Modular Portable Toilet Pods Save Costs, Water, and Worker Dignity
With help from Morris Group International® (MGI) and its AcornVac® vacuum plumbing system, Matt Davenport of Southland Industries designed portable toilets that are easy to transport and use less water than other options, saving the company money and time. Portable toilets are notorious for their unpleasantness, and Davenport, Southland’s project constructability lead, found them downright “inhumane.” MGI is a major sponsor of MCAA24.
Thinking Outside the Box
Driven by his dissatisfaction with portable toilets, Davenport set out to find a better solution for jobsite toilets during the construction of the $2.1-billion Sutter Health California Pacific Medical Center’s Van Ness Campus Hospital in San Francisco on a zero-lot line site. Initially, he envisioned ways to enhance privacy in traditional portable toilets but soon realized more was needed.
A conversation with MGI sales representative Mike Furlong led Davenport to the AcornVac. He inquired about the possibility of a temporary, pod-based solution, and coincidentally, AcornVac had recently developed a pod prototype. Davenport and AcornVac engineers collaborated to refine it, transforming his vision into reality: a clean, private privy equipped with a flushing toilet, internal lighting, a handwashing station with running water, and easy portability.
The complete portable toilet system was made up of 40 modular plug-and-play vacuum toilet cubicles that tied into the vacuum center located in the underground parking garage. A forklift could easily move the toilet cubicles, and the removable tops meant they could be transported as needed from floor to floor via the regular elevators. That eliminated the coordination necessary to use the demand lifts.
Transformation Through Teamwork
After finalizing the design, Davenport presented his idea to Sutter Health and general contractor HerreroBoldt. The project used a Lean integrated project delivery (IPD) strategy, which brings together all project stakeholders in a collaborative effort. Davenport believes this collaborative approach was crucial to the success of his proposal.
“I had the positive support from the core group,” Davenport explained. “With that support, my mind was free to think. But with that support comes great responsibility; you don’t want to disappoint the team. It’s a double-edged sword.”
Davenport’s AcornVac system was ultimately accepted, and he credited the IPD process for fostering the open communication and collaboration that made it possible.
In addition to improved convenience, Davenport pointed out the environmental benefits of the AcornVac system. With a flush using just under a half-gallon of water and no risk of leaks due to vacuum pressure, these units are far more sustainable than portable options.
“This is going to be a hospital,” Davenport noted, “and those blue portable rooms often leak what I’d consider toxic material. That can’t be good.” He says cost and water savings are just bonuses: “It’s about treating people humanely.”
Take a virtual visit to the facilities here: https://youtu.be/uFbikNYDjnM?si=rNyvev9QnXMRpI2Y
Sutter Health recognized the value right away. By adopting the innovative system, they lived up to their commitment to supporting workers. It transformed an otherwise unpleasant necessity into something elevating.
The client even sourced bathroom attendants from a neighborhood cleaning company to maintain cleanliness. The results spoke for themselves: workers appreciated the new units, and after three years, not one toilet suffered vandalism or damage.
Building on Success
Given the success, Davenport now wants to take the concept further. For his next high-rise project, he plans to add fans to the pods for airflow and water bottle fillers from Murdock® Manufacturing (an MGI brand) for hydration.
The fact that MGI supports the modular building trend attracted Davenport to its brands and products. Though initially nervous about the vacuum components, hands-on guidance gave him confidence: “The AcornVac engineers were with us every step, even after setup. That support means I’ll definitely do this again.”
Davenport said it could make sense for general contractors or large mechanical firms like Southland to purchase the pods and then move them from site to site because they are so modular and movable. That way, sites could have flushing toilets and working handwashing stations from the start of construction, then add to the system as the project ramps up.
“The AcornVac engineers were with us every step, even after setup. That support means I’ll definitely do this again.”
—Matt Davenport, Project Constructability Lead, Southland Industries
The success of the AcornVac bathroom pod system shows the power of collaboration and thinking outside the blue box. Davenport was driven by the vision of providing workers with facilities that treated them with basic dignity. He turned this vision into reality by working with stakeholders, engineers, and an open-minded client.
Now, the modular pods have become a blueprint—both for Davenport’s future projects and for construction firms aiming to embed quality sanitation systems right from the start. Most importantly, the transformation has had a simple but profound impact, offering essential facilities that make workers feel valued rather than miserable. When creative solutions tap into that kind of positive potential, everyone wins.
For more information, visit www.morrisgroupint.com. MCAA thanks Morris Group International for being a major sponsor of MCAA24 and providing convention lanyards.
