The main hall of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on March 6, 2014 in Atlanta, GA, USA. It is the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic.

TOTO announced that Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world's busiest airport, is the first facility in the world to offer its smart, fully-connected restroom system solutions.

Thanks to a collaboration by TOTO and GP PRO, the airport is now testing the tools and connected products it needs to help ensure its busiest restrooms are clean, comfortable and fully operational.

"For more than 100 years, TOTO has improved people's bathroom experience with revolutionary products and technologies that provide a consistently clean, comfortable experience," says Shinya Tamura, CEO of TOTO USA. "As we confidently embark on our next 100-year cycle, we will continue our pioneering work by expanding our core competencies through collaborations with leading-edge companies, like GP PRO, whose inventive technologies and innovative business models redefine the commercial restroom experience."

Leveraging the Internet of Things, the KOLO Smart Monitoring System uses wireless communication technologies, cloud-based processing and data storage, and cutting-edge sensors and sensing technology to provide timely, customized and secure communication between connected restroom fixtures and facility managers and their custodial staff through smartphone, tablet, and desktop apps.

Installed on TOTO's EcoPower flush valves and faucets and GP PRO's enMotion and Compact paper towel, toilet tissue and sanitizer dispensers in the busiest restrooms at Hartsfield-Jackson, the technology monitors product usage, jams, outages, and leaks, alerting the airport's custodial staff in real time so that problems are addressed immediately.

For Hartsfield-Jackson, a bad restroom experience can affect its bottom line. A JD Powers' study found that for large airports (at least 30 million passengers per year), "delighted" passengers spend up to 190% more in the airport than disappointed ones. Since the Atlanta Airlines Terminal Company (AATC) installed the KOLO Smart Monitoring System and connected products by TOTO and GP PRO in Concourse B, its busiest restrooms, the AATC has enjoyed improved sustainability, increased labor efficiency and increased costs savings in restroom operation. Further, the AATC has seen an increase in custodians' job satisfaction and has reduced waste.  

"At Hartsfield-Jackson, we strive to provide our passengers with a world-class experience — one that truly delights them. Not simply because it improves our bottom line, but also because it has a positive impact on their perception of our airport and our city as whole," says Dr. Kofi Smith, president and CEO of the AATC. "In the past, our public restrooms were a major source of passenger frustration and complaint. However, since we installed the KOLO Smart Monitoring System in B Concourse — our busiest restrooms — we have elevated our passengers' experience and seen a significant positive impact on our custodial staff and bottom line. It's truly transformative technology."

By remotely monitoring and analyzing restroom conditions and responding in real time to potential problems, the KOLO Smart Monitoring System helps maintenance and custodial teams ensure that the right staff are performing the right tasks at the right time, and consumers enjoy a clean, comfortable experience every time.