Top 5 Reasons Architects Are Choosing Touchless Fixtures for 2026 Projects

Touch-free washrooms have moved from a premium extra to a standard line in the specification. For architects planning commercial projects in 2026, the reasons go well beyond convenience. Here are the five that come up most often.

1. Higher Hygiene Standards in Public Restrooms

Clients now expect washrooms designed around infection control. Faucet handles and flush levers are among the most contacted surfaces in a building, and infection prevention specialists describe them as reservoirs of microbial contamination that carry pathogens to the hands and then to the face by indirect contact. Removing those touchpoints with Stern’s touchless sensor faucets, such as Stern’s Tubular, and sensor flush valves, such as Noble 2032, answers what most users now look for, with close to 80 percent of Americans saying touchless fixtures matter in a public restroom.

2. Water Efficiency That Lowers Running Costs

Water performance is under closer scrutiny on every brief. Stern’s touchless faucets offer PCA spray options down to 0.5 GPM and 0.35 GPM, and a field study at Sacramento State found sensor faucets used around 32 percent less water at 0.5 GPM and about 54 percent less at 0.35 GPM than manual faucets. Lower draw at the faucet also reduces the hot water a building has to heat, so the saving carries through to the energy bill as well.

3. Support for LEED and Green Building Goals

Sustainability targets often decide a specification. Under LEED v5, the indoor water use reduction credit rewards low-flow, WaterSense-labeled fixtures, and Stern’s low-flow PCA options give architects specifiable numbers to build those calculations around. Combining efficient faucets with sensor flush valves and low-water fixtures across the washroom helps a project reach its water efficiency credits without giving up performance.

4. Clean Design Integration Across the Washroom

Architects want fittings that read as one considered scheme rather than a mix of parts. Stern’s SWAR all-in-one mirrored cabinet brings the faucet, soap dispenser, hand dryer, mixing valve and illuminated guidance icons into a single unit, while the Touchless Cubicles range extends the same language through the stall with their coordinating TOI, Top Occupancy Indicator, and the VacantView Washroom Display. The result is a coherent, uncluttered washroom that suits contemporary interiors and allows for an easy, hygienic flow in high-traffic restrooms.

5. Durability and Low Maintenance in High-Traffic Sites

Specifiers plan for the years after handover. Stern’s touchless faucets are built to be durable and vandal resistant, best when powered with a dual-powered transformer junction box with battery backup that allows for constant use even during a power failure. The Multifeed system with top-fill and soap level indicator centralizes soap refilling into a single 6-liter tank directly from the top of the wash basin that cuts the labor of restocking. Take the guess work out of refilling soap with soap level indicator, that shows green when full, orange when time to refill, and red when empty. All of the settings can be adjusted with a remote control from faucets, soap dispensers, flush valves and more.

For 2026 projects where hygiene, water performance and design all have to hold up, Stern offers a complete touch-free range to specify from. Contact Stern to discuss your washroom requirements and request the Tubular, SWAR and Touchless Cubicles documentation.