Safety
What happens if the power goes out in a self-cleaning public toilet?
Our automatic toilets are designed to ensure maximum safety in any situation. In case of a power failure:
- If the toilet is unoccupied, an additional battery signals the temporary unavailability of the facility.
- If the toilet is occupied, an UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) system keeps the presence sensors, lighting, and door opening mechanism active, allowing the user to complete their visit and exit safely.
In the event of a prolonged blackout, the door unlocks automatically, allowing manual opening.
How to enter and exit a self-cleaning public toilet?
Access to our self-cleaning public toilets is customizable and can be set as:
- Free access: by pressing a button to open the door
- Paid access: using coins or contactless cards via cashless payment device
- Access via code scanning: scanning a tax code or QR code
- Access with Eurokey or radar key: inserting them into the designated slots
To exit, simply swipe your hand close to the no-touch sensor near the door: a simple, safe, and hygienic system.
Can the automatic cleaning cycle start while a person is inside the self-cleaning public toilet?
No, thanks to our advanced person presence detection systems:
- In the S4 toilets, detection occurs with 3 infrared sensors working in parallel. Detection with these sensors, compliant with the EN 16005 standard, is monitored in accordance with European regulations. This system allows the processor that manages the toilet’s operation to know whether the user compartment is occupied or not, after the door has opened and closed.
- In the S5 toilet, thanks to the floor laid on weight sensors. This system allows for precise detection of the person’s presence.
After the person leaves, the presence detection is used by the processor to verify that there is no user in the toilet before starting the cleaning cycle.
Can people with claustrophobia use a SANO2 self-cleaning public toilet?
Yes, SANO2 precast toilets are designed to provide a comfortable and safe environment, even for those who suffer from claustrophobia.
• Bright and ventilated environment: a polycarbonate skylight allows natural light to enter, while the ventilation system ensures constant air circulation.
• Spacious and safe design: users can move comfortably inside and exit at any time using the no-touch opening button.
• Full control and peace of mind: emergency buttons ensure safe use at all times.
How are the self-cleaning public toilets kept secure and efficient?
Whenever we design, build and install a new self-cleaning public toilet, here at SANO2 we first of all think about its future users. We strive to re-qualify urban spaces as well as redefine the idea of public toilets: maximum comfort and efficiency, and universal access.
How can we guarantee you all this in total safety?
- External emergency button to open the door in case of a medical emergency
- Inner alarm button to require assistance at any moment
- Automatic opening after 15 minutes: the door will open to grant a safe exit to those inside
- Periodic predictive maintenance to ensure the perfect functioning of all systems
- Manual door opening mechanism in case of blackouts or electrical damage
Can children use seif-cleaning public toilets without supervision?
In order to be absolutely safe, children must always be supervised by an adult in our self-cleaning public toilets. But there is also an additional safety system in SANO2 public toilets equipped with S5 technology! Thanks to our detection systems embedded in the floor, even children weighing less than 20 kg can use our toilets unsupervised. In fact, not only does the system detect users’ presence, it assesses their weigh as well, thus allowing the doors not to automatically close, so that the parent can supervise the child without entering the toilet.
How to behave in an emergency or an health issue in a self-cleaning public toilet?
In case of an emergency or a sudden discomfort while using our self-cleaning public toilets you can find an SOS system that allows you to easily and immediately ask for help, so you can serenely face any critical situation.
In fact, in case of necessity, it is sufficient to touch the SOS button near the toilet bowl: the system activates immediately and automatically manage the rescue intervention.
In our S3 series, doors open immediately, while in S4 and S5 series models, the system sends an alert email to the person designated to coordinate and manage operations in case of an emergency. In this way, in addition to the immediate door opening, a whole procedure to support users in any kind of need is activated!
In case you don’t manage to push the button? No problem: after 15 minutes doors open automatically. Moreover, if requested, our public toilets can be equipped with an external emergency button, useful in case an immediate intervention from the outside is required.
Is there mobile phones coverage inside a self-cleaning public toilet?
The answer is yes: mobile phones maintain their signal inside SANO2 public toilets. Even if the facilities do not have a specific, users-dedicated Wi-Fi network, there is nothing to worry about: standard mobile networks work perfectly well inside!
The radio waves that allow mobile phones to connect to the nearest towers easily pass through the materials we use to build our facilities. The vibrated reinforced concrete walls are never wider than 12 cm and do not interfere with signal reception in any way. The same goes for metal sheet finishes and insulating materials, which do not represent a barrier for voice and data transmission.
Is access blocked to other users when someone is inside a self-cleaning public toilet?
