Recent studies suggest a variety of reasons why people are not returning to their old workspaces. The reasons are long commutes, they are more productive working at home, their lifestyle has become healthier, and they like flexibility. 

However, one overriding reason they are not returning to their old workspaces is disease. COVID has made them much more aware of how touching contaminated surfaces or inhaling airborne pathogens can pose serious risks.  

Because of this, Waterless Co., Inc suggests that facility managers take the following steps to ensure their facilities are healthy and encourage workers to return to the office.

Among these are the following:

Use antimicrobial coatings. These coatings are not new, but they are getting a much closer look due to the pandemic. Antimicrobial coatings are often applied to counters, walls, partitions, doors, and door handles, high-touch areas, even HVAC vents because they can become contaminated with germs and bacteria with use. Some paint manufacturers also apply them to their wall paint and primer products. Whether applied on surfaces or in paint, these coatings help inhibit the growth of pathogens in facilities.  

Separate entry and exit doors. Having individual entries and exits in restrooms helps improve flow. People can get in and out of the restroom faster, and it improves social distancing by reducing close interaction, helping to prevent the spread of the infection.

No doors/automatic doors. In large facilities, doors have been replaced with walkways and corridors for several years. This eliminates touching a door surface, and no surface touching is needed now. 

Put sinks in the center. While it is considered unusual in the U.S., having a sink counter in the center of the restroom with toilets and urinals surrounding it in Europe is quite common. There are several reasons restrooms may be redesigned with sinks in the center. Typically, the rows of sinks are on both sides of the center island, with mirrors dividing the areas. This allows more users to use the counter and minimizes congestion.

Everything close by. Restroom users want all the supplies they need in the restroom close by. This reduces interaction with other restroom users.  This also means that there will be more dispensers installed. No longer will there be just one dispenser on the wall to serve all users.

"Smart" toilets. Plume is airborne contaminants forced into the air when the toilet flushes. Further, these smart toilet lids may automatically descend before the toilet can be flushed. Surprise: lids may return to toilets to help mitigate toilet plume. 

Outflow ventilation. Ventilation should be enhanced so that it removes air from the restroom. This helps remove toilet and (water-using) urinal plume faster and helps remove germs and bacteria from the confined restroom space.  

Install more waterless urinals. Waterless urinals do not generate plume. Further, in addition to saving as much as 35,000 gallons of water per urinal per year, they help reduce carbon emissions. It takes electricity from fossil-fueled power plants to deliver and remove water from a facility. With waterless urinals installed, the amount of water delivered and removed is reduced, which helps reduce CO2 emissions. 

Enhanced custodial worker safety. In the past, most cleaning workers' critical safety concern when cleaning restrooms was eye and skin contact with cleaning solutions. Now, the concern is encountering the germs that cause the virus. Restrooms must be redesigned to require less physical touching of surfaces by cleaning workers.  

Smaller/Larger restrooms. We may see restrooms get smaller – one-person restrooms - or much larger in the coming years. A one-person restroom would be safer than one used by many people simultaneously. A larger restroom, on the other hand, will give users more space. This will allow for more distance between fixtures, again enhancing social distancing.  

Klaus Reichardt is CEO and founder of Waterless Co, Inc, pioneers in advancing water efficiency. Reichardt founded the company in 1991 with the goal of establishing a new market segment in the plumbing fixture industry with water efficiency in mind. Reichardt is a frequent writer and presenter, discussing water conservation issues. He can be reached at klaus@waterless.com