Flexible spaces that open or close onto each other in school buildings can be achieved with opening glass walls.
Properly specified opening glass walls can provide separation and sound control as needed between adjacent spaces.
Flexible Space
Opening glass walls eliminate the fixed walls of the traditional classroom by opening to shared areas. Such a flexible design concept can take a variety of forms. First, it could allow classroom-to-classroom connections, meaning that multiple rooms or grades can be combined, or closed off, at will, to accommodate teaching needs. The separation also allows for greater control of the number of students in a space, when isolation or separation is needed for health reasons. Second, opening glass walls can be used to connect classrooms to common areas, allowing greater interactions and/or isolations to suit the needs of an entire wing or section of a school building. Third, they are quite effective when used in resource centers, so that space and equipment or other things can be shared with different sized groups or grades. The general benefits of this design approach include areas for project-based learning or common areas where students work together on a range of activities with shared resources or presentation areas. Furthermore, creating a flexible classroom configuration optimizes the floor space within the building envelope which can translate into reduced total square footage needs and the related construction costs.
Connection to Outdoor Space
Opening glass walls can also be designed as a connection to outside spaces. This creates an indoor / outdoor learning environment that provides multiple health and educational benefits for students. First, the large glass areas bring daylight and views into the building, which has been shown to benefit the general health and well-being of students, teachers, and staff. Second, the ability to open the glass walls partially or fully allows for an abundance of fresh air ventilation. Such fresh air (and outdoor activity) continues to be a key strategy in preventing the spread of airborne disease. From an educational perspective, opening the glass wall allows for the opportunity for outdoor learning experiences as well.
Sound Control
With opening glass walls, there is a need to properly address the control of sound in and between the spaces where they are located. In particular, sound isolation is needed in flexible space designs so students can properly focus on their work or understand instruction from their teachers. 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, manufacturers of opening glass walls have found ways to deliver impressive acoustical properties so designers can feel confident that incorporating such systems into school designs will not be seen as any type of a compromise. 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 that meet acoustical standards promulgated by independent rating programs (i.e., LEED, WELL, CHPS, etc.) can be achieved using properly specified opening glass walls. In so doing, the good acoustics can help create a positive learning environment.
Ceilings That Promote Wellness
Ceilings are a significant design element that can play an important role in the health and well-being of everyone inside a school building. A high-performing ceiling needs to address good acoustics but can also contribute to general indoor air quality. To do so, a lot can depend on the choice of the materials that are used in ceilings.
Stone Wool Acoustic Ceiling Tiles & Panels
One ceiling material that is being used increasingly in schools is stone wool. It is a proven material that demonstrates great acoustic properties, resistance to mold and mildew, and excellent fire and smoke performance. Since it is made from stone, it is naturally resistant to mold and mildew growth – it is hydrophobic, does not absorb moisture, and will not support mold, mildew, or other potentially harmful microorganisms. No antimicrobials are needed to provide this level of performance. This resistance can be critical in high-humidity environments, especially if HVAC is turned off when the building is unoccupied, as may be the case over the summer months. Mold and mildew can create an indoor air quality health concern in schools, particularly for people with asthma or other respiratory conditions.
Stone wool is also unaffected by changes in temperature and humidity, so opening windows and allowing fresh air to enter the building does not affect the ceiling performance. Further, stone wool ceiling tiles and panels have earned UL Environment GREENGUARD Gold Certification for low VOC emissions in schools. This certification process takes into consideration safety factors that may impact those with vulnerable immune systems, including children. The stringent UL GREENGUARD Gold certification is recognized by numerous green building and wellness programs including the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS), the WELL Building Standard, and LEED.
Photo courtesy of © Dee Zunker
The proper acoustical control of sound in schools needs to include the ceiling, walls, floors, and background sounds in
each room or area.
Acoustical Considerations
The acoustical performance of learning spaces is covered by a variety of codes and standards. This makes sense since acoustics inside classrooms determine whether students can understand their teachers and learn from them. Poor acoustics have also been associated with human health issues in both the short- and long-term. To ensure optimized acoustics design, professionals need to use the right combination of highly sound-absorptive ceiling panels, robust walls, and sound- balanced floors, all working together. Acoustic ceilings are used primarily to absorb the sounds in the room. Walls that are built full height to the structural slab or roof above, and without holes or gaps, block outside noise from coming into the space. When rooms are above or below one another, the floor slab also plays a main role in sound isolation.
