The First Facility Management Blog

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 36 states will experience non-drought-related water shortages in the next 10 years. And, increasingly, facility managers are implementing ways to reduce water consumption in their buildings. This includes plumbing fixtures that use less water to function than in previous years. In terms of toilets, the The National Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct) required plumbing fixture manufacturers to reduce toilet water consumption from 3.5 gallons per flush (gpf) to 1.6 gpf. This helped the movement to reduce water usage.

However, there is another toilet technology that uses even less water per flush–High Efficiency Toilets (HETs). These fixtures — defined as a toilet that consumes a minimum of 20% less water than the 1.6 gpf models mandated by EPAct, that is, a maximum of 1.28 gpf — entered the U.S. market in 1998. And with the ongoing pressure to continue conservation efforts, facility managers may want to look at HETs (available from some manufacturers in dual flush models) for their next restroom renovation or new construction project.

When shopping, the EPA’s WaterSense voluntary product-labeling program can be a starting point. The program, launched in 2006, contains a specification for HETs. There are currently HETs from 25 manufacturers that have made the WaterSense list; among this list are American Standard, Kohler, TOTO, and Zurn.

American Standard has made available a white paper “High Efficiency Toilets (HETs): Why ‘Flushing with Confidence’ is Here to Stay”, which provides an overview of why HETs were developed, how American Standard developed its models to achieve powerful flushing performance, and how these low-flow fixtures can aid in water conservation efforts.

Authored by C.J. Lagan, compliance engineering manager for American Standard Brands, the 3-page document can be downloaded, free of charge, at this Web link.

The paper reviews the flushing technologies developed by American Standard, including the company’s methods to harness gravity, use larger flush valves and trapways, efficiently size water spots and well contours, and create water flow dynamics that contributed to performance of the company’s HET collections.

Do you have HETs in your facility? Have they performed as well as previous models? If you don’t have them in your facility, would you consider them?

Expanding its efforts to help plumbers provide value to their customers, American Standard launches two online tools that promote water conservation by personalizing the experience for users. The new Water Savings Calculator and Rebate Locator, found at www.americanstandard-us.com/waterefficiency, also helps educate people about the benefits of water and energy conservation.

The Water Savings Calculator is an interactive online tool that allows users to estimate how many gallons of water and how many dollars, they can save by converting to various water efficient fixtures and faucets. Designed with several categories of pre-estimated usage, this calculator is adaptable to users ranging from hospitality to healthcare, retail to corporate, and multi-family to residential. It also allows for adjustment of flow rates for even more accurate calculations.

“Contractors can use the calculator when bidding large commercial jobs or small residential projects,” explains Jeannette Long, American Standard’s director of marketing communications. “Now plumbers can illustrate just how many dollars the client can save over time by installing water efficient fixtures. This new tool demonstrates first hand the positive effect that water efficient American Standard products can have, both environmentally and financially.”

The Rebate Locator on the website provides a current listing of water conservation rebates available throughout the United States. “It is the most comprehensive tally of water saving incentives available in the industry,” says Long.

The Rebate Locator will be updated regularly as new local and regional incentives become available around the country. Additional new features on the website include a Water Efficiency Product section, providing easy access to all the company’s water conserving products, and a time saving quick look button that allows for viewing of key product information without opening a new window.