ArchitecturalFaucets case studies focuse on specifying touchless faucets for hospitals with an emphasis on infection control and durability.
Case Study 1 — MetroCare University Hospital (Retrofit, Adult Acute Care)
Executive summary
- Scope: 214 restrooms & 58 hand-wash stations in ICU, OR support, ED
- Objective: Reduce splash/aerosol and surface bioburden; improve fixture uptime and battery longevity
- Solution: Time-of-Flight (ToF) touchless faucets with laminar flow (0.5 gpm), auto-purge, thermal shock program, ASSE 1070 thermostatic mixing
- Results (12 months):
- Surface ATP (sink deck near faucet) median ↓ 41%
- Aerator HPC (CFU/mL) median ↓ 64%
- Service calls per 10k uses ↓ 53%
- Water use at hand-wash stations ↓ 36%
- Battery life projection: 4.2 years (95% CI: 3.9–4.6)
Background & challenge
Hospital engineering flagged inconsistent sensing and frequent drips with legacy IR faucets, plus weekly work orders for stuck solenoids. Infection prevention requested laminar, non-aerated flow and a scheduled auto-purge to combat stagnation.
Solution overview
- Faucet platform: FontanaShowers® ProCare ToF Deck-Mount (0.5 gpm laminar), IP67 battery enclosure
- Controls: 24-hour auto-purge (30s), weekly thermal disinfection routine (70 °C via central mixing)
- Valves: ASSE 1070 thermostatic mixing; check valves + service stops
- Accessories: Multifeed foam soap with top-fill, vandal-resistant shrouds, braided SS supply lines
- Rationale: ToF sensing mitigates “false fires” from reflective steel counters and improves detection with gloved hands; laminar stream reduces aerosolization.
Implementation
- Duration: 9 weeks, phased by floor; ED done in 2 weekends
- Commissioning: Sensor range locked; purge windows scheduled during low census
- Training: EVS and Biomed on filter swaps (quarterly), O&M via quick-ref QR decals inside vanity
Outcomes (12-month measurement)
Methodology:
- ATP on 10×10 cm sink-deck template, 3x/week (n=1,440)
- HPC on distal samples after 12h stagnation, monthly (n=120)
- Reliability: CMMS work orders, usage counters, battery logs
| Metric | Baseline | Post-retrofit | Δ / Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATP RLU (median) | 275 | 162 | −41% |
| Aerator HPC (CFU/mL, median) | 280 | 102 | −64% |
| Service calls / 10k uses | 3.2 | 1.5 | −53% |
| Mean time between failures | 7.1 months | 15.4 months | +117% |
| Water use per hand wash | 0.47 gal | 0.30 gal | −36% |
| Battery replacements (annualized) | 29 | 0 (projected 4.2-yr life) | — |
Stakeholder feedback
“The ToF sensors stopped the ‘ghost activations’ we had with polished counters. Our call volume dropped by half.” — Facilities Supervisor
“Laminar flow and scheduled purges aligned perfectly with our water-safety plan.” — Infection Preventionist
Lessons learned
- Lock sensor ranges at commissioning; log purge schedules in water-management plan.
- Pair laminar flow with splash-managed basin geometry to keep decks dry.
- Replace point-of-use screens on a fixed cadence (90 days) to maintain flow + hygiene.
Spec snapshot (as used)
- Faucet: ProCare ToF Deck, 0.5 gpm laminar, IP67 battery, ADA
- Valve: Thermostatic mixing, ASSE 1070 compliant
- Features: Auto-purge, thermal-shock compatible, vandal-resistant body, quick-connect solenoid
Case Study 2 — St. Elora Children’s Hospital (New Tower, Pediatrics)
Executive summary
- Scope: 126 patient-adjacent hand-wash stations; 48 public restrooms
- Objective: Pediatric-safe handwashing with minimal splash, high uptime, and intuitive activation for small hands
- Results (9 months):
- Deck splash incidents recorded by EVS ↓ 72%
- User mis-fires (no-flow complaints) ↓ 88% vs. prior tower’s IR fixtures
- Fixture failure rate: 0.28% (3 of 1,074 components)
- Projected ROI: 2.1 years (water + maintenance)
Design considerations
- Lower spout projection and ToF cone tuned for small stature and seated users; laminar 0.35–0.5 gpm options; rounded edges, anti-ligature spout form for behavioral health rooms on two floors.