Many school buildings must now comply with the stringent acoustic requirements and performance levels in one or multiple standards, guidelines, or building rating systems. The table to the right compiles the absorption, isolation, and background sound level requirements from organizations such as the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) and the Acoustical Society of America (ASA). Stone wool acoustic ceiling tiles can achieve highly absorptive Noise Reduction Coefficients (NRC) of 0.95 or higher, optimizing speech intelligibility and achieving the ultimate privacy in school buildings.
Image courtesy of Rockfon
This table indicates some of the common standards that address acoustics in schools with the ratings shown for compliance.
Acoustic Ceilings in Three Steps
A commonly available online tool helps architects optimize acoustic ceilings in school buildings by determining performance ratings for a space and selecting product options.
Step 1. Select the appropriate NRC rating for your ceiling panels based on published standards or experience. As the amount of sound absorption is increased inside a room, the reverberation time and noise level decrease. It also can reduce echoing. This improves speech intelligibility, allowing students to better understand their teachers.
Step 2. Select the appropriate STC rating for wall and floor/ceiling assemblies in order to keep out unwanted sound from adjacent spaces. Sound blocking starts with walls and floor slabs. If the adjacent room has a lot of people or equipment, and transmitted noise would interfere with sensitive activities being performed in the room being designed, then a high STC rating is needed. As the walls and slabs become more massive, the STC rating increases and the amount of noise getting through greatly decreases, making things much quieter.
Step 3. Ensure you have the proper background sound level. Quieter is not necessarily better. Some background sound is necessary to mask annoying or distracting noise and help achieve speech privacy. This background sound can be from music, nature, mechanical systems, or electronic sound masking (i.e., “white noise”).
Speech Privacy Potential (SPP) is another performance indicator of acoustic privacy between two adjacent rooms and may be better than either STC or background sound (dBA) alone. SPP factors both steps #2 and #3 of the process above, together. The STC rating, plus the background sound level, should total between 75 and 80—any less and privacy may not be achieved.
Interior Climate Control
In addition to attributes such as acoustics, a successful classroom environment that enhances learning includes the ability for pupils to feel comfortable during different seasons. This plays directly into the type of heating and cooling system that is used, and the ability for it to be responsive to different needs within a school.
Photos courtesy of Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US
Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) indoor units blend easily into classrooms offering greater design flexibility, more precise comfort control, and ultra-quiet operation.
The compact, efficient nature of VRF systems allows for smoother operation, smaller footprints for equipment,
and quiet operation.
Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) Systems
Conventional HVAC systems have served the needs of most school buildings for many decades, although with some variability in comfort and energy efficiency. Achieving the high levels of comfort, sustainability, and performance needed for current school design often requires going beyond the conventional. Considerable success in this area has been found in the use of Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) systems which operate in a zoned manner. Zones are defined as single or multiple room spaces that are conditioned to a set temperature and are operated independently from other rooms within the same structure.
VRF systems move conditioned refrigerant directly to the zone to be heated or cooled, allowing the temperature of that area to be more precisely controlled. To save energy, they can limit conditioning to selected zones that are in use. Inverter technology enables VRF systems to modulate capacity to match each zone’s conditioning needs and maintain set points using minimal energy. If equipped with a branch circuit controller or heat-recovery module, VRF systems can simultaneously heat some zones while cooling others. With these features, VRF systems provide educational buildings with efficient, personalized comfort. Since their size and output can be selected for specific locations, they can meet the needs of a wide variety of spaces within schools – classrooms, cafeterias, auditoriums, gymnasiums, offices, and other spaces, each with varied occupancies and unique conditioning needs. Furthermore, the quiet operation of VRF systems makes them ideal for environments like libraries and classrooms, where students need to focus on their studies.
Enhanced Ventilation
An important strategy for helping to create healthy learning environments is to provide proper ventilation to bring in fresh air while exhausting contaminants. In that regard, VRFs can very easily be used with dedicated outdoor air systems (DOAS) and energy recovery ventilation systems (ERVs) to provide the needed fresh air to the school in an energy-efficient manner. From a health and wellness standpoint, these systems help rid school buildings of toxins, odors, bacteria, and other potentially harmful contaminants. ERVs also improve HVAC system efficiency by preheating or cooling incoming outside air with energy recovered from the exhaust air. All of that adds up to a healthier, more sustainable indoor environment for students and staff. For architects, VRF systems with ERVs mean flexibility in design, quiet operation, and the ability to modify the systems as needs change during the design or life cycle of the building.