Absolutely! Once inside one of our public toilets, we guarantee complete privacy: access by others is always blocked.
The facilities are equipped with sensors which detect when someone is inside and they automatically activate the door locking system. Whether the doors are sliding or hinged, users don’t need to worry: access remains securely closed until they exit, except in case of emergency or illness.
Once user terminates and exits, the unit blocks temporarily and initiates an automatic cleaning cycle. In less than a minute, all surfaces are sanitised and disinfected, in order to guarantee a clean and proper environment to the following user.
Maintenance
Can I get a maintenance contract for my toilet? How do you manage toilets?
Of course you can! SANO2 products do not require frequent maintenance: compared to similar systems, we report a significantly lower intervention and replacement rate for our toilets; this is also possible thanks to SANO2CONNECT®, our advanced telemetry system for managing the toilets remotely. In any case, we guarantee the maintenance of our self-cleaning toilets through our All In maintenance service, which is an integral part of our offer. In addition, we can offer a range of maintenance packages on request, depending on your specific needs.
Our All In maintenance service includes:
- Routine maintenance: cleaning and replenishment of consumables, typically twice a month
- Predictive maintenance: thanks to our powerful remote control tool we can intervene before components fail, reducing the time the toilet is inefficient.
- Technical maintenance: carried out by specialised technicians, it involves checking all the automatisms, usually once a month.
- Telephone support: active on working days, we provide assistance and intervene on the toilet, thanks to remote control, solving most of the problems.
Do you have a guarantee on your toilets? For how many years?
Yes, all our toilets are covered by a guarantee. By law, the warranty on manufacturing defects is one year, but we at SANO2 have decided to extend it to 2 years to give you greater peace of mind and security in your investment.
How is maintenance carried out in self-cleaning public toilets?
When it comes to SANO2’s self-cleaning public toilets, maintenance is neither complicated nor frequently required, but it is an essential element to ensure safety and reliability to their users.
We provide three maintenance levels for our products:
- Ordinary Maintenance: this applies to all units and it includes cleaning and replenishing consumables (such as paper, soap), planned according to expected inflow of users.
- Predictive maintenance: specific for S4 and S5 series; our clients can choose our SANO2CONNECT® system, which remote-monitors the facilities’ status. Administrators receive real-time notifications to restock consumables or to intervene before a malfunction occurs. This allow them to anticipate any necessity.
- Technical maintenance: it includes regular, detailed inspections by expert technicians to ensure that all automation and mechanical parts are working correctly. This activity is essential to guarantee a proper functioning of the units over time.
Functionality and cleaning
How do self-cleaning public toilets work?
Self-cleaning toilets are equipped with washing systems that automatically activate after each user’s visit. For our toilets, we have developed three advanced series of self-cleaning technologies:
S3 Technology
- Sanitizing wash and drying of the toilet with a static EASYTECH® device
- Floor cleaning with high-pressure misting water nozzles
S4 Technology
- Sanitizing wash and drying of the toilet and rear walls with a sliding SLEDTECH® device
- Floor cleaning with high-pressure misting water nozzles
S5 Technology
- Sanitizing wash and drying of the toilet and rear walls with a sliding SLEDTECH® device
- Enhanced floor cleaning and complete drying with a sliding SCRUBBER® device
After the person leaves, the toilet locks access and activates the automatic washing cycle: in less than 1 minute, the toilet is available again and thoroughly sanitized.
Is manual cleaning required in SANO2 self-cleaning public toilets?
No, SANO2 self-cleaning public toilets ensure impeccable hygiene thanks to automatic washing and disinfection systems that activate after each use. However, periodic maintenance by an attendant is necessary for routine tasks such as replenishing toilet paper and soap or emptying waste bins.
The frequency of these interventions depends on the level of use: the more frequently the toilet is used, the more often supplies need to be restocked. For this reason, SANO2 offers optimized maintenance programs to ensure that the toilets remain clean and fully functional at all times.
What are the available payment methods to access a SANO2 self-cleaning public toilet?
Whenever designing or installing public toilets, it is crucial to take into consideration the citizens‘ experience when using them. That is why, in SANO2 we offer multiple safe and versatile payment options, designed to facilitate access to these facilities in any context.
Coin payment
It is possible to install a multi-coin machine, which includes a stainless steel coin-collecting box, robust and durable. A classic, reliable and always effective solution.
Electronic or contactless payment
If you prefer a coinless system, we can install a contactless electronic payment device accepting credit, debit or prepaid cards, as well as NFC mobile apps.Service fee for electronic payment is not included in the facility cost: you can activate it directly through the provider! As always, each of our systems is entirely customisable: each project is unique, as the context in which it is inserted.
