sponsored by HEALTH SECTOR NEWS
BESA supports findings of Grenfell Tower final report
The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has welcomed the publication of the final report into the Grenfell Tower tragedy, saying that it should ‘add greater urgency to promised reforms of the construction industry and related engineering disciplines’. BESA said the report ‘shone a light on the systemic failings that led to the tragedy’, and has vowed to work closely with the government and other industry bodies to effect the necessary culture change to prevent similar disasters in the future. Thanking the public inquiry panel
for their diligence in investigating the root causes of the tragedy, it particularly noted the comments of panel member, and architect, Thouria
responsibility you have for keeping people safe, you’re in the wrong job.” While acknowledging that continued legislative change and regulatory reform ‘is clearly required’, BESA says there should be no loss in momentum on progress already being made under the Building Safety Act, specifically around the need for all involved in construction to evidence their competence and compliance. The Association has already suspended companies from membership who failed to meet their technical and professional obligations under the Act. “The report reminds us that
Istephan, who called for a greater commitment to the development of professional skills. She said. “If you work in the construction industry and do not feel the weight of the
‘Cutting-edge technology’ trialled at NUH to improve patients’ rehabilitation experience
Equipment tracking, artificially intelligent CCTV, and voice-activated environmental controls, are just some of the technologies being trialled at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) to support plans to create a national centre of excellence for rehabilitation. The digital trials are underway
at the Linden Lodge unit at Nottingham’s City Hospital – a 25-bed neuro-rehabilitation unit – with staff and patients heavily involved. The aim is to ensure the right technology is in place to provide the best environment for intensive rehabilitation when the new National Rehabilitation Centre opens on the Stanford Hall Rehabilitation Estate near Loughborough next Summer. The trials are funded by The Lister Alliance – an ‘innovation programme’ developed and funded by Cisco’s Country Digital Acceleration initiative, which
the industry’s operating model had evolved to a point where cutting cost was pursued at the expense of building safety and performance,” said CEO David Frise (pictured).
‘Advanced environmental lighting system’ launched
Helvar, an ‘intelligent’ lighting specialist, has launched Helvar Senses, ‘an advanced environmental sensing solution integrated into lighting controls’. Building on insights gained from
pilot projects, including successful trials with Rejlers and BakerHicks, Helvar Senses is now available to the broader market. By incorporating smart environmental sensing into its offering, Helvar aims to optimise building performance, sustainability, and occupant wellbeing. Helvar said: “When looking to enhance building performance through lighting systems, a crucial element has often been overlooked – the potential to go beyond traditional controls. Lighting systems, already one of the densest sensor networks within a building, offer a unique opportunity to provide much more than light. With the addition of environmental sensing capabilities – such as monitoring air quality, temperature, humidity, and noise levels – Helvar Senses collects actionable data that can optimise not just lighting, but overall building performance.” Helvar says this approach
works to support the government’s drive to transform the public sector with digital technology. Sarah Davies, Linden Lodge
Ward manager, says that the artificial intelligence-enhanced CCTV, which includes ‘digital tripwires’, has helped keep patients safe. She said: “We find a lot of our patients – because of their cognitive impairment – often try to abscond or leave the building. To maintain their safety, we must currently place a staff member with that patient 24/7. By using the technologies, we can digitally prevent that absconscion risk, but equally give patients more independence.”
20 Health Estate Journal October 2024 Alongside the CCTV, the trials
include: n Real-time asset tracking, allowing staff members to look on an app to identify where a piece of equipment is within the building.
n Voice-activated environmental controls to support patient independence.
n ‘Intelligent’ patient terminals which can guide patients through additional rehabilitation exercises via games and other ‘apps’.
n A digital twin of the building which allows staff to see which rooms are in use, and to book rooms and equipment.
‘offers a scalable solution that is easier to manage and maintain compared with deploying standalone sensors’. It said: “By integrating environmental sensing into the existing lighting infrastructure, building operators benefit from a unified system that reduces complexity, lowers operational expenditure, and is easier to maintain. By correlating data on occupancy and environmental conditions, building operators can make more informed decisions, for significant energy savings, and reduced carbon emissions.”
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