Attributes of VRF Systems
Schools realize numerous benefits by using VRF zoning systems combined with ERV-based ventilation systems. The improved thermal comfort and indoor air quality can help enhance learning environments, allowing students to learn more easily, while teachers and staff are kept comfortable, too. Such systems have been shown to help with operational costs and sustainability as well. VRF systems are all-electric and provide heat without burning fossil fuels. Schools motivated to reduce their carbon footprint and improve air quality in their communities choose VRF systems to support those objectives while improving comfort. For renovation projects, the quick installation time for VRF systems means schools can minimize disruption to the academic year when upgrading to this advanced heating and cooling solution.
This technology is ideal for the wide variety of uses, schedules, and activities that can occur in a single school building since everything can be zoned to suit this variability. Inverter-driven VRF systems use only the precise amount of energy needed to keep each interior zone at the desired temperature. This allows for customized operation while also enhancing energy efficiency and the related cost savings – energy is only used where it is needed and in the amount that is needed. Different unit styles and sizes of VRF systems are available to meet diverse comfort and aesthetic needs. Due to their compact and efficient nature, VRF systems also offer streamlined operation and maintenance, simplifying the work of facility staff.
Restroom Safety
School restrooms have garnered a good bit of attention lately, not only for health but also for safety, particularly in terms of gender identification and separation in some locations. Among the strategies that have been proposed and carried out in response, those that promote high degrees of privacy in toilet stalls appear to be most successful. Fortunately, there are products available to help architects achieve the needed separation in ways that offer design options and cost-effective designs.
Photos courtesy of ASI Group
The use of taller, full-height partitions provides complete privacy in restrooms and can be selected from standard products to coordinate with the rest of the room design.
Toilet Stall Privacy
Common toilet partitions in the United States typically do not extend all the way to the floor or to the ceiling. Similarly, the doors to the partitions fit loosely, often creating a gap between the door and the pilaster, producing unintended sightlines into the stalls. These gaps are often a function of small changes in wall distances, some improper installation, or even incorrect measurement on the front end. By contrast, European toilet stalls are routinely characterized by extended height partitions and doors that overlap with the pilasters to close and lock without any sightline gaps or crevices.
Manufacturers of toilet partitions are now offering extended-height metal partitions in the United States, along with door solutions pre-built into the door, that afford complete privacy in toilet stalls. Furthermore, these can be utilized without sacrificing aesthetics, since they offer a range of materials, colors, and finishes. This helps with creating a cohesive look in a school by using products for a restroom or locker room that have similar design sensibility and color palate.
Photos courtesy of ASI Group
Full privacy is assured with manufactured components that match the rest of the system and are designed to cover any potential sightline openings.
Extended height partitions are available that have zero sightlines into the stalls and create a safer feeling with regard to the bathroom experience. Many different partition height options are also available, with different methods to eliminate sightlines. This privacy can be achieved by selecting from a variety of materials that also address appearance, functionality, hygiene, and durability. Solid plastic high density polyethylene (HDPE) or phenolic products are particularly appropriate for wet / humid environments like locker rooms or aquatic facilities, or even stadiums, where restrooms have to be hosed down completely from time to time. Powder-coated steel or stainless-steel partitions have been typically 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 for plastic laminate partitions, one company uses a special edge-banding process to guard against moisture penetrating the joints in the partitions. This also allows for an extended warranty on this product.
Some school facilities have addressed the privacy concerns by adding or retrofitting pieces onto existing toilet partitions and stalls, often with unsatisfactory aesthetic results as well as additional material and labor costs. One company has solved this problem by integrating privacy components into the doors so that no retrofitting is needed and with no additional cost to the school The guiding principles of the integrated privacy design are to meet an occupant’s need for total privacy while also being more aesthetically pleasing than using retrofitted privacy components that don’t match the stall. The built-in privacy components completely close the gap on the latch and hinge side of the door to guarantee zero sightlines into the stall. These components, color-matched to the rest of the stall, create a sense of continuity from the partition door to the pilasters. In addition, an occupancy indicator latch is now available as a standard feature. Some are also available with a uniquely designed stainless-steel pilaster shoe that simplifies the installation process. Altogether, these systems provide an attractive, durable solution that meets the demand for both old and new social boundaries.
