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Products Briefs: Cool for School

EZH2O New Models
Elkay's EZH2O bottle-filling station has made waves since its inception in 2010. Now the line has been updated to reduce energy use by up to half of the original versions'. The new models can be set to power refrigeration off when the building is closed, and some can send remote filter-change alerts to facility managers.

The Ant Farm and Weeping Willow
Tapped to reimagine playground structures for a new company called Free Play, New York'based LTL Architects delivered four sensory experiences. One, the Ant Farm (left) evokes the classic cross section of tunnels by using red tubes suspended within a clear polycarbonate structure; a second, Weeping Willow (right) presents a dense canopy of yellow ropes to climb up, move through, or swing on.

Noraplan Eco, New Palette
Responding to design trends, Nora Systems regularly refreshes the palettes for its flooring products. Most recently, the company introduced a new 16-color lineup'from neutrals to Snapper red and Marlin blue'for its Noraplan Eco line. The 2mm-thick, high-performance rubber flooring provides excellent slip-resistance and is Greenguard certified for low VOC emissions.

80 Series Rim Exit Device Indicator
Sargent now offers a lock/unlock indicator that can be installed on new or existing 80 Series rim exit devices. Aimed at education facilities, the enhanced security feature clearly displays lock status without the door's having to open, and is housed in the chassis cover with a clear window to protect it from wear.

Contemporary Toddler Kitchen, Washer Dryer
A 110-year-old manufacturer of furniture for early learning, Whitney Brothers creates Greenguard Gold Certified wood pieces that range from storage and seating to imaginative play. The latter includes a new kitchen combo and a washer/dryer unit, both composed of birch laminate with a nontoxic natural finish and made in the U.S.

Shift+
As flexibility is de rigueur in today's learning environments, furniture manufacturers like VS America are stepping up with pieces that can easily and quickly be rearranged. The company's Shift+ series consists of wavy or curved fold-up mobile tables that can be configured for independent study, classroom rows, or team tables. Desks, storage units, and lounge seating are also offered.

Recreation 30/45/60
Gerflor's Recreation resilient-flooring line consists of three performance categories to support different levels of activity. Recreation 30 meets the needs of cafeterias, hallways, and classrooms; 45 is for light recreation and multipurpose rooms; and 60, with a cushion backing, is rated for sports use. All feature a vinyl wear layer.

Cut & Compose
Created with education spaces in mind, this modular carpet collection by Shaw Contract Group presents cut and rotated numbers, letters, and abstract elements. The solution-dyed nylon tiles are Cradle to Cradle Silver certified, and 1.5% of the line's sales is donated to the Center for Green Schools.

Resisto Lockers
These high-end, durable lockers from CP Furniture Systems feature convex cold-rolled steel doors in vibrant UV- and corrosion-resistant paint colors. Configurations accommodate as few as two lockers in a single frame to as many as 15. The doors can be specified with turning bolts for padlocks or key-operated cylinder, electronic combination, or biometric (fingerprint) locks.

Mod Touchless Skin Care
Children with germ-ridden hands can get a quick shot of fragrance-free foam cleanser from Kimberly-Clark's Mod sensor-based skin-care dispensers. Now available in a sleek faux stainless-steel finish, the dispensers utilize sealed refills'each good for 2,000 shots'to reduce the chances of bacterial contamination.