In conjunction with World Water Day, Kohler Co. and Caltech embrace the next milestone of a more than two-year collaborative journey in the development of a photovoltaic toilet as part of the Reinvent the Toilet Challenge, hosted by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This next stage of the project takes the team and its Read more
Kitchen & Bath
In conjunction with World Water Day, Kohler Co. and Caltech embrace the next milestone of a more than two-year collaborative journey in the development of a photovoltaic toilet as part of the Reinvent the Toilet Challenge, hosted by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
This next stage of the project takes the team and its two toilet units from Pasadena, California to Delhi, India for the Reinvent the Toilet Fair – a showcase of the projects funded through the Reinvent the Toilet Challenge. The system includes a self-contained water purification and disinfection system that allows water to be reused and does not require wastewater disposal.
In preparation for its official debut, Kohler and Caltech put the final touches on the unit – including the installation of plumbing products and exterior design. Every detail of this container from the specific plumbing products used inside to the décor of the exterior was carefully chosen to best assimilate the Indian culture, as it will be installed and tested in India after the Fair.
“Global sanitation is an issue that needs to be addressed, and we are proud to be a part of what the Gates Foundation is doing to increase awareness and inspire solutions,” says Rob Zimmerman, sustainability manager for Kohler Co. “Regardless of the technology developed, cultural acceptance of the solution is the key to its success. We put a lot of time and thought into how to best achieve that.”
Zimmerman’s reference to the solution to cultural acceptance concerns stems from the company’s extensive collaboration with its Indian marketing experts and designers. Kohler’s global experience brought an insight into Indian culture to the project with Caltech. Kohler’s Indian team assisted in choosing region-specific plumbing products as well as guidance on the overall décor to ensure that the Indian communities who will participate in field testing of the units will be more accepting of the new technology.
Reinvent the Toilet Challenge
In 2011, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation started their Reinvent the Toilet Challenge with the intent of funding projects to address health and sanitation issues in the developing world. The program was created to design toilets that capture and process human waste without piped water, sewer or electrical connections, and transform waste into useful resources, such as energy and water, at an affordable price.
The Reinvent the Toilet Challenge is an effort to develop next-generation toilets that will deliver safe and sustainable sanitation to the 2.5 billion people worldwide who don’t have it. The program recognizes researchers from leading universities who are developing innovative ways to manage human waste, which will help improve the health and lives of people around the world.
To date, the Gates Foundation has funded 16 research institutions across Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America as part of the Reinvent the Toilet Challenge.
Walk-In Tub Line Acknowledged as A Product Proven To Make Life Easier for People with Arthritis And Limited Mobility PISCATAWAY, N.J. (March 26, 2014) ― American Standard’s line of Walk-In Baths ― designed for accessible and safe bathing for users with limited mobility ― has received the Arthritis Foundation’s Ease-of-Use Commendation. This award recognizes products Read more
Walk-In Tub Line Acknowledged as A Product Proven To Make Life Easier for People with Arthritis And Limited Mobility
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (March 26, 2014) ― American Standard’s line of Walk-In Baths ― designed for accessible and safe bathing for users with limited mobility ― has received the Arthritis Foundation’s Ease-of-Use Commendation. This award recognizes products that make life easier for people with arthritis and other physical limitations. Products undergo a multi-step testing process conducted by an independent lab of experts in the field of universal product design and evaluation.
“Products that receive the Ease-of-Use Commendation have been shown to make everyday tasks, like administering a medication or performing household tasks, easy and comfortable for people with arthritis,” said Nancy Beidler, managing director of cause development with the Arthritis Foundation.
The Arthritis Foundation created the Ease-of-Use Commendation Program to encourage manufacturers to design user-friendly products and packaging that could be recommended to the more than 52 million Americans who are affected by some form of arthritis.
American Standard’s line of walk-in baths, including the popular Liberation by American Standard collection, received the commendation based on its innovative design that allows users to bathe with comfort and safety. “Receiving this distinction from such a reputable, trusted source as the Arthritis Foundation reaffirms American Standard’s guiding mission of making lives easier, safer and more enjoyable,” said Rob Buete, vice president of accessible living products at American Standard Brands. “It is a testament to our commitment in continuing to design and make products that are impactful and at the forefront of technology.”
Accessibility and comfort are built into every American Standard and Liberation by American Standard Walk-In Bath. Features include a low threshold door, sturdy grab bar, ergonomic seat and textured floor that come standard with each model, aimed at reducing the risk of trips, slips and falls in the bathroom. Users can choose from soaking tubs to those equipped with hydro jets to maximize comfort and massaging power, soothing arthritis-related aches and pains, while also improving circulation.
American Standard walk-in baths offer the exclusive Quick Drain, which uses a powerful pump to drain the tub in approximately two minutes, greatly reducing the time the user must sit and wait before exiting. All models are covered by a limited lifetime warranty.
For more information about American Standard Walk-In Baths, visit www.americanstandard-us.com/safeandaccessible or call (855) 225-2183.
Sloan introduces the Senso™ electronic hand washing faucet, which delivers a unique, illuminated rainfall pattern of water and provides intuitive controls for a highly tactile and visual experience. The faucet, intended for high-end commercial environments such as hotels, restaurants and corporate restrooms, offers a refined balance of elegance and efficiency. A welcome light invites restroom Read more
Sloan introduces the Senso™ electronic hand washing faucet, which delivers a unique, illuminated rainfall pattern of water and provides intuitive controls for a highly tactile and visual experience.