Cyrus Boatwalla, director of marketing at the ASI Group, explains these guiding principles in more detail, “Our built-in need for privacy is laid bare in public washrooms, most of which are designed for multiple users and simultaneous use. Today, more than ever, our need to feel safe is paramount, and this can cause public washrooms to bring out deep-rooted fears, which may manifest in a visceral response. While some people may be mildly bothered by the thought of using a public washroom, others are paralyzed by the prospect—to the point that they cannot use the washroom while others occupy it.” These observations are true for adults, but also for many students in schools, too, particularly those who experience anxiety or fear of bullying of any kind.
Hygienic Restrooms
Although the COVID-19 pandemic lingers on, most students and staff have returned to school buildings. However, everyone involved is generally expecting more from such high-traffic, shared facilities. A manufacturer’s research study done with U.S. high school students in 2020 found that within the school building, the top three places that students are most concerned about coming into contact with germs are: school restrooms (63%); classrooms (50%); and the cafeteria (42%). Restrooms in particular seem to be the most scrutinized by students, teachers, and staff for being clean, hygienic, functional, and accessible. Furthermore, a related study found that 50% of high school students in the U.S. rate their school restroom facilities as poor or fair, while only 6% describe them as excellent. High school students’ top suggestions for school restroom improvement are: 1) cleaner restrooms that are stocked more frequently with soap, paper towels, and toilet paper, and 2) restrooms in which everything is touchless – with reliable technology.
Image courtesy of Bradley Corp.
According to high school students, there is room for improvement in school restrooms. Fifty percent of students in the U.S. rate their high school restroom facilities as poor or fair, while only 6 percent describe them as excellent.
The results of these surveys are not surprising since restrooms are unique in that they are tight, enclosed spaces, have multiple touchpoints (about 10 in a single visit), and utilize water and paper products that can potentially create mess, slips and falls, and breed bacteria. The design question then becomes how does one create a hygienic and safe environment equipped to handle everyday usage, curb cross contamination of germs and increase handwashing activity by students, faculty, administration, and staff? Relatedly, how can the restroom experience be improved to make it more appealing, accessible, and safe for its users?
Touchless Fixtures
One strategy to help with hygiene in school restrooms is to install touchless fixtures. Sensor-activated handwashing and drying equipment addresses infection control, hygiene, accessibility, ease-of-use, maintenance, consumer demand, and cost-effectiveness. Cross contamination of germs in restrooms can be reduced by using touch-free fixtures for everything from soap, faucets, hand dryers/towels, doors, and flushers. The hands-free concept is growing in popularity with restroom users and facility maintenance staff, especially in light of the pandemic.
When handwashing, easily activating soap and water with a simple hand motion -- without having to touch a handle, button or lever – keeps users from touching germy surfaces, and limits the spread of germs, fingerprint marks, and extra wear and tear. “Under any circumstance, using touchless fixtures helps to inhibit the spread of germs in restrooms and buildings,” says medical microbiologist Michael P. McCann, Ph.D., professor of biology, Saint Joseph's University. “The more we avoid restroom touchpoints, the healthier and easier our operations will be.”
Fortunately, as the demand for touchless fixtures has increased, the mechanicals used in sensor technology have been greatly improved. While some older touchless models include sensors that deliver spotty soap and water activations, current designs incorporate advanced sensing technology, ensuring continuous and reliable washing.
As for washroom cleanliness and safety, one of the latest product offerings is an all-in-one handwashing fixture. These innovative fixtures deliver touch-free water, soap, and hand drying all in one integrated fixture above the handwashing basin. They are also specifically designed to better contain water to keep it from dripping from hands onto the user, walls, and floors, thus helping to reduce messiness, slips, and falls.
Of course, the durability of touchless restroom fixtures is of paramount importance to educational facilities. In 2021, many schools experienced an uptick in vandalism, due to a destructive ‘Devious Licks’ challenge on TikTok, which encouraged students to record and post a video of themselves stealing or vandalizing school property. Unfortunately, bathroom equipment like soap dispensers, faucets and toilets were targeted. This makes the case for schools to use high-quality, durable restroom equipment that holds up to vandalism attempts.