How much does using a SANO2 public toilet cost?
Using one of our self-cleaning toilets means enjoying a sanitary facility which is safe, hygienic, accessible and technologically advanced. This is possible also thanks to our SANO2CONNECT® remote management system, with which we make sure to offer you a public toilet that is always efficient and ready to welcome you. On average, the cost of this experience ranges from 0.50€ to 2.00€. In some cases, it is completely free!
The access price is chosen by the person who buys or manages the facility: a public administration, municipality or private entity, based on accessibility, maintenance and services policies.
Furthermore, at SANO2, to guarantee inclusion and convenience, we provide various access and payment methods: coins, cards, QR codes, tax codes and others.
Design
What facilities and types of toilets can you provide?
We understand that each context has specific needs and requires bespoke solutions. That is why our range includes:
- Toilets that can be integrated into existing premises, ensuring maximum adaptability to the space available.
- Prefabricated freestanding outdoor structures
- Toilets without connections when sewer, water and electricity are not available
Our solutions are designed to meet every need: whether you need several toilets in a single room or individual toilets, we at SANO2 we have the ideal project for your space.
Once you have defined the structure, choose the most suitable type of toilet: without connections, traditional or self-cleaning, at SANO2.Ltd you will find each of these solutions and all the support you need.
Is it possible to design an urban decor element whose style harmonises with its surroundings?
Not only it is possible, and – indeed – advisable to respect a certain aesthetic balance between environments and elements of urban decor: at SANO2 we also give you the opportunity to design it together.
Each city has a unique identity, and it is therefore crucial that even the urban decor elements respect and enhance the context. Being aware of this, our products ‒ ranging from public toilets to urban decor elements in reinforced concrete – are completely customisable.
- Customisable finishes to maintain uniformity with the surrounding environment.
- Designs for any location, from historical centres to more modern and contemporary areas.
- Indoor integrated solutions blending with pre-existing environments, offering respectful and “invisible” innovations.
Is the design of self-cleaning public toilets customisable?
At SANO2 we offer customised design, materials and finishes for each product, in order for it to perfectly blend in architectural and landscape context of its installation.
- Design: from classical to contemporary lines
- Installation: in urban areas, historical centres and natural environment
- Customisation: from finishes to internal equipment
Each solution is unique and we custom-build it: we not only stand out for technology and functionality, but also for the attention we pay to the structural and aesthetic aspect.
Is it possible to hang objects in a self-cleaning public toilet?
At SANO2, each element of our public toilets is carefully designed. Even a simple hanger ‒ small, durable, strategic ‒ is part of our idea of comfort and inclusivity.
- Made from stainless steel with a vandal-resistant shape
- Strategically positioned in the middle of the wall facing toilet bowl, far from accidental splashes
- Standard in all SANO2 public toilets; it is possible to add more units, if requested
Using a public toilet should never be uncomfortable or unpleasant: it must be an easy, safe and respectful gesture, exactly as your home bathroom.
Regulations and installation
I do not have a drainage, water or electricity. Can you provide me with bathrooms without plumbing?
Absolutely! Our S0 range of off-grid toilets is designed for areas that are far from water, sewerage and electricity. SANO2’s Bathroom Zero allows you to install a prefabricated bathroom, that is accessible to the disabled, more durable than a chemical toilet and more versatile than a traditional bathroom. Bathroom Zero has a waste water tank to compensate for the lack of a sewer connection, a water storage tankconnected to a rainwater collection system, and two photovoltaic panels to generate the electricity needed to light the bathroom. Plumbing-free solutions are highly valued by users for their added value as eco-friendly and sustainable bathrooms.
When it comes to materials, fittings and finishes, you are spoilt for choice! Visit the design page of our projects!
What kind of access can I install in the toilets?
Entrance and exit systems for the toilets depend on the needs of the customers and the area, which is why we offer several options.
Access can be free or paid, coin-operated or contactless with Nayax readers (you decide how much to set!).
Again, you can choose the access system by reading a QR code, a tax code or a EuroKey.
Can I buy a toilet either privately or by responding to a public tender?
Whether you want to buy a public toilet as a private individual or you need a public toilet project for a tender, perhaps as a construction company, architect or town hall technician, at SANO2 we design public toilets of all types, from those without plumbing to self-cleaning models.
As a global company, one of our main values is to respect the context, the regulations in each country, but above all, to respect the needs of the customer.
Tell us about your project, SANO2 will come to you and find solutions for all your needs.
Do you build bathrooms for the disabled? Can I choose the equipment?
