WASHROOM
Tork EasyCube uses “connected” dispensers to inform cleaners via the web when any dispenser for soap, hand towels or toilet paper needs refilling. This makes the maintenance operation more seamless while freeing up cleaners’ time for other tasks.
This is just one example of how increased internet use has impacted on the washroom. Today’s trend for sharing information has created a more discerning public in which people will “tweet” about any unhygienic washroom they visit or post an image of it on their favourite social media site.
Men’s toilets used to be functional places with few frills – sometimes not even a mirror. The ladies’ “powder room” on the other hand tended to be much better appointed with items such as fresh flowers and hand creams often supplied.
Calls for greater equality have led to a more uniform public washroom – and even some unisex facilities cropping up in offices, cafes and bars. Meanwhile, “parent and child” and “family” washrooms are replacing the “mother and baby” facilities of the past.
Our growing focus on technology has also had a knock-on effect on the washroom with high-tech systems increasingly being supplied in a bid to improve hygiene and efficiency. Automatic taps, toilet flushes and soap dispensers for example allow us to use the washroom with minimal contact with the fixtures and fittings. Meanwhile, technology-based systems such as Tork EasyCube are enhancing efficiency and hygiene using data.
www.tomorrowsfm.com
At the same time, awards schemes such as the Loo of the Year Awards are raising awareness of those washrooms that are particularly outstanding or that offer higher levels of hygiene. As a result, the washroom’s image has become more important and an increasing number of facilities managers of smart hotels, upmarket restaurants and prestigious offices are installing systems such as the Tork Image Line™ to help to create an impression of luxury.
“TECHNOLOGY- BASED SYSTEMS
ARE ENHANCING EFFICIENCY AND HYGIENE BY USING DATA.”
As the global population continues to age and the needs of the disabled are given a higher priority, accessible washroom systems are becoming in greater demand. The Tork Elevation Foam Soap dispenser, for example, has been endorsed by the Swedish Rheumatism Association since it has been designed to be easy to operate, even for people with low hand strength.
Other systems designed for the elderly and disabled in mind include folded toilet paper dispensers that allow washroom visitors to access paper using only one hand, and washroom dispensers in bold colours that form a contrast with the wall and make them easier to see for the
visually-impaired. Tork Elevation dispensers, for example, are available in both black and white.
As our preoccupation with hygiene and safety intensifies, a growing number of manufacturers are responding by designing washroom dispensers that are tightly sealed and have no sharp corners or crevices where dirt can collect. Again, Tork Elevation dispensers are an example of this with the Tork SmartOne® Toilet Paper Dispenser being particularly in demand in healthcare facilities, since it has no fissures or openings where items such as sharps or medication could be stored.
Cost has always been a key consideration in the washroom sector. Therefore, dispensers that reduce consumption and cost in use are always welcomed by customers. All Tork dispensers are designed to naturally reduce consumption, which not only cuts costs but also minimises waste while cutting down on delivery requirements to ensure that they are highly sustainable.
It seems likely that the demand for no-touch and automatic systems will continue in the future as hygiene remains a major concern. Sustainability is an ongoing trend while technology will continue to shape the washroom as we know it. And since cost will always be an issue, we will continue to require washroom systems that are cost- effective and that enhance efficiency.
What is clear, however, is that the current trends for increased hygiene, sustainability and accessibility mean that our washrooms are improving all the time. As people use technology to share their washroom experiences it will be incumbent upon service providers to up their game and offer facilities that are cleaner, more hygienic and more attractive. And new technology will help to improve efficiency and offer enhanced hygiene in the form of no-touch dispensers plus systems such as Tork EasyCube. In fact, the future of the public washroom has never looked brighter.
T
ork EasyCube gained second prize in this year’s T
omorrow’s FM Awards
www.sca.com/uk TOMORROW’S FM | 27
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