Many soap and faucet sets have hidden sensors to discourage tampering. They are also made with durable cast-brass spout construction with popular PVD finishes that are highly resilient and withstand wear and tear. Similarly, electronic roll towel dispensers are designed with several anti-vandalism features, which also help improve maintenance. These dispensers control the amount of paper towel used, deterring vandalism and reducing waste. For example, sometimes people grab handfuls of towels from a dispenser, toss them in the trash or a toilet, leave them on the sink, or drop them on the floor. An automated towel dispenser delivers a set amount of paper, reducing excessive usage and saving time on refilling. Another anti-vandalism “time out” feature locks out the dispensing of paper towels after being activated three times in a row.
Reducing waste and maintenance time, in turn, saves money. By limiting the amount of product used, like paper towels, less time is spent on refilling and less money is spent on new product. Some handwashing models use a smart-sense soap system with LED light indicators to display low soap and battery, making maintenance more predictable and efficient. A multi-feed soap system can also be used with a large capacity 1.3-gallon (5.0 L) tank that can supply up to six soap dispensers at once, which is a time-saver and game-changer for maintenance staff. In all, today’s touchless restroom fixtures require less time cleaning, ordering, refilling, and restocking, saving money.
Jon Dommisse, vice president of marketing and corporate communications for Bradley Corp., reinforces the advantage of touch-free systems, noting, "Our research shows that two in three people use a paper towel to avoid touching restroom door handles, flushers, and faucet handles. This evasive action further demonstrates why touch-free restroom fixtures resonate so much with restroom users."
Photos courtesy of Bradley Corp.
Hygienic restrooms benefit from the use of touch-free fixtures that promote handwashing and contain water, soap, and drying functions all near the washing basin.
Hygienic Surface Materials
A related strategy for healthier restrooms is to complement touchless fixtures with surface materials that don’t support microbial growth. For sinks and washbasins, using smooth and nonporous materials with seamless construction (like solid surface and natural quartz) helps prevent bacteria and mold accumulation and growth. These materials can be easily cleaned, disinfected, repaired, reused, and have a longer life cycle than laminated materials. These solid surface materials are generally quite sustainable and are cast-formed so they can be specified in many attractive shapes and forms. For multi-user restrooms, new washbasin designs made of solid surface material, with increased space between the handwashing areas, allow for social distancing while washing hands in a more hygienic environment.
For soap and faucet fixtures, there are popular and attractive finishes produced with physical vapor deposition (PVD), an advanced process that creates a molecular bond to the fixture, creating a resilient coating that will not corrode or fade. PVD coatings are not only a more sustainable way to finish metals than traditional electroplating, they are also inherently antimicrobial. A number of different PVD finishes are available from manufacturers for different models of soap and faucet fixtures.
Photo courtesy of Bradley Corp.
Using select surface materials on sinks, fixtures, walls, and accessories in a restroom help maintain good hygiene and cleanliness.
Cohesive Restroom Design
Among the advantages of using a collection, consistency of material appearance and color is a strong one. Choices of accessories include stainless steel, white or black phenolic doors, as well as ones with a modern matte black, powder coating - all very durable and attractive. Consistency in terms of their ability to be cleaned and remain hygienic is also achieved this way.
Photo courtesy of ASI Group
The use of multiple products from a single manufacturer helps to promote a more cohesive design, with coordinated washroom accessories, partitions, and other items, in a hygienic washroom.
Such attention to the permanent accessories can help with the coordinated, overall experience as well as 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 system that can refill up to six soap dispensers with one pour. That saves time, as well as ensuring 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 have their pros and cons, there is room for both, even in the same washroom. One manufacturer even makes a 3-in-1 unit that has a paper towel dispenser, waste receptacle, and a 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 washroom, or even using them to avoid touching surfaces that people don’t want direct contact with.
By selecting washroom accessories that fit seamlessly with partitions in color, as well as with a collection of washroom accessories, designers have a complete palate to create their vision.
Conclusion
Designing schools requires attention to current concepts in learning, plus attention to health and welfare issues highlighted by the recent pandemic. Strategies such as flexible spaces, indoor/outdoor connections, and better acoustics help in that regard. Improved ventilation and thermal comfort are also key aspects. Attention to restroom and toilet design in the interest of better hygiene, health, and privacy is required. Altogether, designing with a focus on health and welfare is in everyone’s best interest.
Peter J. Arsenault, FAIA, NCARB, LEED-AP is a nationally known architect and a prolific author advancing sustainable residences through better design.www.pjaarch.com, www.linkedin.com/in/pjaarch
