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!"#$% water each year. The recent addition of reclaimed flushometer valve technol- ogy for urinals and water closets has only enhanced the amount of potable water that cities like San Francisco can preserve. High-efficiency urinals have a maximum flush volume of 0.5 gpf or less, with 50 percent less water than the current urinal standard of 1 gpf. Hybrid urinals like HEUs and waterfree urinals are achieving once unforeseen water efficiency, with waterfree products providing 100 percent water savings. Take Merritt 7 corporate park in Norwalk, Connecticut, for example, where the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified office space retrofitted 23 waterfree urinals. After the retrofit, not only did the water bill reflect a reduction of 858,000 gallons per year, but also an annual savings of $7,800. In all, the corporate park expects to save as much as 2 million gallons each year from the entirety of its water-efficient plumbing system upgrades. The next evolution of HEUs, high- efficiency urinal hybrids have raised water efficiency standards in recent years. The hybrid urinal uses a directed water purge to rinse the drainline that not only reduces odor, but assists in plumbing performance by using a very small amount of water. The Los Angeles Convention Center showcases the benefits of hybrid urinal technology. Not only did the building install 18 hybrid urinals, but 224 battery-powered flushometers in total to help the convention center save thousands of gallons of water each year. Obtaining a LEED Gold-level rating, the facility stands as a symbol of environmental consciousness. HAND-WASHING HELPS Toilets and urinals are only one-half of the water efficiency equation in restrooms, as faucets account for more than 1 trillion gallons of water use per year across the United States. Sensor- based faucets can help save up to 40 percent more water than their manual counterparts. High-efficiency sensor faucets are able to balance flow rates and activa- tion times to supply as little as .25 gal- lons per cycle (activation) or less while delivering an effective and satisfactory hand hygiene experience to the user. Not only are the latest innovations creating efficient environments for water reduction, but also for consumer efficiency, as integrated sinks stream- line the hand-washing, soap dispens- ing and hand-drying process all into one consolidated unit. Integrated sink systems are offered with customizable flow rates. These tend to range from .35 to 1.5 gpm per faucet, with the for- mer able to help save up to 67 percent more water than traditional manual faucet systems. While drought conditions continually prove to be an epidemic, water-efficient products continue to do their part to combat the ever- increasing water shortage. Moving forward, the growing popularity of environmental product declarations and health product declarations are not only improving human health, but prompting architects and engineers to look to the commercial restroom as a beacon of restroom innovation. Once an afterthought, commercial restrooms, with their aesthetic, efficient and sustainable features, are now at the forefront of water conservation. Mike Gipson is Sloan's product line manager for fl ushometers. CIRCLE ID# 18 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO HVACPPRODUCTS.COM/MARKET