Limiting the changing of bedding and towels, upgrading water-heating systems, fixing leaky pipes - these are all initiatives that the hospitality industry in the Greater Atlanta area can take to ensure lower energy and water costs. Being eco-friendly has become an advantage as more consumers choose hotels and lodging facilities that promote sustainability. There's another way to become conscientious about your facility's energy footprint without sacrificing performance: Consider the waterless toilet.
Hospitality Spending
On average, the hospitality industry's annual water usage comprises about 15 percent of the total water consumed in U.S. commercial and institutional facilities. Restrooms, kitchens, laundry and landscaping alone make up more than 75 percent of water usage in hotels, with restrooms being the main culprit at 30 percent. Clearly, controlling water consumption can lead to savings on utility bills and kinder treatment of the environment. This is where waterless toilets and urinals can make a difference. Not only can they help save money, they typically require less maintenance and, contrary to popular thought, they're actually more hygienic.
How It Works
Waterless toilets are essentially composting toilets, and facilities can optimize their use on both ends, saving on water costs while using waste as fertilizer for landscaping. The waterless toilet works much like a standard one; however, the waste system isn't connected to the city's or the town's main sewage system. Instead, it's segregated, with the waste sent through a chute or tube. Eventually, all of the waste is gathered in a composting bin, which can be located inside or outside the building. Most commercial waterless toilets are designed for slow composting at a lower temperature (under 98 degrees F) to ensure that the organisms are killed during the composting process. What results is a safe fertilizer for use in landscaping.
Waterless urinals are also gaining traction within the hospitality industry, as they don't use water and require less maintenance than a standard urinal. Shaped differently than a regular urinal to avoid the gathering of urine at the bottom of the bowl, the waste drains directly and immediately through a trap under the drain. It then moves through a sealant that traps odors and eventually drains out through the primary drainage pipes. The process of draining the waste is continual: With each usage, the waste is essentially pushed farther into the plumbing.
There are multiple advantages to using waterless plumbing. The toilets and urinals are less costly to maintain and install because they have no moving parts and fewer plumbing connections are required. They are also more sanitary, since they have no buttons to push or levels to pull.
Ultimately, the savings that a facility may garner from adopting waterless technologies depends on how frequently the clientele uses the restrooms, but experts estimate that the potential for water savings from employing waterless urinals can range from 20,000 to 60,000 gallons every year. The two major benefits of using this technology go hand in hand: Facilities have the potential to greatly increase savings and reduce their impact on the environment.
Why waste precious resources when water saving technology is at your disposal? The hospitality industry can expect savings and improved return on investment when implementing this kind of plumbing for its facilities. For more information about waterless technologies or for more tips about energy savings, contact Reliable Heating & Air.
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