FEATURE A SOLUTION FOR EVERY SPACE
Here, Anil Madan, Non-Residential Marketing Manager for Ideal Standard UK and Armitage Shanks, explains the impact that the right product choices can have on the design and specification process of washrooms, and how facilities managers can make commercial washrooms a pride of place.
From theatres to train stations, commercial spaces are a huge part of people’s everyday lives outside the home. Therefore, high-traffic areas within commercial spaces, like washrooms, have a large influence on the lasting impression spaces make with end-users. With user experience resting as much on functionality and hygiene as it does on aesthetics, facilities managers are playing an ever-larger part in the design and specification process.
What people expect from commercial washrooms has evolved over time, in terms of both aesthetics and performance. Regarding design, particularly in high-end spaces, washrooms can create that ‘Instagrammable’ moment that is shared online and is a real take-away experience. Likewise, hygiene has been in the spotlight more than ever over the last few years, and is now front of mind for everyone throughout their day.
Durability and sustainability concerns are often less user-facing, but can have important implications for cost, maintenance and cleaning. Commercial washrooms can experience higher footfall than any other type of space, and this vastly amplifies the positive or negative effects of even the smallest functional changes.
Innovation as standard Technology has evolved with hygiene, sustainability and user experience in mind. Innovations such as flow-limiting smart taps, reduced splash sanitaryware, and waterless urinals help build sustainability and hygiene into the washroom routine, for users and facilities managers. Intellimix, an award-winning smart basin mixer from Ideal Standard, encourages users to practice effective hand washing, prompting people to complete the 20-second cycle recommended by the World Health Organisation.
By limiting the flow of water and soap to a customisable level, Intellimix allows facilities managers to have more control of water and soap usage in their washrooms, offering savings of up to 85% compared to manual mixers. Sustainability requirements for the built environment, such as those set out in industry-leading certification schemes including BREEAM and LEED, are more thorough than ever. Opting for water-saving solutions is a clear and easy way for facilities managers to contribute to commercial spaces achieving these certifications.
Innovative WCs and urinals also present opportunities to save on water. Flush technology has come a long way in recent years (it’s rare to see a toilet without a dual flush nowadays) but specifying smaller volume cisterns can reduce water usage even further. Ideal Standard’s Sphero urinals feature a Smart Hybrid flush system which can provide serious reductions in water usage. This is
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particularly true in environments with lots of urinals, like stadiums and event spaces, with potential savings of up to 50,000l. What’s more, Sphero is optimised to protect hygiene with an anti-splash rimless design making cleaning easier and faster, while providing a more hygienic user experience.
Specifying for the future Washroom design should always look beyond the first impression and consider the impact these spaces will have on visitors for their whole lifecycle. Commercial spaces see frequent, intensive use, which puts all the more emphasis on striking a balance between durable products and the design touches that make that stunning first impression. Considering these aspects, alongside questions of performance and sustainability, is why a functioning dialogue is needed between designers, specifiers and facilities managers. However, bringing all these different viewpoints to the table can sometimes cause problems with compatibility which can lead to the final design having specification issues.
The Singular philosophy from Ideal Standard and Armitage Shanks was designed to ensure all products work together flawlessly. This end-to-end product journey extends from design and specification, right through to installation and beyond. Crucially, the compatibility across the entire product portfolio offered by Singular allows facilities managers to prioritise their needs throughout their project, with complete confidence that products will always fit together.
Broad, diverse product portfolios provide plenty of options, but there can be such thing as too much choice. For those looking for a route through the Ideal Standard and Armitage Shanks portfolios, or just a little inspiration, the new Singular Solutions Sector Books provide input on design and performance for sectors including hotels, and offices and public spaces. Facilities managers and specifiers shouldn’t have to become experts in the entirety of a manufacturer’s offering in order to get the best from it, so the Sector Books are important in allowing customers to see straightaway how all the products fit together. They’re a great tool for facilities managers when the opportunity comes around to change or upgrade commercial washrooms, as they know right away which products fit their space.
Always accessible Accessibility is non-negotiable in commercial spaces, forming a major part of the UK Building Regulations. Approved Document M is the legislation most relevant
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