WASHROOM TECHNOLOGY
Safeguarding patients, simplifying maintenance
When specifying products for healthcare facilities there are a wide range of factors to consider – from eliminating water wastage and cutting utility costs, to reducing maintenance and managing infection control. Fortunately, water delivery technology is constantly advancing, and, increasingly, solutions are available that ‘tick all these boxes’. Chris Tranter, senior product manager for specification at Bristan, discusses the options available to healthcare estate managers.
The importance of reducing water wastage is becoming more widely understood. Despite our famously rainy climate, the UK has less available water per person than most European countries, and this situation is only worsening. In fact, the Government’s Natural Capital Committee has predicted that our water usage could climb by an astonishing 35 per cent by 2050. From a financial perspective, the consequences of wasting water are equally significant. An Energy Savings Report found that UK consumers could save approximately £600 m on energy bills each year by cutting down on water wastage, a total which is almost certainly far higher when applied to public and private healthcare premises. Take for example, NHS England. In 2007-2008 an estimated 38.8 million cubic metres of water was consumed by the NHS, at a cost of approximately £145 m. As a result, the government has, for a number of years, set a target of a 25 per cent reduction in water use in its office and non-office estates by 2020, relative to 2004/2005 levels. When it comes to choosing water delivery products, the task faced by healthcare estate managers is far from simple. Safety and performance must be balanced with long-term costs and environmental considerations in order to meet BREEAM requirements, while providing a high standard of facilities. So, how can the latest washroom technology help healthcare estates managers to secure the safety and efficiency they increasingly require?
Water saving
Health Technical Memorandum guidance (HTM 07-04: Water management and water efficiency) states that water efficiency is relevant to all healthcare facilities, not just hospitals. Its principal remit is to encourage the efficient management of water, and to promote the economic and environmental benefits of doing so. In order to reduce water usage in a healthcare environment, timed-
64 Health Estate Journal May 2019
Infrared shower panels feature duty-flush settings, which can be set to site requirements of up to every 72 hours in 12-hour increments.
flow options are an ideal option. Infrared shower panels are able to provide timed flow, and can be adjusted to suit individual site needs. Certain models currently available are supplied with remote control key-fobs, which enable estates managers to control shower run- time and eliminate the risk of a shower not being completely shut off. As well as delivering water savings, infrared shower panels can also help with energy efficiency. Bristan’s new range of infrared shower panels, for example, operate on readily available 1.5V AA size batteries, using very low voltage electronics. This means that the panels can provide up to 500,000 activations on one set of batteries.
Safety
Healthcare environments have very strict hygiene and infection control requirements, with washrooms a key area for managers to focus on in the battle to improve water safety. In recent years, non-touch technology, such as infrared taps and shower panels, is increasingly being deployed to boost standards. Hygiene is automatically improved, because such technology eradicates the problem of users passing on their germs through the touch of a tap or shower unit. These products can also feature an antimicrobial coating, which helps prevent cross-contamination, as well as cleaning. What’s more, infrared shower panels also feature duty-flush settings, which can
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