Touchless restroom technology has moved from luxury to necessity in airports, offices, and retail centers. The transition is driven by hygiene demands, sustainability targets, and operational efficiency. To make informed investment decisions, facility managers increasingly use total cost of ownership (TCO) models that consider not only upfront cost but also long-term operating expenses, maintenance, and replacement cycles. This article reviews evidence from industry studies, presents TCO scenarios for different building types, and explores case studies, beginning with airports and transit hubs.

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. Because sensors automatically shut off flow when not in use, they significantly cut waste caused by users leaving taps running.

A California State University pilot study comparing manual and automatic faucets found that touchless systems paired with 0.35 gpm aerators lowered consumption while maintaining user satisfaction.

The hygienic benefit is equally important. Research summarized in the Journal of Building Services Engineering shows that eliminating handles and levers reduces opportunities for microbial transfer in high-use restrooms. This was particularly 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 requires 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 stresses that 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.

Here, the TCO case is less about water costs and more about intangible benefits. Touchless faucets prevent taps from being left running, cut down on janitorial complaints, and align with corporate sustainability and hygiene standards. Guidance from the DOE on total cost approaches stresses factoring in these operational efficiencies alongside utility 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. Data from the EPA WaterSense at Work guide highlights that in such environments, metering control is as critical as flow reduction, ensuring fixtures respond appropriately during peak rushes.

Power Strategies: Battery vs. Hardwired

Airports and transit hubs often hardwire their main banks of fixtures to eliminate 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

Scientific reviews such as this paper on automated faucets and hygiene conclude that touchless systems support cleaner environments. By eliminating contact surfaces, they minimize the likelihood of pathogen transfer in high-traffic restrooms. For airports and transit centers, where millions of passengers pass through annually, this factor alone justifies the investment.

🏗️ 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 published by ArchDaily on airport restroom design emphasizes 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 cycle and TCO of BathSelect touchless systems vary with context. In airports, they are unequivocally cost-saving, delivering both utility savings and passenger satisfaction. In offices, the financial case is modest, but the hygiene and sustainability benefits are compelling. 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.