Smart restroom technology integrates with the structure's digital building management system. There are residential and commercial applications of this smart technology. (Residential applications are known as Smart Home Technology.)
Commercial buildings use IoT building management software enabling them to make these integrations. As these technologies advance, so do the products these innovations power. Here's what you need to know about smart restroom technology advances.
Key Takeaways:
- Smart restroom technology is the digital and smart fixture integration into the structure's building management systems. In residential applications, this is called Smart Home Technology.
- Advances in this tech make smart buildings even smarter by improving the flow in these high-traffic spaces, enhancing hygiene, and rectifying outdated cleaning protocols.
- Smart toilets, touchless and digital fixtures, and smart water monitors are just a few of the leading advances in restroom technology that consumers want.
How Smart Restroom Technology Makes Smart Buildings Smarter
Advances in smart technology improve the way people live, work, and spend their leisure time. These smart restroom advancements are making smart buildings even smarter by giving owners, operators, and managers the tools they need for cost-effective, eco-friendly building management. Here's how:
Traffic
Restrooms in commercial buildings get a lot of traffic. These high-traffic spaces have additional needs and considerations, including fixture durability, anti-scald technology, vandal-proofing, and conservation tools. Smart restroom technology allows you to meet the needs of these high-traffic spaces, save money, and keep patrons safe.
Hygiene
Roughly three-fourths of the population believes that if the restroom looks, smells, or feels dirty, the rest of the facility is as well. That is especially damaging for food service establishments. Restaurants and bars lose unmeasurable amounts of business from patrons refusing to visit due to cleanliness.
Cleaning Protocols
One way smart restroom technology impacts restroom hygiene is by reducing the time it takes to keep public restrooms clean, one of the biggest challenges employees face that prevents optimum restroom cleanliness.
Static and outdated building cleaning procedures are ineffective at keeping commercial restrooms clean. That clipboard tucked behind the door with staff initials does not foster much faith that the space is actually clean. Restroom technology improved cleaning protocols, ensuring that the lavatory gets cleaned timely and correctly.
6 Smart Restroom Technology Advancements
There are numerous smart restroom devices this article could cover. For the sake of space, this list of restroom tech advancements consists of six of the most predominant smart restroom innovations to date.
1. Smart Toilets
According to real estate experts, smart toilets are the most desired devices when it comes to restroom renovations. Top features include:
- Automatic lid
- Seat warmers
- Dual-flush, touchless flush actuators
- Night lights
- Speakers for music
- And more
Smart toilets tend to be more compact, with improved design elements that make them space-saving while remaining comfortable. This feature makes the toilets easier to clean and keep clean. Although, self-cleaning is another feature of a smart toilet.
2. Occupancy Monitoring
These smart monitors let people know what stalls are available by using lights as indicators, activated when the user locks the stall. Patrons also receive alerts outside of the restroom on a touchscreen to let them know their place in line. That way, no one is waiting in a germ-filled or crowded bathroom.
These devices can also track supplies to ensure stalls remain stocked with essential restroom products. It also digitizes cleaning schedules and sanitation documentation.
3. Touchless Fixtures and Digital Faucets
Touchless fixtures allow users to go to the restroom without touching these contaminated surfaces. Public restroom surfaces contain pathogens that cause illnesses and diseases, such as (but not limited to):
- E. coli
- Legionella
- Shigella
- Norovirus
- Salmonella
Automatic toilets, touchless faucets, and hands-free soap and paper towel dispensers, among others, reduce these risks and promote public health.
Sensor technology isn't the only advance in faucets that make them Fixtures of the Future. You can find faucets that are fully programmable, allowing you to control water temperature, usage, flow rates, and even metering functions.
4. Smart Mirrors
The restroom of the future includes mirrors that can broadcast the weather, daily news, and traffic updates.
While most smart technologies for commercial restrooms inspire residential applications (think hands-free faucets), some began as residential fixtures and made their way to commercial building installations.
Brands began by manufacturing smart mirrors for residential applications. However, it is one of the advances in restroom technologies that originated for home use and has evolved into a commercial restroom tech device.
5. Water Reclamation Devices
Water recyclers can save potable water that would typically go down the drain and enter the public water system. Instead, these recyclers collect the water and reuse it for non-potable purposes, like irrigation or cooling systems.
These systems are better known as Fit-For-Purpose Treatment when used in public water systems. The image below shows how water reuse works.
These devices are good for the environment because they reduce overall water usage. They are also a cost-effective investment. While these systems are not cheap, they generally pay for themselves in just a few short years, thanks to the water (and money) it saves.
6. Smart Water Monitors
These water monitors help save water (and money), and you can have the controls integrated with a voice assistant, like Siri or Alexa. These devices detect leaks, provide usage details, and determine when the restroom gets the most traffic.
These insights allow you to program temperature and water flow and even provide data on utility bill estimates based on usage. You will receive these notifications through either SMS text messages, emails, or push notifications to your smart device.
Smart water monitors can also identify hidden flaws in your water management system, like poor sealants, pressure fluctuations, line backups, frozen pipes, etc. These systems can even send alerts and recommendations for maintaining your building's plumbing, pipes, and fixtures.
Smart Restroom Technology by Geberit
Changing out standard restroom fixtures with smart restroom technology is no longer a mysterious undertaking. Experts have tested, implemented, and successfully operated smart, connected software in numerous commercial environments, including airports, office buildings, malls, healthcare, and manufacturing facilities.
Geberit manufactures several plumbing products with innovations that help you convert your structure into a smart building. Install one of our programmable faucets or a touchless flush actuator, and get the smart technology integration you want and need.
For our latest plumbing product innovations, visit our Learning Center today.