washrooms

What to Consider When Giving Your Washroom a Revamp

Benefits include improved image and hygiene, lower costs and easier cleaning There are various benefits to improving your washroom facilities, so when planning a revamp consider the following: Image The washroom may be one of the first areas of your premises a visitor experiences, and for your staff an important

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A manufacturer’s Journey: Franke Sissons and their BIM journey

Franke Sissons, world leader in providing washroom solutions for all industries, embarked on a journey to get ‘BIM-ready’ in 2017. Following a move to an outstanding new manufacturing site in Poland, covering 12,000m2 and with more capability than ever before, Franke wanted to combine its lean manufacturing processes and in-house

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Latest Issue

BDC 321 : Oct 2024

washrooms

What to Consider When Giving Your Washroom a Revamp

Benefits include improved image and hygiene, lower costs and easier cleaning There are various benefits to improving your washroom facilities, so when planning a revamp consider the following: Image The washroom may be one of the first areas of your premises a visitor experiences, and for your staff an important company facility they’ll constantly make use of. Modern washroom design means you can create not only an attractive and even stylish environment, but perhaps one that reinforces your company branding such as certain colour schemes. That said, be careful of colour choice – more neutral or timeless colours are usually the best. Some colours – such as certain brighter shades – may be ‘in’ for a while but may eventually lose their appeal. Pleasant, stylish, clean odour free washroom areas using modern washroom technology such as high-speed air hand dryers, and the latest ‘touchless’ tech for hand washing and drying, present a positive company image to staff, clients and other visitors. Cost savings If your washroom facilities are several years old, the chances are you’re spending more money on day to day running costs than you might if more modern equipment was installed. Water use can be drastically reduced with modern toilets and hand washing facilities that use less water.  Indirectly, further costs can be saved in reduced staff absences through contaminations and infections due to poor washroom hygiene thanks to the improvements that new washroom tech offers. Installing more modern facilities such as the latest air hand dryers and soap dispensers is more efficient and saves money; it’s also worth reviewing your washroom services arrangements as part of the revamp. Health and safety Ensuring high standards of health and safety are met is paramount since your washroom is likely used by all types of people including your staff, clients, and likely various other visitors. For example, some modern washroom design features elements such as doors with anti-finger trap locks, cubicle doors that can be lifted off their hinges incorporating emergency release locks if access is required; for instance, if someone is taken ill. Capacity Do your current washroom facilities meet your company’s needs in terms of capacity? If the washroom, or a specific washroom in a larger commercial building where there are multiple washrooms, struggles to cope with demand – for example, at work breaks or the beginning of the lunch hour or similar – then a revamp may include increasing capacity such as more cubicles and sinks. Calling in specialist washroom planners and fitters might be the best course of action to make the most of existing space. Efficiency and cleanliness More modern washrooms are easier to keep clean than some older designs with more tiling and grouting, nooks and crannies and maybe more exposed pipework that can attract dirt and contaminants. Modern washroom design often features more flat and smooth surfaces that are easier to clean, less likely to become overly contaminated, can conceal pipework, and feature more ‘touchless’ facilities such as hand washers and dryers operated by motion detection. Budgeting Unless your washroom revamp merely consists of a lick of paint, a more comprehensive upgrade represents a significant investment in your company’s facilities so requires careful budgeting. Decide your priorities and talk to experienced washroom design specialists to see what’s possible for your planned expenditure. A sound investment Upgrading your washroom facilities is a major investment that will offer many benefits – but it’s important to plan and execute it efficiently. Description: What to consider when undertaking a washroom revamp on a business premises including improved image, cost savings, cleanliness and higher standards of hygiene. Websites: https://www.buildings.com/article-details/articleid/20406/title/5-tips-for-refreshing-restroom-renovations http://www.interplanpanelsystems.com/news/interplans-guide-to-washroom-health-safety/ http://www.interplanpanelsystems.com/news/planning-a-commercial-washroom-refurbishment/ https://www.facilitiesnet.com/plumbingrestrooms/article/Restroom-Renovations-Big-Benefits–2782

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A manufacturer’s Journey: Franke Sissons and their BIM journey

Franke Sissons, world leader in providing washroom solutions for all industries, embarked on a journey to get ‘BIM-ready’ in 2017. Following a move to an outstanding new manufacturing site in Poland, covering 12,000m2 and with more capability than ever before, Franke wanted to combine its lean manufacturing processes and in-house engineering expertise with BIM models and online data to continue to produce exceptional quality products that have served the industry for over 230 years. In 2017, Franke extended its relationship with NBS to host its first series of BIM objects within the NBS National BIM Library and in this time, the company has seen nearly half a million impressions on its products every month. “The recent changes have had a positive impact on the business and have helped the company consolidate and grow its offering, both online and offline,” said Sarah Hallam, Marketing Coordinator at Franke. The company partnered with NBS long before it’s journey to get ‘BIM-ready’ and has had its products’ technical information embedded in NBS specification software with NBS Plus and published product catalogues, technical documents and design files in the industry-leading online index of manufacturers’ product information, RIBA Product Selector. With hundreds of projects throughout the years, the specification process is something that Franke is looking to develop more in the future. BIM has provided a key opportunity to help support and develop relationships with public and private sector architects, designers, and industry professionals. After launching the first of its BIM Models in early 2017, which received a high response rate online, this has created many opportunities with architects, contractors and other businesses within the industry. The results so far have been very positive, and as its profile grows, and more models are hosted on the NBS National BIM Library, Franke hopes that these relationships will continue to thrive. Sarah continued: “We now have nearly half a million impressions every month which is an outstanding breakthrough for us on a digital level. According to research from NBS, 71% of specifiers need manufacturers to provide them with BIM objects, which is why we are providing models of our products. “Although we do not use BIM as a way of manufacturing our products, we see BIM as a positive aid for the specification process, developing our relationships, and enhancing product knowledge for architects and designers.   “In the future we believe that BIM will become more integral to all sectors, not just in the public sector, and we see BIM becoming the norm within many industries. As part of this we are striving to develop further models of both existing and new products to ensure that information is easily available during the specification process. We are eager to continue our BIM journey and are striving to make as much progress as possible, and we are excited to see what the future holds.” Franke Sissons has been actively involved in NBS events and is part of the RIBA CPD Providers Network, sharing best practice and knowledge, especially around sustainable architecture with a range of CPD materials on offer under the sustainable architecture category. As one of the world’s leading providers of washroom solutions, Franke are very conscious of its responsibility for contributing to a sustainable environment and are actively engaged in this challenge. Working to reduce the environmental impact of its operations, taking into account the commercial viability and availability of environmentally friendly technology, Franke has implemented a number of measures to ensure that its environmental footprint is reduced; these include sustainable buildings, reduction of water use, resourcing efficient products and demonstrating material efficiency in production. To find out more about NBS visit www.theNBS.com

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