"care"

Yeoman Shield have recently supplied and installed wall and door protection in the new Urgent Care Unit at Halton Hospital Runcorn.The unit will be busy catering for people in the Runcorn area and is hailed as a one stop shop offering an alternative to A&E for a range of minor injuries and urgent medical care.“The new Urgent Care Unit has been adapted from the old Minor Injuries Unit which has under gone alteration and redecoration with new and refurbished doors fitted. We were keen to protect the new finishes from the damage which can be caused by the everyday use of a busy hospital department.” Said Lee Bushell, Building Surveyor at Warrington & Halton NHS Trust.Yeoman Shield products were installed by their directly employed fixing team to the corridors and cubicle areas in the unit.Guardian Handrail was fitted to protect the walls along the corridors and waiting areas in Aqua Blue with an attractive contrasting insert strip in Mid Grey. An Ultra 60 Protection Rail, also in Aqua Blue, was included at low level to protect the skirting and wall from damage which can be caused at this height from wheelchairs and trolleys.Some of the doors in the unit required replacement and Yeoman Shield fire rated door protection panels and door edge protectors were fitted to all doors to protect from costly damage reoccurring. The addition of Yeoman Shield door protection helped to add uniformity of colour and style to the mixture of the new and old doors.Aqua Blue FalmouthEx wall protection panels were installed along the cubicle area corridors and in the cubicles themselves protecting from damage which is caused by the movement of equipment and trolleys.A Yeoman Shield Clapping Lath was applied to the double swing doors of the X-ray room. The lead lined clapping lath was fitted to the inside of the room doors to prevent any leaking of X-rays through the gap between the meeting edges of the door set.“I am very pleased with the way that the Yeoman Shield products look and from past experience know that these products will help to keep the new unit looking smart for some time to come.” Concluded Mr Bushell.

Celebrating 50 years trading this year, as part of their celebrations and charitable activities, Harrison Thompson were pleased to offer their services to their local hospice.The Sue Ryder Wheatfields at Headingley Leeds is a charity run 18-bed hospice, offering the very highest care and services to patients with life-limiting conditions and their families, free of charge.“For our 50th anniversary, we wanted to focus our charity efforts on local organisations.” Explained Harrison Thompson Director, Graeme Brumwell.“Serious illness has touched a number of lives within the company and Wheatfields Hospice has been a facility close to our hearts helping families on these difficult occasions.“It seemed only fitting that we should offer something back for the care that Wheatfield has provided over the years.” Concluded Graeme.Yeoman Shield – the wall and door protection division of Harrison Thompson – got in contact with the Hospice to offer free material and installation for wall and door protection products to be fitted in an area of their choice which was gratefully accepted.2.0mm thick wall protection panels in Cream were fitted to the bedroom walls at the head of beds protecting from marking and damage which can occur from the movement of both the bed and medical equipment.In the corridors, Yeoman Shield’s Fire Rated Door Edge Protectors were fitted to the meeting edge of doors helping to protect from damage and helping to prolong the life of expensive to replace fire doors.The installation of Yeoman Shield will help Wheatfields to keep looking smart and inviting for all those who use the facilities whilst importantly helping to reduce their repair and redecoration cost over the years to come.Sue Waddington, Service Improvement Matron commented “I cannot commend high enough the service that we have received from Yeoman Shield’s contract department.“Due to the nature of our provision of specialist care and services, we had to call on Yeoman Shield at short notice to carry out the work when rooms were available. The installation was undertaken with great empathy and regard for the surroundings.“Now completed the Wall & Door protection looks great and dovetails into our existing décor lovely and gets the hospice well on the way to our forthcoming refurbishment plans for the inpatient unit” Concluded Sue.

The Priscilla Bacon Lodge in Norfolk is a new £12.5 million hospice that will provide state-of-the-art palliative care for 24 patients alongside day care facilities, a wellness centre, gym and community hub for those being cared for at home. It will also be used for education and research into palliative and end-of-life care. The facility, designed by LSI Architects and delivered by Morgan Sindall Construction, features both traditional masonry cavity walls, and a masonry rainscreen façade.  Meeting the brief At just two stories high, the building doesn’t fall under building regulations that ban combustible materials in the wall build-up. But even so, combustibility was a key factor when it came to specifying the insulation. Jordan Armstrong, Associate at LSI Architects explained: “As a practice we always try to minimise fire risk, especially for a project like The Priscilla Bacon Lodge, which will house extremely vulnerable people. So, it was essential that the materials we used were non-combustible, which meant mineral wool insulation was the only solution. “We regularly use Knauf Insulation products, so we specified DriTherm® Cavity Slab 32 for the cavity walls because it’s a high-performing glass mineral wool insulation that we expected could meet our required 0.16 W/m2K U-value. We were also keen to specify their Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab for partially filled cavity walls because then we would have one manufacturer for the whole build, and we think the products will work well together.” DriTherm® Cavity Slab 32 is full-fill insulation solution with a thermal conductivity of 0.032W/mK. While Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab for partially filled cavity walls is a rock mineral wool product with a thermal conductivity of 0.034W/mK. Both products are BBA certified for the application. In addition to non-combustibility and thermal performance, both products also offer sound reduction characteristics. Ease of installation Both DriTherm® Cavity Slab 32 and Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab contain a water repellent additive that preserves the integrity of the slabs while they are exposed during construction.  The products are also designed to be easy to install correctly. They are sized to suit standard centres for installation between wall ties or brick restraint systems. Slabs are robust so they can be manoeuvred into place while maintaining the flexibility required to adapt to minor imperfections in the substrate to prevent gaps that reduce thermal, fire and acoustic performance.  Lastly, they are both manufactured using ECOSE® Technology, Knauf Insulation’s unique bio-based binder, which contains no added formaldehyde or phenol. It is made from natural raw materials that are rapidly renewable, and is 70% less energy-intensive to manufacture than traditional binders, so it is more environmentally friendly. The product is soft to touch, easy to handle, and generates low levels of dust and VOCs. So, when it came to specifying the insulation for the Priscilla Bacon Lodge, Knauf Insulation’s DriTherm® Cavity Slab 32 and Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab for partially filled cavity walls ticked all the boxes. 