At SANO2 we design, build, install and maintain both bathrooms for users with full mobility and reduced mobility bathrooms. Accessibility is a core value for us and has always been a part of our offering. As an international company, when we design and build toilets for people with disabilities, we always take care to comply with applicable regulations: each country has its own dimensions, equipment, access and measures designed specifically designed for safe use by people with reduced mobility.
Our public toilets are fully customisable, you choose the layout. For example, we can include instructions in Braille or record voice commands in the toilet, we can install the hand shower next to the toilet or include SOS buttons easily accessible from the seat.
You can rely on our experience in the industry and our knowledge of public disabled toilet regulations.
Do SANO2 public toilets comply with regulations?
Yes, everywhere! When it comes to design a public space, complying with regulations is not a detail. For this reason, when building every SANO2 product we are meticulous in conforming to all main international regulations concerning accessibility, safety, hygiene and sustainability. Each product is designed to integrate even in the most demanding public context, and it guarantees:
- Accessibility, in accordance with the highest international standards
- Certified, traceable and guaranteed materials, safe for public use
- Authorized technologies and safety devices, constantly updated
- Vandal-proof and fire- proof systems, rigorously tested
Is a sewer connection necessary to install a self-cleaning public toilet?
We are used to think that only traditional public toilets can function with no water, electricity or sewer connections. But today, innovation goes beyond the technical limits: with SANO2 you can install, in areas without connections, even self-cleaning public toilets! Our automatic solutions, in fact, can be setup in totally autonomous version.
How does it work?
A secondary structure with a technical room, accommodating a 2000 litres sewage tank and fully integrated in the design, can be setup next to the toilet module!
A perfect solution for:
- Mountain or isolated areas
- Temporary or seasonal contexts
- Public or tourist events
Versatility does not compromise quality: even in the off-grid version, SANO2 self-cleaning toilets ensure hygiene, safety and comfort at the highest levels.
Sustainability
How much water does a self-cleaning public toilet use?
Water consumption in a self-cleaning public restroom is reduced and rationed compared to that of a traditional public toilet. Depending on the model, our self-cleaning toilets consume between 13 and 16 liters per cycle:
- The toilet flush is automatic and designed to activate only when necessary
- The self-cleaning system limits water consumption thanks to the power of misting and high-pressure jets
- The sink faucet activates only when needed, thanks to no-touch sensors
Additionally, the water supply systems in our self-cleaning toilets ensure safety and protection against contamination, preventing any contact between the washing system and the potable water supply network.
Are SANO2 self-cleaning toilets really sustainable?
At SANO2, Environmental sustainability has always been at the heart of our choices: each precast self-cleaning toilet is the result of careful planning which takes into consideration energy and environmental impact along the whole life cycle of the product.
Here are some concrete evidence of our commitment to sustainability:
- More than 85% of the components for our production comes from local suppliers, thus reducing CO₂ emissions.
- We use 100% renewable energy: solar power and district heating by cogeneration.
- 95% of our materials is recyclable, with precast panels containing at least 13% of recycled material.
- We build systems that protect public water network, thus contributing to health and hygienic safety of cities and to the protection of common water resources.
- Our waste disposal system complies with ISO 14001 certification, with less than 5% unsorted waste.
- All our products comply with the Minimum Environmental Criteria laid down by the guidelines on sustainability into force and are accompanied by transparent environmental documentation.
In SANO2 you have a responsible partner and the certainty of choosing products made to last in time, all the while respecting the environment.
How can remote monitoring of SANO2 self-cleaning toilets affect the environment?
The sustainability of an automatic toilet does not depend only on visible materials and technologies. Its environmental impact can also be measured through management processes ‒ namely how public toilets are monitored, maintained and optimised over time.
This is where SANO2CONNECT®comes into play: a telemetry system developed by SANO2 for the remote monitoring and predictive maintenance of self-cleaning toilets. It is standard for S4 and S5 technologies. Thanks to continuous monitoring of toilets status, managers receive real-time alerts to replenish consumables or prevent potential damage.
What are the tangible environmental advantages of this smart management?
Fewer trips, lower emissions
Remote management drastically reduces on-site interventions: fewer trips by operators, fewer vehicles on the roads and a consequent reduction in CO2 emissions related to fuel consumption.
More responsible use of resources
Predictive maintenance helps avoid waste: consumables are only replenished when truly necessary rather than according to preset schedules.
Prevention is more sustainable than repair
Intervention before a malfunction occurs extends the lifespan of components, limits the need for part replacements, and reduces the environmental impact associated with production and waste management.