Plumbing
engineers have long been aware of the benefits of electronic plumbing-improved
water savings, better hygiene, easier maintenance, reduced housekeeping and
vandal resistance, to name a few. These benefits, coupled with emerging
technologies, are pushing the plumbing engineer toward an expanded role in building
system integration with water savings and hygiene as the focus.
In addition to improving hygiene, hands-free plumbing products ease
installation and maintenance. Many of these automatic fixtures are pre-plumbed
and pre-wired with electronic controls for quick installation and less need for
field adjustments. When maintenance is required, all components are easily
accessible, and self-diagnostic electronics (such as low-battery indicator
signals) make it simpler to keep fixtures in working order. The sensor
technology of these products has also been refined so that detection errors,
previously caused by lighting conditions and reflective surfaces such as
mirrors or stainless steel, have been eliminated.
Electronic plumbing also eliminates the opportunity for users to leave faucets
running or toilets unflushed. This reduces water consumption and housekeeping
chores, keeps odors to a minimum and decreases the incidence of clogged
toilets. Vandalism also becomes a non-issue without handles or knobs to kick or
damage. Rounding out the list of benefits is the fact that all sensor-operated
plumbing products meet ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessibility
requirements. They also can help earn multiple points related to the Leadership
in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Green Building Rating System.