Which urinal solution is right for your facility: IoT connected low-flush or completely waterless?

As water scarcity intensifies and sustainability targets tighten, organisations are rethinking how water is used across buildings. Washrooms, particularly urinals, offer one of the fastest routes to meaningful reduction, yet many waterless systems have struggled with odour control, hygiene, and maintenance at scale. Propelair’s Contour Zero and Contour Pulse new urinals has been developed to solve these challenges.

There is no single "best" urinal for every building. The right solution depends on your operational priorities, water-saving goals, maintenance strategy, infrastructure, and budget. Propelair's new Contour Pulse and Contour Zero urinals have been developed to address different facility requirements while supporting the same goal: reducing water consumption, improving hygiene, and helping organisations manage washrooms more efficiently.

As water scarcity, ESG reporting requirements, and operating costs continue to rise, plumbing and facility management professionals are under increasing pressure to do more with less. Washrooms remain one of the largest consumers of water within commercial and public buildings, making urinals one of the fastest and most effective opportunities for measurable savings.

To support a wider range of facilities, Propelair has expanded its Contour range with two distinct urinal solutions:

• Contour Pulse – an IoT connected, ultra-low flush urinal using just 500ml per flush.
  
• Contour Zero – a completely waterless urinal delivering true zero-water operation, without the odour!

Both products share the same premium ceramic design foundation, yet each offers a different route to sustainability, hygiene, and operational efficiency.

Why are urinals such an important opportunity for water savings?

For many facilities managers, water reduction initiatives begin with toilets. However, urinals often represent a significant and overlooked source of unnecessary water consumption. Traditional urinals can consume large volumes of water through frequent flushing cycles, often flushing whether they are being used or not.

By upgrading urinal technology, organisations can:

• Reduce potable water consumption
  
• Lower water and sewerage costs
  
• Support ESG and sustainability targets
  
• Improve hygiene standards
  
• Reduce maintenance requirements
  
• Gain better control over facility performance

What is the difference between vontour pulse and contour zero?

While both products share the same high-quality ceramic body and modern bowl geometry, they have been designed to solve different operational challenges.

The choice is not necessarily about which product is better. It is about selecting the solution that best aligns with your facility strategy.

Contour pulse: The future of the connected washroom

Contour Pulse forms part of Propelair's Connected Washroom vision, transforming traditionally passive washroom fixtures into actively managed assets. Using Propelair's PulseLogic technology, the system intelligently monitors liquid presence and only flushes when required. Rather than flushing after every use or on fixed schedules, it responds to actual usage patterns.

Key benefits include:

• Ultra-low 500ml flush volume
  
• Water savings of up to 99%
  
• Real-time usage monitoring
  
• Intelligent flush counting
  
• Blockage detection and overflow protection
  
• Reduced unnecessary flushing due to concealed sensor
  
• No accidental flushing from exposed sensor being triggered by passerby
  
• Estate-wide performance visibility
  
• Integration into broader facility management strategies

For organisations managing multiple sites, the ability to monitor assets remotely provides valuable insight into water usage, maintenance requirements, and sustainability performance. Data is often more valuable than the water savings alone. Understanding usage patterns can help optimise cleaning schedules, preventative maintenance programmes, and operational budgets across an entire estate.

Contour Zero: The practical evolution of waterless urinals

Waterless urinals promise exceptional water savings, but many facilities have experienced challenges with odours, cartridge replacement costs, and maintenance complexity.

Contour Zero was developed specifically to address these concerns.

Unlike traditional cartridge-based waterless systems, Contour Zero uses Propelair's OdourLock one-way drain technology to create a physical seal between the washroom and drainage system.
The result is:

• True zero-water operation
  
• Consistent odour control
  
• No cartridges
  
• No chemicals
  
• No electronics
  
• No power requirement
  
• Simplified maintenance
  
• Reliable long-term performance

The valve opens during liquid flow and automatically seals after use, preventing odours from returning to the washroom environment.

How do both products support washroom hygiene?

Hygiene remains a critical consideration in public and commercial washrooms.

Both products have been designed with high-traffic environments in mind and share a premium rimless ceramic design that supports easier cleaning and reduced splash.

Contour pulse hygiene features

• Sealed drainage system
  
• Bio-enzyme odour management
  
• Controlled flushing cycles
  
• Optimised bowl geometry
  
• Anti-splash design

Contour zero hygiene features

• OdourLock sealed drain technology
  
• No standing water
  
• Reduced bacterial migration risk
  
• No consumables to degrade
  
• Simplified cleaning procedures

Both approaches help create cleaner, more pleasant washroom environments while reducing the operational burden on cleaning teams. User perception matters: A washroom that looks clean but smells unpleasant will often be perceived as unhygienic regardless of actual cleanliness levels.

Which solution delivers the best sustainability outcome?

The answer depends on the priorities of the organisation.

For more information, contact our team today

Importantly, both products incorporate responsible material choices, including closed loop ceramic content, helping reduce resource demand while maintaining durability and performance.

How does this fit into Propelair's connected washroom strategy?

The launch of Contour Pulse and Contour Zero reflects Propelair's broader mission to provide solutions for different facility requirements rather than forcing every organisation into a single approach. Some facilities require advanced connectivity and estate-wide monitoring. Others need simple, dependable waterless operation. By offering both options, Propelair enables organisations to select the level of technology, water saving, and operational control that best suits their buildings. For many organisations, the future may even involve a combination of both solutions across different facility types.

Final thoughts: The conversation around urinals has traditionally focused on a simple choice between flushing and waterless systems. Today's facilities require a more nuanced approach.

Whether your priority is intelligent building management, measurable sustainability reporting, complete water elimination, operational simplicity, or all the above, modern washroom technology now offers solutions that were simply not available a few years ago.

Contour Pulse and Contour Zero demonstrate that water efficiency no longer needs to come at the expense of hygiene, reliability, user experience, or operational control. Instead, they represent two different pathways towards the same goal: smarter, more sustainable washrooms that deliver measurable value for organisations and the people who manage them.

About Propelair

Propelair is an international cleantech company delivering data-enabled, water-saving washroom solutions that help commercial and public organisations reduce water consumption, lower operating costs, enhance sustainability, improve hygiene, and enable smarter washroom management. www.propelair.com | moc.rialeporp@ofni