In the post-pandemic phase, sustainability and hygiene continue to be prioritised in the design of new commercial restrooms across Australia. Tenant expectations have increased, and new government regulations have strengthened the country's sustainability obligations. Tenants and employees returning to work after COVID-mandated work-from-home are more sensitive to the importance of hygiene in the workplace to prevent disease and infections. A key solution to meeting these needs has been touchless sensor technology for touch-free handwashing.

Effective and sustainable water management solutions continue to drive the demand for bathroom sensors, particularly within public and shared washroom applications. A significant water-saving feature for sensor taps is their ability to open water flow only when human hands are detected within a specific distance range and closing when no longer needed. This reduces the chance of water misuse or overuse. Furthermore, the need for premature repairs caused by damage from rough usage is reduced.

After more than two years living with the global Coronavirus pandemic, the way Australians approach hygiene has significantly changed. There is an increased awareness of the importance of personal health and safety, with cleanliness and hygiene at the top of the list of the identified infection control factors. This has facilitated the acceptance of touchless technology seen in spaces such as toilets, washrooms, kitchens, and other common areas.

Aged care and hospitals increasingly looking for ways to reduce the risk of spread of disease are a growing area for hands free tapware offerings. Hands-free solutions are also an example of technology that helps the elderly, less mobile and memory impaired to complete their daily routine effectively, as well as assisting with infection control of Coronavirus and other diseases.

Architects, building owners, and facility managers are under pressure to find solutions to keep shared spaces safe, help foster sanitary behaviours, and enhance cleaning and maintenance practices for better health results. Fortunately, a new generation of intelligent bathroom technology is now available with scalable improvements to help facility managers and building owners maintain sustainability credentials and deliver a more hygienic experience and keep high value tenants.

Touchless technology is emerging across all facets of the bathroom, from toilet flushing, hand drying and soap dispensing to opening doors. Now, with sensor-activated taps in bathrooms being the new reality everywhere, the market has evolved to provide reliable and high-quality solutions. Sensor taps provide a stylish, sleek design option for bathrooms and kitchen, while their simplified geometry makes them easy to clean.

From a design perspective, existing products on the market focus on touchless tap functionality; however, there is a missing element for harmonised design that matches with the material, design, layout, shape, and colours throughout the whole bathroom. Caroma has an Australian designed and engineered sustainable solution that ticks all the boxes.

The new range of Caroma sensor tapware and soap dispensers guarantees high quality and reliability along with five unique colours in two modern styles, Urbane II and Liano II, for consistency throughout the whole bathroom. The entire bathroom can include matching basin, toilet tapware and accessories to achieve a consistent aesthetic. Caroma finishes include Chrome, Matte Black, PVD Brushed Brass, PVD Brushed Nickel and PVD Gunmetal across all bathroom fixtures and accessories to deliver a level of style and luxury that is unparalleled.

No matter the basin selection or positioning, there is a choice of wall mounted or hob basin mixers, available for both sensor taps and soap dispensers. These Caroma sensor taps are ideal for aged care and healthcare facilities as they are compatible with the Caroma Care collection, which is DDA compliant and in line with the AS 1428.1 accessibility standard optimising the bathroom experience for residents and guests.

Caroma sensor tapware can be viewed at one of our experience centres:

• Caroma on Collins: 39 Collins St, Alexandria NSW 2015
• Caroma on Parade: 49 The Parade, Norwood SA 5067
• Brisbane Design Centre: 66 Merivale Street, South Bank QLD 4101