Touchless technology has advanced from a mere luxury to a basic necessity product at airports, office buildings, and shopping malls. The need for cleanliness, sustainability, and efficiency of operation are the key drivers of this shift. Facility managers are now adopting the concept of Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), as they must now take into consideration the lifetime expenditure associated with the technology, while making informed investments. This article will discuss various pieces of evidence from studies carried out in the field of touchless technology and provide scenarios of Total Cost of Ownership, starting with airports.
The Case for Touchless Fixtures
The primary advantage of touchless faucets and flush systems lies in water efficiency. According to the EPA WaterSense program, public-use faucets are capped at 0.5 gallons per minute (gpm), and premium models like BathSelect often reduce that to 0.35 gpm. Since auto sensor taps turn off their flow when not in use, they reduce the amount of waste, which is generated by people using taps in their homes.
A California State University pilot study Comparison of manual and automatic faucets showed that a touchless system in combination with 0.35gpm aerators was able to reduce consumption and keep user satisfaction at the same level.
The hygienic advantages are equally important. Research summarized in the Journal of Building Services Engineering maintained that removing handles and levers will minimize chances for microbe transfer in heavily used toilet facilities. This was specifically highlighted during COVID-19, when touchless design became a standard for infection risk reduction.
Finally, maintenance practices are evolving. New battery platforms such as American Standard’s PWRX 10-year battery system extend service intervals dramatically. This allows facilities to reduce labor and disruptions associated with frequent battery replacements.
Framing the TCO Model
TCO analysis are required for considering capital expenditure, installation costs, utilities (water, sewer, energy), maintenance (labor, batteries, valve cartridges), and eventual renewal. Guidance from the U.S. Department of Energy on life-cycle costing emphasized on ignoring operational costs leads to underestimating the true financial impact of restroom fixtures.
In modeling BathSelect-style systems, we adopt standard assumptions:
- Faucet flow rate: 0.35 gpm for touchless vs. 0.5 gpm for manual public faucets.
- Average wash: 20 seconds with sensor vs. 30 seconds with manual.
- Mixed hot water share: 30 percent.
- Water and sewer rates: $10 per thousand gallons (national median).
- Battery replacement: once at year 5, unless hardwired.
These baselines align with EPA WaterSense specifications and published field studies.
Total Cost of Ownership in Airports
Airports represent the most demanding environment for restroom fixtures. A single restroom can serve 2,000 passengers daily, with multiple handwashing events per traveler.
A 12-faucet restroom using manual 0.5 gpm taps at 30 seconds per wash consumes about 550 gallons per faucet each day. Replacing these with 0.35 gpm sensors at 20 seconds reduces the figure to 255 gallons per faucet, saving nearly 300 gallons daily. Over a year, this equates to more than 1.3 million gallons saved across the restroom—worth approximately $13,000 in water and sewer costs.
Operational savings dwarf the initial fixture premium. Over ten years, a single faucet can yield about $10,770 in avoided utility costs. Factoring in minimal battery replacements, the TCO strongly favors touchless systems in airports.
Case studies from international hubs, such as those documented in Zurn’s airport project library, confirm that airports adopt touchless fixtures not only for savings but also to improve passenger flow and reduce custodial interventions.
Offices: Moderate Use and Hygiene Priorities
In an office tower, a typical restroom may see 300 users daily. Under the same assumptions, each faucet saves roughly 15,900 gallons annually compared with a manual system. The monetary savings amount to about $159 per faucet per year, or $1,590 over a decade.
In this particular instance, it is not about the cost of water, but more about the softer aspects. Touchless faucets address the problem of taps left running, minimize janitorial complaints, and also meet corporate sustainability and sanitation standards. The pointers on handling total cost from the DOE on total cost approaches indicate that operational costs must be considered in conjunction with general water costs.
Retail Centers: Peak-Heavy Utilization
Shopping malls and retail centers experience inconsistent but high weekend traffic. With about 800 daily users, a restroom can save approximately 42,900 gallons per faucet annually. This translates to around $429 per faucet per year, or $4,290 over ten years.
Because retail centers operate under strong customer experience pressures, the choice of touchless systems also reflects branding and cleanliness perception. As shown in the EPA WaterSense at Work guide it was found that meter control in such conditions is equally important, which ensures that water fixtures behave correctly when there is a heavy rush of people.
Power Strategies: Battery vs. Hardwired
Airports and transit hubs at most times hardwire their main banks of fixtures to remove the downtime risk. Offices and retail centers, by contrast, can benefit from extended-life batteries that cut service frequency to once every five to ten years. The American Standard PWRX platform illustrates how technology can drastically reduce battery-related maintenance.
Hygiene and Risk Reduction
As noted in scientific reviews, such as this paper on automated faucets and hygiene touchless systems help to support environments that are cleaner. By eliminating contact surfaces, they minimize the chance of pathogen transfer in high-traffic restrooms. For airports and transit centers, with millions of passengers passing through annually, this factor alone justifies the investment in touchless faucets.
🏗️ 2. Project & Study-Based Case Studies
2.1 Airport and Transit Installations
Airports are among the most studied settings for touchless restroom systems. Large installations described in the Zurn Elkay airport solutions library showcase complete hands-free journeys from entry doors to automated faucets, soap dispensers, and dryers.
Design research that is available at ArchDaily on airport restroom design stresses the importance of throughput, line-of-sight for custodians, and positive passenger perception. By adopting BathSelect-type touchless systems, airports can integrate water savings, hygiene improvements, and operational efficiencies into a single strategy.
Conclusion
The life cycles and total ownership cost for BathSelect touchless solutions depend upon situation. In airports, BathSelect touchless solutions are clearly more cost-effective, providing cost savings and passenger satisfaction. In office environments, cost-effectiveness is limited, but the health and environmental advantages make an attractive business case. Retail centers fall in between, with peak-driven savings and a strong brand perception upside.
By combining evidence from EPA WaterSense, field trials, and airport design studies, facility owners can make informed choices. The data shows that, when measured across a decade, BathSelect-style touchless systems are not just a hygiene solution but a sound financial investment.
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