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Axis Entrance Systems Case Study: Ipswich Hospital Urgent Treatment Centre

Building Products Index Ltd Automated systems, Automatic door system Leave a Comment

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INDUSTRY: Healthcare

CLIENT: East Suffolk & North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

CONTRACTOR: ARCHITECT: Barnes Construction KLH Architects Ltd

PROJECT:

The design and construction of a brand new Urgent and Emergency Care Centre at Ipswich Hospital for East Suffolk & North Essex NHS Foundation Trust.

The new Centre houses a dedicated urgent treatment centre (UTC), which is where our involvement on the project was, as well as a new emergency department (ED).

Working with KLH Architects and main contractor, Barnes Construction, our brief for the project was to design, supply, install and commission the low friction, manual sliding doors required for the UTC, specifically to the bays in the Resus and Majors areas.

CHALLENGES:

The main challenge for this project was a common one to all construction sites, which was completing installation and commissioning whilst other trades were also trying to complete their work. Great project management from main contractor Barnes Construction ensured this and other challenges were navigated smoothly and quickly, and the project delivered on time.

SOLUTION:

The solution to our brief was the specification of two types of door-sets from our award-winning Flo-Motion® range. The door types and their features included:

  • Seventeen Flo-Motion® T55 telescopic doors with a 1590mm clear opening width. Average force test reading on these doors was 9.11N
  • Two Flo-Motion® E32 single sliding doors with a 1650mm clear opening width. Average force test reading on these doors was 9.85N
  • The doors were finished in RAL7012 Basalt Grey with 600mm satin stainless-steel handles.
  • All doors were fitted with 32.8mm double glazed units incorporating interstitial blinds operated by a slide magnet for “tilt and turn” facility.

OUTCOME:

Our Flo-Motion® door-sets help realise the vision of KLH Architects and main Contractor, Barnes Construction, providing several significant benefits that optimise the experience for patients, staff and visitors. These include:

  • A department with excellent light transfer & a feeling of spaciousness.
  • Visibility between patients & staff with the blinds providing privacy options.
  • The ease of operation of our doors with an average force-test reading of just 9.19N.

Smart Product Specification in Government’s Decarbonisation Drive

Building Products Index Ltd PVC-U, Windows Leave a Comment

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Smart product specification can ensure local authorities and social housing providers maximise opportunities provided by new phases of the UK Government’s decarbonisation funding schemes.

The government’s stated commitment to net zero by 2050 involves a clear focus on improving the energy efficiency performance of the nation’s housing stock and cutting carbon emissions. Poorly constructed and insulated homes let energy escape, can increase energy consumption and, in the current climate, further escalate living costs for hard-pressed consumers.

Decarbonisation Funding Schemes

In March 2023, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero released details about the next phases of three funding awards: the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, the Home Upgrade Grant, and the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. They have a combined allocation of £1.8billion.

Local authorities and social housing providers can now bid for much needed financial help to underpin energy efficiency home improvements, such as better insulation and new windows, for the housing stock under their control. Gov.UK estimates that because of the new money available in the total fund, over 115,000 homes could be assisted with essential upgrades that will help cut emissions and help tenants save money on their energy bills.

In particular, the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme is designed to help public sector buildings such as schools and hospitals drive down their carbon emissions. Enhanced heating systems, powered by cleaner, cheaper, renewable energy, will help reduce the use of fossil fuels exposed to volatile global energy prices.

While the availability of such funding is welcome, it is just part of the story. It also needs to be backed with a smart specification partnership so the collective ambition to radically enhance housing stock is realised.

Window performance is viewed by many as a vital element when it comes to effective energy efficiency measures. Ill-fitting, technically deficient, and poor-quality windows only provide an inferior thermal outcome, which will negate efficiency efforts elsewhere in the home. It is therefore imperative as part of a holistic building fabric improvement strategy, that product specification focuses on how to deliver the absolute best result.

Enhancing Energy Efficiency with Innovative Window Solutions

Eurocell already collaborates with many local authorities and social housing providers to help them achieve their energy efficiency aims for tenants. Central to success so far has been the positive contribution and list of benefits from our range of high performing and innovative PVC-U window solutions, including the marketing-leading Logik System

The advanced multi-chambered design of Logik and innovative PVC-U Thermal Inserts work together to lock in heat. This means the ‘A+’-rated windows, with u-values as low as 1.2 for double glazed units offer market leading performance and value for local authority and social housing specifiers.

Logik also supports sustainability objectives and features post-consumer recycled PVC-U in the central core of the profile with virgin PVC-U on visible faces. This ensures the same aesthetics and technical performance, but with more environmentally responsible benefits. Maximising the thermal performance of windows is vital to meet rising regulatory and customer demands.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As the new phases of the funding schemes open fresh opportunities for housing association and local authorities, enabling them to upgrade housing energy efficiency and reduce consumption, emissions and costs, the Logik window system is a prime example of how smart specification can lead to significant benefits on the ground and help to make a real difference to the lives of many.

For more information about the support the Eurocell Commercial Team can offer, get in touch: Kelly Hibbert, Head of Commercial  Kelly.Hibbert@eurocell.co.uk 07909 233921