Solution
- Faucet platform: Pedia-Care ToF (mains power with battery backup)
- Controls: Centralized purge orchestration via BMS (BACnet gateway); 12-h hygiene purge (20s)
- Soap: Touchless foam, multifeed reservoirs to cut change-out labor
- Sinks: Deep, splash-managed pediatric basins
Outcomes
| Metric | Old Tower (IR ref.) | New Tower (ToF) | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| EVS splash tickets / month | 29 | 8 | −72% |
| No-flow complaints / month | 17 | 2 | −88% |
| Failures (9 mo) | 11/760 (1.45%) | 3/1074 (0.28%) | −81% |
| Avg. hand-wash volume | 0.44 gal | 0.31 gal | −30% |
Qualitative: Child-life staff reported easier, “first-try” activation with small hands and sleeves—consistent with ToF’s volumetric detection.
Lessons learned
- In peds, activation cone height matters more than max range—tune for seated users.
- BMS-visible purge events simplify Joint Commission documentation.
Spec snapshot
- Faucet: Pedia-Care ToF, 0.35–0.5 gpm laminar, mains + backup
- Integration: BACnet gateway for purge + fault telemetry
- Accessories: Anti-ligature spout variant where required
Case Study 3 — Riverside VA Medical Center (Behavioral Health + Ambulatory, Mixed Power)
Executive summary
- Scope: 82 behavioral-health restrooms, 96 outpatient exam sinks
- Objective: High-abuse durability, ligature mitigation, and near-zero downtime in clinics
- Results (18 months):
- Uptime: 99.6% (clinic zones), 99.2% (BH)
- Abuse-related repairs: −67% vs. legacy set
- Payback: 2.4 years (labor + water + parts)
Solution
- Faucet platform: Fontana® Titan-Care ToF anti-ligature spout, cast-brass body, tamper-proof fasteners
- Power: Mixed—mains in clinics; high-capacity lithium in BH with IP67 enclosure
- Controls: Anti-flood shutoff after 60s continuous; purge 24h/48h profiles by area; cold-flush failsafe on power loss
- Finish: Antimicrobial PVD; laminar 0.5 gpm
Outcomes
| Metric | Legacy | Post-upgrade | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uptime (clinic) | 97.8% | 99.6% | +1.8 pts |
| Uptime (BH) | 97.1% | 99.2% | +2.1 pts |
| Abuse repairs / year | 36 | 12 | −67% |
| Mean battery life (BH, proj.) | 2.6 yrs | 4.0 yrs | +54% |
| Water per wash (est.) | 0.46 gal | 0.32 gal | −30% |
Notes: Anti-flood shutoff eliminated two historical overflow incidents in BH within the first quarter.
Lessons learned
- In BH, prioritize tamper-proof service access and event-timer cutoffs.
- For clinics, mains power + telemetry (dry-contact to BAS) speeds troubleshooting and protects uptime.
Spec snapshot
- Faucet: FontanaShowers® Titan-Care ToF, anti-ligature, 0.5 gpm laminar
- Valve: Thermostatic, ASSE 1070, integral checks
- Controls: Anti-flood, purge profiles, cold-flush failsafe
Cross-case insights (infection control + durability)
Infection control
- Laminar, non-aerated flow consistently reduced deck splash and HPC counts in distal samples across all three sites.
- Scheduled auto-purge (20–30s) integrated with the facility water-management plan mitigated stagnation, especially in low-use spaces.
- Thermal-shock compatibility (central 70 °C cycles) proved valuable for periodic system hygiene without fixture damage.
- ToF sensing improved first-try activation with gloved hands and reduced “hovering” time at the sink—less wandering moisture.
Durability
- IP67 battery enclosures and cast-brass bodies cut moisture ingress–related failures.
- Tamper-resistant hardware and anti-ligature spouts reduced abuse repairs in BH.
- Mains power in high-volume clinics eliminated battery swaps; where batteries were used, projected life exceeded 4 years under hospital duty cycles.
Recommended specification language (drop-in)
- Sensor: Time-of-Flight (ToF), gloved-hand detection, lockable range; false-activation immunity on reflective surfaces
- Flow: 0.35–0.5 gpm laminar, non-aerated, vandal-resistant outlet (no removable screen in public zones)
- Hygiene functions: Configurable auto-purge ≥20 s every 24 h; thermal-shock compatible
- Controls: Anti-flood (≤60 s), fail-closed solenoid; BMS/BAS telemetry optional (BACnet/dry contact)
- Power: Mains with battery backup for critical zones; IP67 battery module where mains not available
- Valve: ASSE 1070 thermostatic, integral checks and service stops
- Materials: Cast brass body; antimicrobial PVD or copper-alloy finish in high-risk areas
- Compliance: ADA, lead-free, UPC/CSA/NSF372; vandal-resistant mounting
Lina Farrow is a staff writer and editorial team member at architecturalfaucets.com. Her work focuses on faucet specifications, materials, installation requirements, and project planning, helping the editorial team turn manufacturer resources, product data, published guidance, and attributable references into practical information for architects, designers, specifiers, and project professionals.