More than 80% of consumers would avoid a restaurant with a dirty restroom, according to a recent survey by Zogby International. Only 38% would avoid a retail establishment with the same issue, however.
The study, commissioned by global hygiene company SCA, surveyed nearly 3,000 North American adults and U.S. college students to examine their hand hygiene practices and handwashing amenity demands.
Despite the participants’ high expectations for businesses they frequent, the study also noted poor personal handwashing practices were common, with 40% of U.S. adults and 53% of Canadian adults occasionally skipping soap while washing their hands and about 25% of both populations opting not to wash their hands after coughing or sneezing.
More than 65% of the adult respondents say they never or only sometimes continue using hot air dryers until their hands are completely dry, though other SCA research shows damp hands can spread up to 500 times more germs than dry hands.
Prove Your Net-Zero Performance
Want to prove your building is truly net zero? The Net Zero Energy Building Certification program, coordinated by the International Living Future Institute, is based on actual performance rather than modeled outcomes.
The Net Zero Energy Certification program is the first of its kind and nearly any project is eligible for consideration. Linked to the Living Building Challenge, buildings must be operational for at least 12 consecutive months prior to evaluation. The program verifies that 100% of a building’s energy needs are supplied by on-site renewable sources.
Renewable energy forms that support certification include passive solar, photovoltaics, wind turbines, solar thermal, direct geothermal, water-powered microturbines, or fuel cells powered by hydrogen generated from renewably-powered electrolysis.
“We see Net Zero Energy Building Certification as a way to galvanize and recognize widespread efforts to eliminate fossil fuel use and to conserve energy,” says Jason F. McLennan, CEO of the Institute. “Third-party verification of far reaching goals like net zero energy is critically important to their uptake. Certification and the independent audits we provide are proof that environmental claims are real.”