Automating a high school restroom.

Modern technology has transformed the restroom facilities at Hartford Public High School into cleaner, more efficient, and more vandal-resistant environments.

Renovation projects at the high school level generally involve the instructional spaces or the athletic facilities. But when administrators at Hartford (CT) Public High School looked at renovation in 1997, they chose to streamline one of the most important, non-instructional spaces in the school. They decided to automate

The Need - Apparent

There was no question that the school's restroom facilities required major renovation. The lighting in the restrooms was poor, the paint worn down and tiles falling off, says Harry Holloway, executive vice principal at HPHS. It also was determined that the restrooms were not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Nothing had been done to them since 1962 and "they were not fit for human use," Holloway says. He called it "fair wear and tear," attributing it to the fact that the building is "used almost around the clock," from approximately 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Project architect Mark Tamaccio, of Clarke-Tamaccio Architects, P.C., put it more succinctly. The restrooms were "totally, physically abused." Ceiling tiles were gone, fixtures broken, and partitions broken or inoperable. Some of the restrooms were being used for furniture storage and "the furniture was piled so high, you couldn't tell it was a toilet room," he says.

About 75 percent of the high school's restrooms had been locked down, Tamaccio adds. Also, ADA noncompliance had become an accreditation issue for the school. "They had to respond to the school's facility needs because their accreditation had been challenged," he explains.

According to Jon Talgo, project manager and architect with the city of Hartford's Department of Public Works Facilities Division, not only did they have to meet ADA requirements, but other changes were needed to meet building code requirements, such as temperature controls on bathroom sinks. Also, lowering maintenance costs was a major consideration.

Tamaccio says, when the renovation plans were developed, his primary purpose was to "create an environment to make the kids respect it (the restroom facility)"; however, he also had a secondary goal. "For those children who wouldn't respect it, the goal was to make it as vandalism-resistant as possible," he says.

The Solutions - High-Tech

At the outset, Hartford Public High School had 35 separate restroom facilities - student restrooms, teacher restrooms, gymnasium locker rooms, and several office restrooms. Since some of the main restrooms were small and cramped, walls were taken out between several adjoining ones to create larger rooms with more toilet stalls.

Old panel ceilings were replaced with perforated stainless steel panels that are locked into place. The steel panels have an acoustical lining and house recessed lighting fixtures. Talgo says this system allows access to valves and plumbing located in the ceiling, but prevents the panels from being knocked out, since a special tool is required to remove them. Tamaccio notes that the stainless steel panels also are bum-resistant, adding that students would attempt to bum the old-style ceiling panels.

Restroom walls were painted with an epoxy-base paint. Tamaccio says the paint is an excellent sealant and easily washable. Ceramic floor tiles were replaced with welded rubber tiles that are scuff- and stain-resistant, and can be cleaned easily. Rubber tile also doesn't chip, crack, or show indentations and isn't slippery like ceramic tile, increasing safety.

The newly installed toilet partitions are designed to put an end to bathroom poets. The partitions are made of corrugated stainless steel, making them almost impossible to write on, Talgo says. The stainless steel covers solid, marine-grade plywood, providing a secure base in which to mount concealed hinges and latches. They don't corrode and won't strip out, holding the hinges better. Stall locks are stainless steel, as well.

China commode fixtures were chosen, instead of stainless steel. Talgo says the decision was made because china fixtures are easier to replace and the cost of the stainless steel fixtures was prohibitive.

One major change was the installation of flush valves with electronic sensors, leaving no exposed parts. According to Talgo, having no moving parts exposed cuts down on maintenance and reduces incidents of vandalism. There also are fewer moving parts, extending the life of the valves.

"You also have the issue of people flushing," he says. With the electronic sensors, flushing is done automatically, increasing sanitation.

Restroom sinks underwent impressive changes. The wash stations are made of a synthetic stone, designed for multiple users at the same time, and the faucets are outfitted with electronic controls. Sensors on the washbasins save on water usage, since there is no opportunity for faucets to be left running or dripping, and they regulate the temperature and flow of the water.

Eliminating Trash - and Vandalism

Electric hand dryers were installed in order to eliminate paper towel waste, Tamaccio says. He admits they had planned to eliminate waste cans in the restrooms altogether, but discovered that was not possible. The dryers did, however, eliminate the need for janitors to empty trash in the restrooms twice a day, as well as having to pick paper towels off the floor.

Talgo adds that the electric dryers help to eliminate one other form of restroom vandalism - paper towels stuffed down the commodes.'

Tamaccio admits that, where in the past, janitors had been able to fill cleaning buckets in the restrooms, now there is no easy way to do so. No hose bib connections or override valves for the urinals were installed.

"We made it 'high wear,' low vandalism," Talgo says. He expects the newly renovated facilities to withstand 20 to 30 years of use.

"We haven't had any problem with destruction of the new facilities," Tamaccio notes.

The restrooms, completed in January 1998, were part of a $1.6 million renovation, which is one segment of a multi-phased renovation and reconstruction project at HPHS.

Robbin Rittner-Heir is a freelance writer based in Dayton, OH.