Public restrooms in the U.S. are in crisis—America ranks 30th in the world for public toilets per capita. Why has access to something so essential become such a challenge?

In this episode, I speak withJessica Heinzelman, COO and co-founder of Throne Labs, a company revolutionizing public restrooms through smart technology. Throne builds portable, tech-enabled restrooms that ensure cleanliness, safety, and accessibility while being easy to deploy anywhere.

We discuss the lack of public restrooms in the U.S. and why cities struggle to provide them. Jessica shares the inspiration behind Throne Labs and how its smart toilets use data and sensors to maintain hygiene and accessibility. We explore the cost-effectiveness of this approach compared to traditional facilities, where Thrones can be placed, and how users experience them. We also address challenges such as city regulations and public resistance, as well as the future of smart restrooms and their role in making urban spaces more inclusive.

More about the guest: Jessica Heinzelman is the COO and co-founder of Throne Labs, a company reimagining public bathrooms through smart technology. Drawing on more than a decade of experience applying technology to tackle complex global challenges, she and her team are working to ensure everyone has access to clean, safe restrooms when they need them.

About Throne:

Throne builds networks of smart bathrooms that provide a clean, safe, and delightful bathroom experience while being deployable anywhere in hours. Through technology-enabled monitoring, user accountability features, and turnkey service, Throne makes it easy for cities, parks, transit and others to provide critical restroom access.

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Keep Up the Good Work. Keep Loving Cities ❤️️

All opinions expressed in each episode are personal to the guest and do not represent the Host of Urbanistica Podcast unless otherwise stated.

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Thanks to Urbanistica Podcast partner AFRY (Urban Planning and Design)

AFRY is an international engineering and design company providing sustainable solutions in the fields of energy, industry, and infrastructure.

503. Smart Public Bathrooms - Jessica He...