The faucet, intended for high-end commercial environments such as hotels, restaurants and corporate restrooms, offers a refined balance of elegance and efficiency. A welcome light invites restroom visitors to begin washing. Visitors may set the water hotter or colder by adjusting the faucet’s feather-light touch sensors, which are lit with red or blue LEDs to indicate temperature. Senso’s distinctive rainfall water flow is also illuminated and shuts off automatically when hands move out of the sensor range.
Choose from a water-efficient 0.5 gpm or 1.0 gpm multi-laminar spray. Senso’s low-voltage line power eliminates batteries. Click here for specifications.
The Senso matches perfectly with Sloan Designer Series lavatory systems for upscale and contemporary restrooms.
Sloan is the world’s leading manufacturer of commercial plumbing systems and has been in operation since 1906. Headquartered in Franklin Park, Illinois, the company is at the forefront of the green building movement and provides sustainable restroom solutions by manufacturing water-efficient products such as flush valves, electronic faucets and soap dispensing systems, sink systems and vitreous china fixtures for commercial, industrial and institutional markets worldwide.
Chicago Faucets, the leading manufacturer of commercial faucets, expands its 897 Series of janitorial sink faucets with new models featuring in-line check valves in both the hot and cold supply arms to prevent crossflow, even under extreme conditions. Like the other 897 Series faucets, the new models are available in polished chrome (CP) or Read more
Chicago Faucets, the leading manufacturer of commercial faucets, expands its 897 Series of janitorial sink faucets with new models featuring in-line check valves in both the hot and cold supply arms to prevent crossflow, even under extreme conditions.
Like the other 897 Series faucets, the new models are available in polished chrome (CP) or rough chrome (RCF) finishes. They are compatible with the same interchangeable handles, vacuum breaker components, and cartridges as previous models, and the new supply arm with built-in check valve is available as a replacement part.
Made of durable brass, the 897 Series faucet models feature an 8″ body with adjustable arms spanning 7-5/8″ to 8-3/4″. The Quaturn(TM) compression operating cartridge provides precise water control with 90° turn on and manual shut off.
The Chicago Faucet Company is part of the Geberit Group, a European market leader and global provider of sanitary technology. Since 1901, The Chicago Faucet Company, located in Des Plaines, Illinois, has offered commercial and residential products built to stand the test of time. A combination of the best engineering, finest materials and quality workmanship has made Chicago Faucets the specified choice in many of the finest building projects throughout North America.
Customizable Water-Cleansing Functions Ensure the Ultimate in Personal Hygiene and Comfort; Bidet Seat Also Available See the DXV Collection Video. Read more information about the DXV Designer Panel and download the high resolution image kit here. Read more information about DXV Movements and Collections and download the high resolution image kit here. Read more information about DXV Images and Captions and download the high resolution image kit Read more
Customizable Water-Cleansing Functions Ensure the Ultimate in Personal Hygiene and Comfort; Bidet Seat Also Available
See the DXV Collection Video.
- Read more information about the DXV Designer Panel and download the high resolution image kit here.
- Read more information about DXV Movements and Collections and download the high resolution image kit here.
- Read more information about DXV Images and Captions and download the high resolution image kit here.
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (March 12, 2014) ― Sleek and sophisticated, the AT200 smart toilet and the AT100 bidet seat from DXV by American Standard are luxury fixtures that combine peerless design, advanced technology and flawless engineering to bring a fresh new standard of personal comfort and cleansing to the modern bathroom.
Elegant in form, lavish in features, and unmatched in water efficiency and performance, these superb products are an indispensible addition to today’s environmentally aware lifestyle. Created in the belief that fully customizable control is the key to personalized comfort and well-being, the AT200 and AT100 offer a range of completely automated, easily adjusted functions to transform the bathroom into a relaxing, life-enhancing space — without compromising effectiveness, proficiency or healthfullness.
The experience begins when the user approaches the AT200 smart toilet and the seat lid opens smoothly and automatically — a graceful hands-free operation that’s as effortless as it is hygenic. All cleansing functions are enabled by a sensor as soon as the user sits down on the seat, which has adjustable heating for additional comfort. When the user departs, the lid closes and the toilet automatically flushes, too. The AT200 incorporates a soft night light in the bowl and in the area around the feet, conveniently illuminating the base of the toilet and the inside of the bowl.
With their beautifully considered aesthetics and state-of-the-art technology, the AT200 and the AT100 use the soothing action of warm water as a refreshing and hygienic alternative to toilet tissue, offering the ultimate in fully automated personalized comfort and convenience for all members of the family. Both feature two separate nozzles for natural and convenient front and rear cleansing. Nozzle positions (including oscillating options), spray volume and strength, and water temperature are all adjustable by easy-to-use remote control, allowing for a completely individualized cleansing experience. There is also a massage feature and an efficient built-in warm-air drier for use after washing.
The AT200 smart toilet and the AT100 bidet seat from DXV by American Standard will be available through an exclusive network of American Standard showrooms and dealers across North America