As the new cohort of pupils enters the education system, how many school toilets are really suitable for the younger generation? From a facilities management perspective, water saving and low maintenance are key considerations, but what about the functionality and comfort for a 5-year old?
Water savings
Easily distracted, young children often forget to turn the tap off. During a school term, this can result in significant volumes of wasted water. The alternative to mechanical taps is a non-concussive, time flow tap with automatic shut-off after 7 seconds. Couple this with a flow rate limiter set at 3 litres/minute to attract BREEAM points, and water consumption is considerably reduced.
Feeling the pressure
Conventional push-button taps use hydraulic pressure to close the tap, however, this requires 6-7 kg of force to activate the water flow. This can be difficult for a 5-year old. DELABIE has developed Soft-touch technology to overcome this problem. The mechanism still relies on dynamic pressure to close the valve, but when the push-button is pressed, the mechanism is de-pressurised, reducing the amount of force required to activate the flow from 6kg to 3kg. Consequently, the user experiences much less resistance when pressing the push-button.
Scalding safety
Hot water at 60°C causes third degree burns within 5 seconds for adults, and even sooner for 5-year olds. To prevent serious scalding, all DELABIE mixers have a pre-set maximum temperature limiter, which can be adjusted during installation. Taps should be supplied with pre-blended water from a TMV3 approved thermostatic mixing valve such as the PREMIX NANO. Serving 1-2 taps or 1 shower, the NANO’s minimum operating flow rate is 3 litres/minute, ideal for under basin installation.
Low maintenance
Intensive use and a general lack of respect for the installation can result in high levels of maintenance. Tapware in educational facilities need to be robust, durable and able to withstand misuse and abuse. DELABIE’s taps with soft-touch technology are made from solid brass with reinforced fixings to prevent rotation. The mechanism is designed to withstand over 500,000 operations. It is easy to access via a grub screw on the push-button, and the cartridge can be removed, cleaned or exchanged.
Soft-touch direct flush WCs
Soft-touch technology is also available for direct flush WCs and can be operated by very young pupils without supervision. During busy periods e.g. break time, the flush is instantly available for successive flushes and there is no delay while the cistern refills. Since there is no cistern, there is no stagnant water, scale build-up or impurity deposits – factors that encourage bacterial development. Furthermore, the direct flush valve is also water efficient. The TEMPOFLUX 2 dual flush valve has a 3/6L flush, which can be adjusted to 2/4L for either ECO or small WC pans.
DELABIE’s soft-touch technology is ideal for toilets catering for the younger generation. Small hands can easily operate the taps, maintenance is minimal and there is no compromise on water efficiency or user safety. Soft-touch technology is available for taps, showers and WCs, so even the younger generation can use the facilities safely. Visit DELABIE on stand E10 at Education Estates and F15 at Education Build Scotland to find out more.
