A water consumption ratio is a metric by which we can begin to understand the actual consumption of water at recreational water attractions. As identified in part one of this series, the water consumption ratio is the number of gallons used daily as top off for a water attraction divided by the total initial fill gallons. The ratio represents the portion of the water actually consumed on a daily or monthly basis. This article profiles several outdoor waterpark attractions and analyzes their water consumption versus their water use. For purposes of our discussion, the initial fill gallons equate to the...

DES PLAINES, ILL.—Geberit is now offering a hands-free electronic version of their Sigma10 flush plate. Available with battery power or an AC transformer, the Sigma10 activates via touch-free infrared sensing, making it ideal for designing an ADA compliant restroom.The hands-free Sigma10 is compatible with Geberit Sigma in-wall toilet systems. A manual override button with stop-and-go flush is built in. An easy-to-clean, brushed stainless steel finish complements a wide range of restroom designs in private and public locations.“One of the most requested improvements in restrooms is the addition of hands-free options for flushing and hand washing,” says John Fitzgerald, Vice...

NEW YORK—New York Convention Center Operating Corp. President and CEO Alan Steel announced that the Javits Center has achieved LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, the developers of the LEED building rating system. This certification follows the completion of a comprehensive renovation and revitalization. Located on Manhattan’s West Side, the Javits Center is considered the busiest convention center in the United States, supporting more than 17,000 jobs and generating up to $1.8 billion in economic activity for the Empire State. Led by the New York Convention Center Development Corporation, FXFOWLE, Epstein and Tishman Construction, an AECOM...

MORROW, GA.—TOTO announced that its high-efficiency commercial wall-hung toilet, two ultra high-efficiency urinals, and wall-hung commercial lavatory have no Red List ingredients and are listed in the International Living Future Institute’s (IFLI) Declare Products Database as “Red List Free.”The IFLI’s Declare Program, often compared to nutritional labeling on packaged food, has three Declaration Status options—“Declared,” “Living Building Challenge Compliant,” and “Red List Free.” If the ILFI finds a product contains an ingredient from the Living Building Challenge’s (LBC) Red List, that ingredient is listed in red on the label, and the product is listed in the Declare database as...

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF.—iTouchFaucets, a California-based company, has just launched its patented smartfaucet to help hotels reduce water wastage in compliance with authorities. While most people are familiar with the motion sensor infrared faucets which offers no temperature control or the old fashioned unsanitary mini dial system for temperature control, iTouchFaucets is an electronic touchpad that can retrofit and replace existing faucet handles, allowing users to activate the waterflow and temperature with the touch of a finger or knuckle with various preset timers to cut off water supply.This electronic touchpad allows hotel designers to mix and match various faucet designs...

WOODRIDGE, ILL.—Danze, Inc., known for its design innovation in decorative plumbing, has announced the addition of Polished Nickel to the finish choices available on its popular Mid-town Collection. The Polished Nickel finish is a unique alternative to Chrome and provides dimension and depth to the fixtures. It serves as an interesting option between Chrome and Brushed Nickel.The finish is available on several Mid-town bathroom products, including: single handle lavatory faucet (D225562PNV); two handle widespread lavatory faucet (D304062PNV); Roman tub faucet (D300962PNVT); tub and shower trim kit (D500062PNVT); pressure balance shower faucet (D500562PNVT); Mono Chic 5x8” rectangular showerhead (D460059); thermostatic...

NATIONAL REPORT—Experts agree that, at any one time, about 15 to 20 percent of toilets are leaking. They leak for many different reasons—faulty fill valves, bad fill valve seals, corrosion and faulty flappers are some examples. Leaks often go undetected by guests, housekeepers and maintenance personnel. One leaky toilet can lose about 75,000 gallons of water annually. This adds significantly to water and sewage costs. In some instances leaks can result in flooding—an even more expensive scenario for a hotel owner.At least two companies have developed solutions to either stop toilet leaks or detect them so that costs can...

DUBAI, U.A.E.—INTEREL, a leading manufacturer of integrated room technologies in the luxury hospitality industry, introduced its latest technology solution to hoteliers recently at the Hotel Show Dubai.“For a number of years, hoteliers around the world have focused on reducing their properties’ energy consumption and costs to make their operations greener and more sustainable, and we see great results in this space,” said Florian Gallini, Group CEO of INTEREL. “However, water consumption remains a huge challenge for hotels.”On average, an overnight guest staying in a luxury hotel consumes 300 to 1,400 liters of water depending on usage profile and geographic...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized the 2015 WaterSense award winners for creating, rebating, communicating and educating consumers about WaterSense-labeled products, homes and programs. These 17 winners and more than 1,700 other WaterSense partners have helped Americans save 1.1 trillion gallons of water and $21.7 billion in water and energy bills since 2006.WaterSense announced the 2015 Sustained Excellence Award winners, Partners of the Year, and Excellence Award winners at the WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Exposition in Las Vegas.“EPA is proud to honor these WaterSense partners for making a difference every day in communities across the country,” said...

ST. PAUL, MINN.—Ecolab Inc., in partnership with the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS), announced that its manufacturing plant in Taicang, China, is the first site in the world to be independently certified under the AWS’s global standard for water stewardship.The AWS Standard is an ISEAL-compliant framework developed to promote sustainable freshwater use and to evaluate water stewardship practices, developed through a four-year, multi-stakeholder, water roundtable process that included diverse business, public sector and civil society interests from around the world. This globally consistent and locally adaptable standard outlines a set of water stewardship criteria and indicators for how water...