We all know how much the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted us over the past few months. As we look deeper into how we can all return to work and some sense of normality, it’s essential that a few areas of our lifestyles are adapted. This will enable us to conduct our everyday routines in a safe manner, while still being able to get back to doing the things many of us have missed for months now.

We’re dedicated to providing our clients not only with amazing designs, but also with the safest options out there. In our industry, safety is a must. While the ideas around safety and hygiene are shifting due to the virus and how it may continue to have a profound impact upon all of our lives, it’s important to us that we innovate in order to keep our clients safe – and happy!

Public bathrooms are an essential element of our lives. Some of us are somewhat shocked to hear that they remain open in areas such as supermarkets despite the pandemic; however, they are a crucial part of everyday life. Ensuring that they remain safe spaces despite everything going on is something we believe in. Here’s just a couple of the ways we’re innovating in order to continue to provide hygienic washrooms in education!

Touchless Technology

Since the outbreak began, we have all seen many changes within businesses such as supermarkets. Many of them have installed touchless apparatus that allows us to sanitise our hands with just one easy swipe. This reduces the spread of any virus and bacteria, and we’re also being advised not to touch products or items where at all unnecessary. Many of us are hesitant about using public areas, such as washrooms, which may be relatively confined in terms of how much personal space we have.

At BrookhouseUK, we have plenty of experience in designing functional and effective washrooms. We’re therefore familiar with the techniques used within the sanitation industry. Touchless technologies have been in place for years now, particularly within washrooms. As people become more wary of touching surfaces and spreading the virus, we are also becoming more vigilant about our adoption of touchless equipment. Touchless hand sanitisers are one key means of achieving this, as nobody wants to continually have to push on the same button that hundreds have also used in the washroom!

This is one of the reasons that touchless hand-dryers came to be a common theme within public washrooms. While remaining environmentally friendly and not wasting an abundance of hand towels, people are still able to dry their hands without having to touch things unnecessarily. This development has since been implemented into other areas of the washroom, such as in touchless taps and flush systems.

It’s these kinds of innovative, touchless technologies that we’re looking deeper into as a company, as we navigate what will be a new, post-pandemic industry. Washrooms have always been a key area within which strong sanitation regulations are upheld, at least in our eyes; and the worries surrounding COVID-19 only make these matters increasingly pressing.

Smooth, Sanitised Surfaces

The ability to keep surfaces effectively sanitised is essential in every washroom. Public washrooms are infinitely trickier when it comes to making those all-important design choices. More people will utilise the facilities we choose to design, so we want to please everyone while keeping spaces aesthetically pleasing for all. That’s why the surfaces we decide to design within our washrooms are always selected with hygiene in mind. Scrubbing dirt or trying to sanitise a textured, ridged surface is infinitely harder than getting the job done with one simple swipe! While germs aren’t even visible, it’s important that we implement as many design techniques that we possibly can that aim to help us maintain cleaner public spaces.

Textured surfaces, while popular, simply aren’t a very feasible option for washrooms at the best of times. While we still like the impact offered by including a textured façade to our washrooms, we don’t have to compromise on hygiene in doing so. Much of our recent design efforts (pre-COVID) used wooden patterns embedded within smooth surfaces. This allowed us to add a deeper dimension to what is actually a fully hygienic, easy to clean surface.

As designers who take pride in our creative efforts, we don’t like to feel that we have to compromise on aesthetics. That’s why we take the time to discover new ways to innovate, rather than simply comply – if everyone had the same ideas, everything would look the same! We’re passionate about providing solutions that allow educational facilities to inspire, while focusing on comfort and hygiene at all times. We’re taking our ideas such as these a step further, as we consider the evolving ways in which we will need to design for a post-lockdown world.

Partitioned Elements

As we all know, cleaning efforts are being ramped up as a result of COVID-19. However, cleanliness has always been a huge factor to consider when designing washrooms! We have always taken great pride in the level of hygiene that our washrooms here at BrookhouseUK have helped educational organisations uphold. However, things are still continuing to innovate in order to specifically shield us against the virus. For example, the government has recommended that people try to remain 2m apart at all times. While this is not a worry considering the modular cubicles common in most public bathrooms, other areas may become concerning. Most bathrooms do not adhere to the 2m gap rule in relation to sink placement. We’re currently looking at new ways in which we can ensure our clients can continue to adhere to the social distancing rules we have all become so familiar with.

One solution to this may be to have sinks that are spaced further apart; however, as we specialise in space utilisation, we realise that space may not permit this. We have great links within the industry we work in, and we therefore have good connections with partners who can help us install effective partitioning units. These would ensure that we can remain safe while following those all-important 20 second handwashing routines! All the while, we’re committed to making these spaces look great, too.

BrookhouseUK Can Help Reduce the Impact of COVID-19 in Your Washrooms

While it’s still vital that everyone follows government guidelines and keeps social distancing, we think the aforementioned washroom refurbishment ideas can revolutionise the way we see hygiene in our everyday lives. Working in industries such as education, our priorities have always had a strong foothold in areas such as hygiene – however, current affairs continue to change the way we all work, and we remain vigilant in staying ahead of our competition.

At BrookhouseUK, we’re confident that we can help you adjust your educational facilities in a way that allows children to return back to school safely. As our motivated team are brimming with new ideas, and staying fully informed concerning the changes within industry, we’d be delighted to discuss any ideas you may have! Please get in touch if you’re interested via our contact page. We look forward to discussing how we can change your students’ lives in a positive way, even amidst everything going on right now. As always, we hope you are continuing to stay safe; however we are also looking forward to innovations that we are making throughout each of our design choices.