Commercial Architecture July 2017 - 29

PROJECT
and declared a historic landmark in 1976.

them to get rid of graffiti and keep them clean."

restroom fixtures

Grand Central Terminal restrooms have been nomi-

With the building preserved, restoration projects

Others have taken notice of the newfound cleanli-

commenced. Over time, thoughtful planning was giv-

ness of the restrooms. Since the dryers were installed,

nated as among America's best public restrooms in
Cintas' America's Best Restroom contest. CA

en to upgrading systems and integrating energy-efficient and sustainable products as new technologies
emerged. "Everything we do, we must look at with sustainability in mind. We've made a number of upgrades
to Grand Central Terminal over the years, including

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updating the electrical, plumbing, and lighting sys-

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Calculate hand-dryer savings.

tems, led by our sustainability team," said Steve Stroh,

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Watch video case studies.

assistant deputy director of electrical and mechanical
maintenance for the facility.
One area receiving attention were the restrooms
throughout Grand Central. Originally outfitted with
paper-towel dispensers, restroom floors were often
strewn with errant waste, and the sinks and toilets
were frequently clogged by improperly disposed of
paper towels. To eliminate these problems, hand dryers were considered as a sustainable solution. An added challenge, however, was finding a product that
could meet performance needs without compromising the integrity of the original architecture.
While at an expressway rest stop, Stroh experienced the Xlerator hand dryer, manufactured by Excel Dryer Inc., East Longmeadow, MA. Impressed
with its performance, he and his supervisor researched
the product and concluded it could meet all of their
performance, reliability, and sustainability objectives. "We thought if they could hold up to the abuse
of a public rest area, they would be a great option at
Grand Central," stated Stroh. "With the Xlerator, we
don't have to worry about paper towels ending up
outside the garbage cans, clogging toilets, or plugging

endless
always has a solution.

up our sewers. It's eliminated the need for paper towels in our restrooms," he continued. "We dug around
and researched the Xlerator and saw that it also had a
lot of green certifications."
PAPER TOWELS ELIMINATED

The hand dryers proved to be the perfect solution at
Grand Central. Twenty-four units were installed to
replace paper-towel dispensers throughout the terminal in public and office spaces. In addition to eliminating the paper-towel issues, the dryers' touch-free,
sensor-activated technology reduces touch points and
significantly improves hand hygiene. "Visitors don't
want to touch something that hundreds of other people have touched," Stroh said.

We design tankless hot water systems to fit any blueprint.

of colors, textures, and finishes, Stroh had no trouble

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selecting one to fit in with the décor. An added bene-

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Because of Grand Central's historic significance
and the unique needs of the facility, custom covers
were recommended and selected. Offered in a variety

fit was the vandal-resistant coating and finish. The

dryers "take a lot of abuse," he said. "The new covers
are great for our application because we can scrub
CIRCLE 213

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Commercial Architecture July 2017