That’s what Mark Leibowitz, one of our readers, wants to know:
“Public men’s rooms have a mix of urinals and toilets, but private homes only have toilets. At first I thought it was simply a matter of space, but even when there’s room for a second installation the second choice is always a bidet rather than a urinal. Urinals use less water than toilets. I don’t imagine they’d be particularly expensive. My best thought was that it would have to take a lot of saved water to pay for a toilet, but I’m not sure that’s the real explanation. Crazy topic I realize, but … any thoughts?”
Well, aside from the fact that girls and women can’t use the urinal — at least not as it’s intended — my first guess is that men are typically not involved in designing a house or planning a renovation as women are.
Also, there’s this: whereas some toilets are quite beautiful, most urinals — even Marcel Duchamp’s — are pretty ugly. These urinals are perhaps more attractive, but I don’t know if I’m ready to spend $7,000 on a urinal.
It would be different, of course, if the Department of Defense was footing the bill, or Dennis Kozlowski.
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If you had a urinal in your home then you would be faced with the unpleasant task of cleaning it…
I think the benefit of the urinal in an large public space is threefold:
- They are space-efficient. Being flatter and not needing large walls you can fit a row of them into spaces that would only accomodate a couple of fully-encoded toilets.
- They are time-efficient for the users (increased throughput.) There is a reason the lines are always shorter for the men’s room.
- Touchless. As a frequent user of the airport urinals I enjoy the fact that I can walk into the lav, do my business, and if the sink faucets are run on motion-sensors I can complete the transaction _without touching anything in the room_…
If you had a urinal in your home then you would be faced with the unpleasant task of cleaning it…
I think the benefit of the urinal in an large public space is threefold:
- They are space-efficient. Being flatter and not needing large walls you can fit a row of them into spaces that would only accomodate a couple of fully-encoded toilets.
- They are time-efficient for the users (increased throughput.) There is a reason the lines are always shorter for the men’s room.
- Touchless. As a frequent user of the airport urinals I enjoy the fact that I can walk into the lav, do my business, and if the sink faucets are run on motion-sensors I can complete the transaction _without touching anything in the room_…
Public toilets have urinals for three reasons that don’t normally affect homes: resource efficiency, speed and hygiene.
- Resource efficiency: public toilets require a great amount of space, compared to urinals (you need to have a separate compartment and physical separation between the toilets). At home you already need to have a toilet, so no urinal is required.
- Speed: Most of the time people go to a public toilet they go to urinate. Since you can have more urinals than toilets in the same space the process is quicker, therefore reducing queues and waiting time. Normally that’s a problem you won’t face at home.
- Hygiene: Toilets are more dirty-prone than urinals, because you’ve to lift the seat up, aim and take care while putting “the little guy” back inside. At home (your home, at least) you are already careful.
Public toilets have urinals for three reasons that don’t normally affect homes: resource efficiency, speed and hygiene.
- Resource efficiency: public toilets require a great amount of space, compared to urinals (you need to have a separate compartment and physical separation between the toilets). At home you already need to have a toilet, so no urinal is required.
- Speed: Most of the time people go to a public toilet they go to urinate. Since you can have more urinals than toilets in the same space the process is quicker, therefore reducing queues and waiting time. Normally that’s a problem you won’t face at home.
- Hygiene: Toilets are more dirty-prone than urinals, because you’ve to lift the seat up, aim and take care while putting “the little guy” back inside. At home (your home, at least) you are already careful.
Yeah, the better question would be why have a urinal in the home? They offer lots of benefits with multiple users, when you’re trying to maximize space and speed efficiency in the bathroom. But there’s little point to having such a special-purpose device that only some people can use in a home, where only a handful of people will ever be going to the bathroom.
Yeah, the better question would be why have a urinal in the home? They offer lots of benefits with multiple users, when you’re trying to maximize space and speed efficiency in the bathroom. But there’s little point to having such a special-purpose device that only some people can use in a home, where only a handful of people will ever be going to the bathroom.
Urinals in public restrooms keep the sit-down toilets much cleaner.
Urinals in public restrooms keep the sit-down toilets much cleaner.