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Holiday time is changeover time: prepare now for sanitary renovations in schools

The summer holidays mean more than just “school’s out”: they are also the best time to complete school building modernisation and renovation projects. Work on sanitary facilities in particular is virtually impossible with pupils in attendance, as the facilities are in almost constant use. Those who plan their projects early ensure things proceed as smoothly as possible during the holidays. Read on to find out more about how to get started and why now is the right time for making preparations.

Using the holidays for renovations

Projects for sanitary facilities

Keeping an eye on drinking water hygiene

Get planning today!

Why early planning is good planning

Renovation work in sanitary facilities is fairly restricted when schools are operating normally. All the same, the window of opportunity for work during the holidays is small and easily missed. Early planning is essential to coordinate project schedules and ensure work can be prepared in good time.

The situation is made trickier by the fact that public works projects often run through permit and coordination processes, so planning, budget approvals and tenders all need enough lead time.

These projects are much easier to complete in the school holidays.

School sanitary facilities see very heavy use every day. So it’s even more important that they have the right equipment to meet these demanding standards. Alongside hygiene and functionality, facility design also plays an important role here. The overview below lists the kinds of projects that are suitable for completing in the holidays, and the benefits they offer for hygiene and operations.

Replacing fittings

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SCHELL offers a wide selection of contactless fittings and taps that are perfect for installation in schools – such as the PURIS E².

Switching to contactless fittings not only helps to improve hygiene significantly, but also plays a part in conserving resources. Once the hands move out of detection range, the flow of water stops automatically. In comparison with regular, single-lever mixers, this can cut water consumption by up to 70 % while significantly reducing the energy required for hot water heating. Other benefits of these fittings include their timeless design and a robust, easy-to-clean all-metal housing.

Retrofitting anti-scalding protection

School buildings must provide effective anti-scalding protection. Older buildings in particular may not be up to code, however. The SCHELL angle valve thermostat enables a quick, economical and standards-compliant retrofit of reliable anti-scalding protection. Which is ideal if the existing fittings are not to be replaced. The angle valve thermostat is fitted directly to the angle valve and is also suitable for use where space is at a premium.

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Overview of core functions:

  • Temperature control (conforms to EN 1111)
  • Hot water temperature held constant at up to maximum draw-off temperature – even with pressure fluctuations
  • Safety shut-off even if cold water line fails
  • Adjustable maximum draw-off temperature – e.g. to 43 °C (as per DIN EN 806-2). Control under cover cap and requires use of tool

Modernisation of WC/shower cubicles

In WC cubicles in particular, it’s especially important to install equipment that continues to work reliably while meeting requirements for hygiene and ease of maintenance.

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Hard-wearing flush systems and vandal-resistant actuation mechanisms help keep facilities safe during school hours. Cistern modules like MONTUS Flow from SCHELL can be easily incorporated into renovation projects and can be combined with a wide range of operating panels. These panels include the contactless MONTUS FIELD E, which is triggered by an infrared sensor. At the same time, these robust modules offer effective protection against vandalism, with some models also featuring easy integration with the SWS Water Management System.

For school shower facilities – such as in changing rooms or sports centres – durable solutions like the LINUS shower panels are an excellent choice for shower equipment. Designed for high-intensity daily use, their sturdy housing ensures these panels are vandal-resistant, while their pivoting front panel makes them especially easy to maintain and repair. Some variants are also available with reliable anti-scalding protection provided by the innovative ThermoProtect technology.

LINUS shower panels are ideal for quick renovation projects:

  • They are fitted as exposed panels,
  • use existing connections,
  • are supplied pre-assembled
  • and are simple to install and to maintain .

This makes it easy to modernise shower facilities and have them operational again in no time at all.

Installing a water management system

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Using a water management system is the recommended strategy for maintaining drinking water hygiene in large buildings with many tapping points. The SCHELL SWS Water Management System can integrate any electronic fitting via a wireless or wired network. Once integrated, SWS allows the automated, time-/temperature-controlled execution of stagnation flushes – ideal for preventing high concentrations of Legionella. The automated execution of stagnation flushes also saves resources, as less water is consumed and no additional personnel are required.

The SMART.SWS cloud solution gives building owners and facility managers global remote access to the SWS systems in their properties, including all fittings. SMART.SWS Solution users gain online, round-the-clock access to all relevant operating data, plus lightning-fast control of fitting parameters and stagnation flushes from any logged-in device.

Especially practical: thanks to the modular, building-block design, SWS is easy to extend with additional tapping points whenever needed – making networking possible even for existing properties without major wall-chasing work.

Drinking water hygiene should come first for renovation projects

Schools often experience periods of downtime – such as at the weekends or during holidays. If water is allowed to stagnate in piping during this time, there is a risk of Legionella rising to harmful levels. To prevent this from happening, a full exchange of water across all tapping points should occur after no more than 72 hours. Renovation projects offer an opportunity to incorporate relevant solutions into planning.

Electronic fittings with automated stagnation flushes or networked solutions such as water management systems help to ensure the reliable exchange of water and simplify process flows. This establishes a technical foundation as part of the renovation project that supports hygienic operations into the long term.

Get planning now to make the most of the summer!

The summer holidays offer an ideal window of time to complete necessary renovation work for sanitary facilities without disrupting or even interrupting normal day-to-day school life. Timely preparation ensures that projects are ready to go at the start of the holidays and that the period of time available can be used to the full. This permits the targeted modernisation of facilities while also laying the groundwork for reliable and economical operations.

Find out more about the requirements, planning and fit-out of sanitary facilities for school projects!

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