Energy

Energy use goes hand in hand with water use reduction because of the energy required to pump, heat, treat and move water. Less water use means less energy use.

Strategies for reducing energy use in commercial restrooms include:

• Installing energy-efficient lighting.
• Installing high-speed, energy-efficient hand dryers, which use 80 percent less energy than conventional dryers.

The latest version of the LEED rating system for new construction heavily emphasizes energy reduction. Projects must meet minimum energy performance requirements and can earn up to 18 points by further optimizing energy performance. This equals the single largest potential credit in LEED.

Prerequisite: Minimum Energy Performance and Credit Optimize Energy Performance

This prerequisite and credit require projects to show how the building will reduce its energy use compared to a typical building. Certain high-speed, energy-efficient hand dryers may contribute to this credit as energy efficiencies associated with the dryer contribute to a reduction in proposed building energy use.

Materials

Material use in commercial restrooms concerns both the materials in the restroom and the waste generated by ongoing use. Design decisions can significantly impact the ongoing material use of a commercial restroom. For example, designing a restroom with paper towel dispensers rather than hand dryers means that for the life cycle of the restroom, the building operator must supply paper towels. This is especially concerning, given that in October 2021, the National Resources Defense Council gave several popular paper towel brands an "F" on sustainably due to their reliance on virgin paper.⁹ Sustainability in materials encapsulates their complete life cycle: from the extraction of raw materials to manufacturing to transportation and distribution to use to end-of-life management.

Several tools are available for selecting more sustainable materials:

• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): An LCA investigates a product's total environmental impact from the time of manufacture (Beginning of life) to the time of disposal (End of life)
• Environmental Product Declaration (EPD): An EPD is a standardized way of quantifying the environmental impact of a product by studying the raw materials and energy consumption during its production, use, and disposal. For buyers and specifiers, the EPDs are a disclosure tool that helps purchasers better understand a product's sustainable qualities and environmental repercussions so they can make more informed product selections.
• Health Product Declaration (HPD): An HPD is a standardized format for the transparent disclosure of building product ingredients and associated hazards. HPDs are a tool that helps buyers and specifiers better understand the environmental and health impacts of a product's materials to make more informed product selections.

HSEE Hand Dryers Support Credits in the LEED v4.1* Rating System

The latest version of the LEED rating system for Existing buildings contains several relevant parts (called credits) related to occupant safety and satisfaction that certain high-speed energy efficient hand dryers may contribute to. Let's look at an example: The Green Cleaning credit requires spaces to conduct a Custodial Effectiveness Assessment. Certain high-speed, energy-efficient hand dryers may contribute to this credit by reducing custodial tasks, including replacing paper towels and removing paper towel waste.

TRUE Zero Waste

The final sustainability program we will discuss is TRUE Zero Waste. TRUE Zero Waste certification program enables facilities to define, pursue and achieve their zero waste goals, cutting their carbon footprint and supporting public health.

Like LEED, TRUE Zero Waste allows projects to earn points by achieving credits across various categories. For example:

• TRUE Zero Waste stands for Total Resource Use and Efficiency and was launched in 2013.
• TRUE Zero Waste is a whole-systems approach to change how materials flow through society, resulting in no waste. TRUE Zero Waste encourages redesigning resource life cycles to reuse all products.
• The TRUE Zero Waste Rating System applies to physical facilities and their operations.
• Minimum program requirements must be met (including diverting 90 percent of waste from the landfill), and then optional credits can be earned toward certification. Different levels of certification are available: Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
• Credits in the rating system are organized into 15 categories. All credits are optional; however, 31 credit points must be earned for a project to achieve certification.

Let's explore several credits that certain high-speed energy-efficient dryers may contribute to.

• Right Size Collection Containers and Service Levels: This credit requires projects to evaluate all containers to ensure appropriate sizes and schedules are in place. Replacing paper towels with high-speed energy efficient hand dryers may contribute to this credit by reducing the size of waste bins needed in restrooms due to the elimination of paper towel waste.
• Document Materials Reduced by Commodity: This credit requires projects to identify at least one material that is being reduced and document the reduction. Replacing paper towels with high-speed, energy-efficient hand dryers may contribute to this credit by eliminating paper towel waste.
• Diversion: This credit requires projects to divert at least 90 percent of their waste from the landfill. Replacing paper towels with high-speed, energy-efficient hand dryers may contribute to this credit by eliminating paper towel waste.
• Carbon Footprint: A related sustainability topic to consider is the carbon footprint or the total amount of greenhouse gases (including carbon dioxide and methane) generated by a space. All the topics just covered (water, energy, and materials) contribute to the carbon footprint of a commercial restroom.

Sustainability Case Study: America Free Zone Campus, Costa Rica

Photo courtesy of Excel Dryer

The America Free Zone (AFZ) in Costa Rica contains more than 200 high-speed, high-efficiency hand dryers to help increase restroom efficiency and drive home AFZ's commitment to green technology.

The America Free Zone campus in the heart of Costa Rica is home to more than 23 companies—including Dell, IBM, and many other leaders in the technology and services sector. More than 10,000 people come to work there every day. "We work as a 'business city' to develop more and better opportunities for our country," says Melissa Carvajal, Manager of Social Responsibility and Sustainability at America Free Zone.

On top of being one of the most beautiful places on Earth, Costa Rica contains nearly 6 percent of the world's biodiversity and is a leader in environmental preservation and green energy production."Our work is done in harmony with the environment and under the principles of sustainability," Carvajal says. "For this, we need the best allies—including state-of-the-art hand dryers." More than 200 high-speed, high-efficiency hand dryers at the campus help increase restroom efficiency and drive home AFZ's commitment to green technology.

Carvajal says the hand dryers provide up to a 75 percent reduction in carbon footprint versus even 100 percent recycled paper towels."Since we installed them in our buildings in 2016, their performance has helped us meet our standards and footprint reduction goals," Carvajal says. In addition to lowering its carbon footprint and avoiding the expense and labor of paper towels, the clean look of the (hand dryers) complements the sleek, modern design of the America Free Zone.

"The innovative design of the (hand dryers) is the perfect touch for our facilities," Carvajal adds. "(Their) functionality also allows us to avoid paper waste and keep the bathrooms clean and tidy. At AFZ, we are happy to use technologies that not only make life easier for our community but also help build a more sustainable country for future generations. Without a doubt, the (HSEE hand dryers have) played a key role."

Indoor Air Quality

The final sustainability topic in this course is indoor air quality, which directly impacts occupant health and well-being. Restrooms, in particular, contain several potential pollutants, including excess moisture and biological contaminants. And even some pollutants where you might not expect it: a study found 17 species of bacteria on paper towels. This pilot study concluded that a large number of culturable bacteria, including toxin producers, can be isolated from unused paper towels.¹¹

"This pilot study demonstrated that a large community of culturable bacteria, including toxin producers, can be isolated from unused paper towels and that they may be transferred to individuals after hand-washing. This may have implications in some industrial and clinical settings as well as in immunocompromised individuals."

There are several strategies to improve indoor air quality in commercial restrooms, including:

• Source control (not bringing in products that contain toxins).
• Moisture control (ensuring appropriate humidity levels).
• Cleaning (on a regular basis, using green cleaning best practices).
• Ventilation.

Key ventilation strategies include:

• Ensuring sufficient ventilation rates.
• Installing and using exhaust fans that are vented outdoors in bathrooms.
• Selecting fixtures, such as hand dryers, with built-in HEPA filtration.