Burns Sci-Tech Charter School Focuses on Restroom Hygiene and Sustainability

It doesn’t take a global pandemic to convince school administrators that they need to be concerned about hygiene. After all, nearly 22 million school days are lost every year to the common cold. But COVID-19 has certainly made hygiene an even greater focus—especially when it comes to a school’s restrooms.

That’s one reason Burns Science and Technology Charter School in Oak Hill, Florida, chose Sloan products for the restrooms in its new building.

But hygiene wasn’t the only reason the school chose Sloan. The facility’s managers also prioritized sustainability and style, and Sloan offered all the solutions they needed to meet those priorities.

Here’s a closer look.

Touch-free Restrooms for Improved Hygiene

School facility managers have long understood one major pillar of hygiene best practices: When people touch fewer surfaces, they are less likely to transmit disease.

That’s why, even before COVID-19, Burns Sci-Tech sought touch-free restroom products to make its campus as hygiene-friendly as possible. They found the solutions they needed from Sloan:

• Sloan turbine-powered, sensor-activated EFX-380 Sensor Faucets
• Sloan ECOS® Sensor Water Closet Flushometers
• Sloan ECOS® Sensor Urinal Flushometers

Having these products in the school’s restrooms means students can use those restrooms while touching almost nothing with their hands—a major factor in keeping students healthy throughout the school year.

One more factor the school considered: With no handles on its restroom sinks or flushometers, there are fewer moving parts to break or be vandalized.

Sustainable Restroom Technology that Makes Economic Sense

Despite being one of the rainiest states in the U.S., Florida occasionally suffers droughts and may face water shortages in the future. Since an average school can use more than 22,000 gallons of water a day, with restrooms accounting for as much as one-third of that amount, Burns Sci-Tech leaders realized their restroom specifications could assist in the school’s water conservation efforts.

The school uses “a curriculum saturated with STEAM concepts”—Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics. With that focus, it’s no surprise the school prioritizes sustainable technology that makes economic sense while protecting the environment. That emphasis is reflected in the school’s choices for their new restrooms.

The ECOS 8111 Water Closet Flushometers in the new restrooms help achieve water savings of up to 30% by utilizing Sloan’s dual flush technology which recognizes when a short vs. longer flush is needed. Meanwhile, the ECOS 8186 High-efficiency Urinal Flushometers reduce water use by up to 50%.

Even the turbines that help power the sensor-activated EFX-380 Faucets create a sustainability advantage by extending the useful life of the faucets’ batteries.

Design Vision Matters, Too

Hygiene and sustainability were the two top priorities for Burns Sci-Tech, but—as you can see from the photos in our case study—they cared about style as well. The schools’ architects cited the EFX-380 Faucets’ sleek aesthetic and polished chrome finish as important factors in addition to their functional benefits.

They also specified Sloan DSCT-83000 Designer Series™ 3-Station Counter Top Sinks for a smooth, understated look that frames the angular faucets perfectly.

With these design solutions, Burns Sci-Tech students can enjoy a healthier and safer education thanks to the decisions made by their school.

Sloan technology has contributed to the construction and renovation of many of the world’s most advanced educational facilities. Want ideas for making your next project more stylish, more hygienic, and more efficient? Contact Sloan!