HSEE hand dryers have a more modern look, much different from conventional dryers. Photo © Excel Dryer, Inc. All rights reserved.

• Energy-efficient. To be considered in this class, they need to provide a 3-4 fold energy savings over conventional air dryers. There are various mechanical and electrical innovations (and patents) to improve the low horsepower motors for hand dryers to spin from 20,000 up to 40,000 RPMs.

• High-speed. To save energy, you not only need a more efficient motor, but you need to move the air at a much faster velocity - even up to 16,000 LFM. Airflow is measured in lineal feet per minute (LFM) for new dryers vs. cubic feet per minute (CFM) with old-technology dryers.

• Hot air. The introduction of heat - at 135 degrees at the air outlet - is necessary to speed the drying process from 30-45 seconds down to typically 10-15 seconds. Heat is a vital element to the drying process for HSEE hand dryers, since it evaporates the "residual boundary layer of moisture" on skin.

• Faster drying times.To be in this class of dryer, at least a 3-fold improvement in drying time vs. conventional dryer times (of 30-45 seconds) is required. Furthermore, "completely dry" is now defined to mean .02 grams of residual water. New HSEE dryers 'penetrate the boundary layer' of moisture on the skin and the broken down water molecules are then easily evaporated by the heated airstream. (It should be noted that rubbing your hands actually slows down the drying process with the new technology.)

• Motion sensitive. Virtually all dryers in this new classification are also motion sensitive so you don't have to grab a handle or push a button to activate the drying process, making them more hygienic than conventional dryers or paper towel dispensers.

• Cleaner restrooms. Hand dryers - HSEE or conventional - eliminate the paper clutter of a school restroom with towels on the floor, in the toilet fixtures, and overflowing waste receptacles. Less time is spent cleaning a K-12 restroom with hand dryers and you will have fewer calls to your plumber.

• Cost Effective. First, initial costs of HSEE hand dryers can vary greatly depending on the manufacturer. The payback period for some manufacturer's hand dryers versus paper towel systems - with their low initial costs but high operating costs to purchase and dispose of the towels - is less than a year.

• Easy to Retrofit. For schools transitioning from paper towel dispensers to high-speed, energy-efficient hand dryers, paper towel retrofit kits can help make the process a simple and cost effective. Some high-speed hand dryer manufacturers now offer ADA compliant stainless steel paper towel dispenser retrofit kits that provide a simple, cost-effective solution for replacing built-in paper towel dispensers with high-speed, energy-efficient hand dryers. An adjustable stainless steel panel allows the dryers to mount over the existing footprint of the paper dispensers, allowing schools to easily transition from paper towels to high-speed hand dryers with minimal cost and labor.

Of special note, a number of public and private programs have emerged in pursuit of a common mission: providing every child in America with a green school. The USGBC’s Center for Green Schools, The Coalition for Green Schools, The Green Schoolhouse Series, and The Better Buildings Challenge are all examples of a shared vision to create green schools that reduce waste, conserve resources and help lower utility costs – while providing a safer, cleaner environment for our nation’s children. According the USGBC’s Center for Green Schools website, “As the economy forces school districts to slow or even halt capital improvement plans, many are focusing on what can be done to improve the efficiency and environmental quality of existing facilities. As with new green construction, implementing green strategies into existing school buildings can be cost effective. Setting policies that reduce waste, increase use of public transportation, and encourage the purchase of environmentally-preferable products are a few simple ways that schools are greening their everyday operations. Schools can also develop a plan to introduce and upgrade new building systems, technologies and policies over time, focusing first on high-impact strategies that yield immediate savings or have significant impact on student health and wellness.”

The installation of high-speed, energy-efficient hand dryers represents a simple, cost-effective way for K-12 schools to reduce waste and maintenance while creating a more hygienic restroom environment.

Even with all these compelling benefits, not all HSEE dryers are created equal. It is important for design professionals or owners to do their homework and ask the right questions to get a fair comparison among the various new and old options.