Healthcare Life saving solution
Critical installation for operating theatres Temperature control specialist ICS Cool Energy has installed an innovative ‘life saving’ solution in a hospital as part of BMI Healthcare’s annual £40m facilities maintenance programme.
ICS COOL Energy developed and project-managed the full solution from concept to completion. It required immaculate planning in partnership with BMI Healthcare as it was vital for the project to deliv- er a state-of-the-art replacement for a life-expired system, while over- coming a complex series of techni- cal and logistical issues.
There were significant chal- lenges in the programme of works to install a high efficiency chiller and bespoke air handling units for two of the hospital’s operating
theatres. The compliance includ- ed; working around restricted space, bespoke designs, tight timelines, rigorous HTM-03 (Health Technical Memoranda, legislation governing temperature control and air flows in life-critical healthcare environments), min- imising downtime and ensuring the continued operation of one of the theatres at all times. To overcome the restricted working and plant room space, ICS Cool Energy’s three air han- dling units were delivered in flat
packs and assembled on site. The highly energy efficient Aptus chiller was also specified due its ability to deliver low maintenance with high energy efficiency from a compact footprint. In fact the Aptus chiller was bespokely man- ufactured to ensure it met the HTM-03 and the space restrictions. Close controls over tempera- tures in a life-critical environment were also essential and so a new Trend BMS (building management system) was installed, allowing integration of controls, with intelli- gent panels placed in the theatres to allow surgical staff to adjust the temperatures as required. For added reassurance, the sys- tem allows remote monitoring 24/7 and BMI Healthcare has also opted for an ICS Cool Energy serv- ice contract with the national team of skilled engineers on call round the clock, 365 days a year. As the UK’s largest private hos- pital group, BMI Healthcare proj- ect manager Mark Elphick is inter- ested in delivering quality systems that meet the rigorous healthcare standards and guidance for patient safety, while also achieving value for money.
“Operating theatres are one of the most sensitive environments in the hospital so the environment has to be precisely controlled and it’s up to the project team to ensure
we deliver that. In turn, this means we need to be confident that our supplier will deliver every step of the way and the fact that the ICS Cool Energy team has proved itself before, as well as being able to offer a full service contract, is very reassuring,” he said.
Following award of the tender, the ICS Cool Energy team, sales director Richard Metcalfe and proj- ect manager Allan Towns worked closely with Mark Elphick to deliv- er the phased programme of works over a period of five months. As part of the pro- gramme, the redundant equip- ment was removed, and with the associated pipework and cabling in place, installation speed was optimised. Engineers also worked over the weekend so there was no disruption to the theatre rooms above the plant room. “Work on site was completed within two months without any dis- ruption, through a combination of detailed planning and a collabora- tive working approach,” said Mark. “We know the ICS Cool Energy team deliver successfully, they know their business. But the extra bonus was the professional and collaborative way they worked with our team here, it meant that the project was not only delivered on time, on budget, but also with minimal hassle,” he added.
Large scale UFH project for care scheme
Bristol-based heating specialist Giacomini and Blyth-based mechanical services contractor Robert Kirkland have worked together on a large-scale underfloor heating project for a multi-occupancy Extra-Care scheme Dovecote Meadow, near Sunderland.
Extra-Care housing schemes are on the increase throughout the UK as a means of providing independent living accommodation, designed with older people in mind, with care services on-hand when required. And, according to Giacomini, underfloor heating is rapidly becoming one of the top heating choices for housing developments of this nature, as well as hospitals and schools, due to its many safety features. Provided by Housing & Care 21, the Dovecote Meadow project covers an area of 17,615m2 and comprises 182 distribution manifolds and more than 34,000 metres of piping.
It was opened in April 2015 and is nearly at full occupancy. The development leads the trend away from singular care homes to communal retirement villages, with amenities such as a restaurant, hair salon and
26 | May 2016 | Hospitals & healthcare supplement to HVR
shop. Dovecote Meadow also provides a specialist care unit for residents with dementia.
Alan White of Housing & Care 21 said: “Underfloor heating systems are ideal for our clientele. Once the room temperatures are set with individual room thermostats there is very little for the resident to worry about. The spread of the heating system gives an even temperature throughout each room and as the heating is provided by multiple boilers within a central plant room, this gives a high degree of reliability. Underfloor heating also leaves every wall available for the siting of furniture with no wall encumbered with large LST radiators. When Giacomini are chosen as the underfloor heating provider and Kirklands of Blythe as the installer this gives me a high degree of comfort as past experience has shown that both provide a high level of service at installation and, importantly, post completion.” Giacomini MD UK, Matt Lowe, said: “Extra-care projects are increasingly becoming a key part of our repertoire and it’s great for Giacomini’s name to be involved in more and more housing developments”.
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