WASHROOM SOLUTIONS


Exploiting the latest technology When looking at futureproofing healthcare environments, there are a number of tools being employed by both facilities managers and architects which are enhancing collaboration to an unprecedented degree. The use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) has already become commonplace across the UK’s construction sector, with a Government mandate prescribing that BIM be used on all public sector projects. Simultaneously, countries including Germany, France, and Italy, are seeing increases in BIM adoption, and their own regulatory mandates regarding its use. Armitage Shanks’ BIM download figures suggest that the technology is quickly sweeping across the rest of Europe. For UK healthcare teams, the benefits of BIM technology are numerous. Collaboration on renovation projects is improved by using BIM, since entire project files can be easily shared and accessed by all parties in the design and construction chain. Using cheap-to-use and widely available plug-ins, these can be instantly viewed by different healthcare stakeholders anywhere in the world, online, remotely, which significantly simplifies the review process. Cutting down on time-consuming research is another benefit that BIM brings to healthcare design. A large part of the job for specifiers involves checking manufacturers’ websites and catalogues for information and specifications which are not readily available. However, as there is a vast amount of relevant and functional data stored within BIM objects, this makes choosing the optimal solutions for any project much easier, faster, and more cost- efficient.


Swift comparisons enabled When looking at washroom solutions, Total Cost of Ownership data, product flow rates, water-saving capabilities, longevity, and even maintenance cycles, can all be identified and compared swiftly using BIM, informing the specification process. The availability of these sets of data at the click of a mouse allows for the automation of many of the administrative tasks that an architect has to undertake. Writing specifications, and creating estimates and quotes for healthcare decision-makers, can also be undertaken much more simply by ‘dragging and dropping’ parameters from a BIM object into a spreadsheet. This, in turn, frees up more time for architects to focus on the design side of their projects, and allows those responsible for the products’ upkeep to carry out preventative maintenance.


Managing and mitigating the impact of human behaviour While digitisation is certainly improving collaboration between those involved pre- and post-installation, there are still human


66 Health Estate Journal August 2019


contamination. By using a purging kit the taps can also be purged of any debris that has acquired during the building process prior to use.


The Contour 21+ basins use a hydrophilic glaze containing antimicrobial additives, which makes it easier for water to drain off, while Armitage Shanks says the Hydrofin, cast into the base, can reduce splashing risk ‘by up to 90 per cent’ compared with a ‘traditional’ healthcare basin.


factors at play which can cause long-term issues in healthcare environments. Nurses, doctors, and hospital professionals, are constantly inundated with new information, and are under immense and increasing pressure. While on the infection control front the benefits of regular handwashing routines are known by all in a healthcare facility, safety measures also need to be put in place within products to mitigate any future risk of human oversight. Products specified for these spaces, and especially those which deliver clean water, should have infection control capabilities built in. The latest Armitage Shanks clinical basin and thermostatic tap ranges, for example, have been specifically designed to meet the very challenging and changing needs of hospitals, with a particular focus on the fight against infection. The Markwik 21+ thermostatic tap mixers are designed for thermal disinfection, and are equipped with a built-in thermal cleansing feature. This allows the maximum blend temperature stop to be overridden using the hot water supply temperature in the system for the most effective cleanse possible. They can also be quickly and easily demounted or dismantled for complete disinfection control.


Small bore pipes


The mixers are designed with small-bore antimicrobial pipes that reduce the amount of water left in the tap by 34%, as well as providing turbulence and additional force to keep the pipes clean. In terms of initial, but short-term futureproofing, this is particularly important from the outset of a hospital building project. During the commissioning process, infection can begin in taps before the hospital actually opens, as the brassware can remain in place without being used for several months. Accordingly, it is essential that taps that are installed are free of any bacteria that can infect the hospital before it is open. This is why Armitage Shanks’ Markwik 21+ range is pre-tested in chlorinated water, blown dry, and then capped, to stop potential


At the same time, the Contour 21+ basins use SmartGuard+ — a hydrophilic glaze containing antimicrobial additives, which makes it easier for water to drain off, and helps prevent the build-up of biofilm. An additional feature is Hydrofin, an innovative shaped fin cast into the base of the basin, which can minimise the risk of splashing by up to 90 per cent when compared with a traditional healthcare basin.


Estates managers, of course, need to consider how long fixtures, fittings, and other components are going to last, and also where they may need to be replaced at short notice. For this reason, all of Armitage Shanks’ healthcare solutions, as well as the extremely useful product data within them, are available to download from various UK BIM libraries.


A prized asset


The NHS is one of Britain’s most prized assets, and for it to have a positive and – in the widest sense – sustainable future, and to address changing health-related challenges, it is vital that all in the sector share knowledge and collaborate. Making use of the latest digital ways of working, investing in new product developments, and attending workshops where knowledge, experience, and learning can be shared, may mean incurring short-term costs, but the long-term savings – in areas such as enhanced preventative maintenance, reduced downtime, and more efficient running of hospital plant and equipment – could be considerable.


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Tony Rheinberg


Tony Rheinberg has been in the bathroom industry for over 25 years, and is currently Senior Sector marketing manager for Armitage Shanks. In the last few years he has specialised in Healthcare marketing, and has been part of the team developing the company’s Contour 21+ and Markwik 21+ hospital ranges.


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