A Steady Stream Of Savings
In light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic it should come as no surprise that ‘touchless’ has become a key buzzword within the hospitality industry as consumers place a top priority on safety. It’s for this reason, as well as its ability to conserve water, that the all-new Smart Touchless Faucet System can help produce a steady stream of savings for hotel owners while increasing their occupancy and making their hotel look smart and millennial, as well as sanitary and environmental.
Joanna Boey, CEO of Smart Touchless Faucet System, describes the patented product as the “faucets of the future.” Boey launched the Beverly Hills, CA-based company—which was formerly known as iTouchFaucets—and the digital version of the product in 2015.
Just a few years later the system started gaining credibility and ultimately received government funding. As a result, hotel owners can now install the Smart Touchless Faucet System with no money out of pocket, according to Boey. The Smart Touchless Faucet System is an approved vendor for several major hotel chains such as Hilton Worldwide, MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment Hotels & Casinos.
The system simply uses a smart electronic touchpad that attaches to existing manual faucets to replace faucet handles for bathroom sinks, kitchen sinks, showers and bathtubs. It offers four pre-set temperatures and a timer to shut off the water supply. In addition, the system can be activated with a touch of the finger or knuckle.
“Hotel guests need not be touching the faucet handles to adjust water temperature and to shut off the water making it sanitary and convenient for users,” said Boey.
She added that a lot of water is wasted adjusting the water temperature. Once adjusted, most hotel guests will leave their water running while they are brushing their teeth wasting water.
The Smart Touchless Faucet System has been lab tested by Marymount University of California and proven to save some 40 percent in water, plus corresponding savings that result from reduced usage of gas, electric, and paper towels or Kleenex.
Prior to the debut of the Smart Touchless Faucet System, the only electronic auto shut-off faucets were motion sensor or infrared faucets, which often fail as the lens and electronic eye get blocked with soap suds, according to most engineers. Because they must be removed and cleaned by engineers at least once or twice a year they are generally used only in public restrooms, which include a number of faucets as back up in case they malfunction.
The Smart Touchless Faucet System has also been lab tested by IAPMO (International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials) to handle one million cycles without failure giving it a lifespan of 30 years and making it the most reliable, durable and economical faucet in the long run, according to Boey.
“There’s no reliable auto-shutoff faucet system except Smart Touchless Faucet System. The motion sensor is so unreliable that all the hotels continue to go with manual faucets, which are not sanitary. That’s why the touchpad is a perfect solution,” Boey noted.
Furthermore, a transparent label can be placed over the Smart Touchpad and changed daily to help avoid extra labor costs associated with cleaning faucet handles. In addition, hotels can also use the electronic touchpad as a means of advertising by putting their corporate name and logo on it.
Boey noted getting the system government funded in 2019 was a “game changer” for the company as it was recognized for its ability to conserve water. The government funding enables hotels to install the Smart Touchless Faucet System with no money out of pocket for approximately three years. “Things are rolling now because of the government funding and the pandemic,” she said.
Boey further noted that installation of the system is fast and easy averaging 15 to 20 minutes per unit. She emphasized that the Smart Touchless Faucet System has been very well received by younger guests, particularly millennials.
“This smart touchless water & energy saving system will not only increase your profit margin, but it will raise your property image by making it look smart and millennial. This is a very attractive product for millennial customers,” she said.
Boey cited a few other less obvious, but equally impactful, bottom-line benefits of the new system. For example, the programmable timer can help prevent bathtub overflow, which is a significant problem for some hoteliers. Such an issue can cost hoteliers anywhere from $20,000 to $30,000 per incident, as well as potential mold issues and high insurance costs. “Bathtub overflow is an everyday affair in Las Vegas,” she noted.
Another one of the advantages of the Smart Touchless Faucet System is it helps avoid that first splash of cold water as the smart touchpad can be placed outside the shower. Users can touch the hot water button and let the water warm up first before stepping in. This allows for significant space savings as most architects and designers will generally separate the shower handles and shower heads and effectively expand the shower space. Boey noted that this system can save at least three feet of shower space, or 10 square feet in total, providing owners an opportunity to generate additional revenue.
Boey concluded by putting the new Smart Touchless Faucet System in context for hotel owners. “This is not a faucet you choose to have it is a faucet you cannot live without. Faucet handles will soon be a thing of the past!!” she said.
