Sustainability is Not Seasonal

At last, spring is in the air. As the snow melts and rain falls, water conservation tends to take a back seat, but the amount of precipitation is not enough to quench the thirst of our planet. Fresh water is our most essential natural resource, and we all need to be more conservative with it.

Our earth is covered by 71% of water, and only 3% of that is fresh water. Water is a life source for everything and without it, there is nothing. We all need to do our part to conserve water and reduce our impact on the environment. Commercial architects, designers, engineers, and property owners and managers should make water sustainability a public priority when considering new construction and renovation. Many of the decisions that need to be made about building design, construction, and management can significantly impact buildings’ carbon footprint and water consumption.

One of those decisions is the type of restroom technology that is installed. Sloan provides building industry professionals with solutions for innovative, water-saving restrooms.

When in doubt, conserve water like we’re in a drought

Drought forecasting is not always easy. This time last year 74% of the U.S was in a wide-spread drought. Today, moderate to exceptional drought covers 23.6% of the U.S. (including Puerto Rico) with abnormal dryness and drought affecting more than 102 million people across the U.S.

The impact of droughts has caused many cities to promote water conservation efforts by addressing water usage habits. States like California have implemented Water Conservation Emergency Regulations through year-end.

That's why it's so important to implement water saving technology whenever possible. When in doubt act like we’re in a drought.

At Sloan, we’ve led the industry in water-efficient restroom products, and we encourage many water-saving practices.

The connection between water and energy

Actions taken to conserve one resource can often have positive effects on the other. This holds true for water and energy.

Water and energy are intertwined. Water is also used to generate electricity, and energy is used to pump water and treat wastewater. The resilience of water and energy systems is critical to our overall well-being.

When we use less water, we use less energy and vice versa. 

• Drinking water and wastewater systems account for about 2% of U.S. energy use.
• When water is transported by pipeline it can require more than 7 times the energy of drawing it from a source nearby.
• Power generation plants and facilities use almost half of all the water withdrawn in the US.
• Solar facilities require even more water than natural gas, coal, or nuclear power plants.

Climate change is having a major impact on both water and energy sources. Rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns are affecting water availability. Even extreme weather events are increasing the risk of power outages and other energy related disruptions. 

More people equal more water needed. The world’s population is expected to grow to 9.7 billion by 2050. This growth could lead to a strain on our water and energy resources.

We know that by developing new technologies and approaches we can help build a more sustainable and resilient future but this requires a concerted effort from all of us.

Environmental Impact of Restrooms

Commercial restrooms can always be made more water-efficient by using products that use less fresh water, either by using less water overall or reclaimed water when possible.

At Sloan, we have been helping commercial facilities save water since we invented the modern flushometer in 1906.

• Dual-flush flushometers are automatic valves that, depending on the time a user remains in sensor range, can release less water to evacuate liquid waste or more water to evacuate solid waste.
• Waterfree urinals use absolutely no water to flush.
• Hybrid urinals use only 100 gallons of water each year.
• Reclaimed water flushometers are made up of corrosion resistant material to operate with reclaimed water. 
• Water-efficient water closets use as little as 1.1 gallons per flush (gpf) with maximum performance.
• Guided handwashing faucets assist the user through CDC-approved handwashing steps and only dispense water when hands are in sensor range.

Each of these products can make a real difference in helping reduce water usage and protect our precious resources for generations to come.

Need more information and ideas for optimizing water usage in your next commercial restroom project? Contact Sloan