Lanner Primary School is dedicated to promoting a caring ethos. The school is always looking for ways to make cost effective improvements for the safety and comfort of pupils and to enhance their learning and playing experiences. The school hall floor needed replacing, and had issues with sound reverberation and was an uncomfortable surface for students to sit on. Eden Flooring & Interiors suggested Altro Orchestra to increase comfort and improve acoustics . Specifying a comfort flooring option can improve the performance of space for children and those with hearing difficulties, and aid concentration, creating a more effective learning environment.

The renovation of a vinyl sports floor represented a saving of around 50% against the cost of a new floor and was completed in just five days. Working through deep cleaning, wet sanding, removing the sanded slurry from the floor and then neutralising with clean water, the surface was ready for the first coat of Bona Pure Colour to the centre section. Two coats of each colour were applied, followed by sports lines and a final transparent coat to seal the surface. The Bona Floor Care Program renovates and totally transforms the floor with new colours and graphics.

The Project is located in the building built in 1920 by the architect José Yarnoz Larrosa to welcome the headquarters of two editorial companies. Nowadays, the hotel is on the upper levels and it counts 168 rooms, designed by Studio B76 with careful attention to decoration inspired by the 1920s and 1950s. For bedrooms, two systems combinations are used: FIT BOX and Premium Plus or Zi-Box and Premium Plus; one for daily activity and contact visual outside and one for resting and total opacity. The fabrics are selected according to these needs. One Bandalux awning is also used in the terrace, providing a comfortable outdoor space. 

At the £55 million new-build Bideford College in Devon, careful selection of sustainable materials was of the utmost importance to help the building achieve a BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’. When choosing solutions to control the numerous doors throughout the building, product lifecycle and longevity were important to help create a sustainable and low maintenance building. To achieve this, a comprehensive range of products from dormakaba was specified to install TS 93 cam action closers, as well as latches and floor springs. Incorporating a series of eco-friendly features the scheme received a Civic Building Award and a RIBA Award.

This 2018 Brick Awards winning project, the development on Creek Road, comprises of 83 contemporary homes and 1,800 sqm of commercial floor space. The architectural brief called for the brickwork to mirror an existing type and colour dating back to Victorian times. The selection of building materials was pivotal to the realisation of the project, and after careful consideration of the various options a decision was taken to centre the construction around one primary brick type: British manufactured Ibstock’s Funton Old Chelsea Yellow bricks, locally sourced from our Ashdown Factory, East Sussex.

Faversham Linen Services are one of the leading commercial laundry service providers in the South East and recently moved into their 28,000ft2 state of the art factory. The factory is responsible for washing over 14 million garments every year and the company take great care to minimise their impact on the surrounding environment. With the disruption caused by industrial sized machines working long hours and HGV's going to and from the site throughout the day, Faversham Linen Services chose to install 76m of Jakoustic® Reflective Acoustic Barrier to help minimise the impact of their operations on local residents.

The Courtyards is an extra care housing scheme in Preston designed by Levitt Bernstein Architects, for Community Gateway Association, a community-led organisation that empowers residents and local people to shape its services and improve their homes. 60 apartments, split into 40 two-bed and 20 one-bed homes, are arranged around two landscaped courtyards and set within existing mature trees, affording all residents a strong connection to nature. A striking black barn sits between the courtyards and features PREFA Rhomboids in P.10 Black colour.

A combination of traditional luxury and modern style right in the heart of London. The hotel features an elegant and completely refurbished lobby area, Immaculately designed rooms and suites, boasting luxury amenities including marble bathrooms with TOTO EK WASHLET and TOTO NC Wall hung WCs. The stunning interior is by RPW Design. Through the careful selection of quality materials and thoughtful reworking of room layouts, RPW’s aim was to enhance the sense of luxury and increase the number of suites, making the hotel memorable to guests and the envy of its Park Lane hotelier neighbours.

MacMillan Academy, responsible for the care and education of 1500 11- 18-year olds, undertook during the summer of 2019, a large project to further refurbish many corridors within its central building, with the help of Yeoman Shield wall protection products. As a campus site the Academy’s central building is one of the oldest dating from around 1940 and in a bid to meet today’s expectations and blend seamlessly with the newer, fresher facilities it was key to find a solution which both enhanced the overall appearance, whilst also ensuring hardwearing durable areas were achieved.

One of the most recognisable buildings in Keynsham, UK has been given a new lease of life which includes a number of new restaurants, a cinema, spa and swimming pool alongside over 55's living accommodation. The former Fry's chocolate factory was built in the 1920s, and it later became home to Cadbury. After a £60million investment, St Monica Trust has converted the iconic former Cadbury's chocolate factory into 151 assisted living apartments and a 90-bed nursing care home was project managed by the Andrew Wilson Partnership, with architects KWL of South Wales, and AWW of Bristol.

A man with a prosthetic limb faced difficulties in his small, impractical bathroom after a leg injury. Collaborating with an Occupational Therapist, Care Spaces redesigned the space, ensuring approval from both the therapist and the user. They revamped the bathroom into a functional wet room, addressing accessibility issues. Key features included a level-access shower, shower seat, non-slip flooring, safety grab rails, an accessible toilet, and basin. The transformed space now meets the user's needs, enabling independent living. Notably, the adaptation benefits the user's son, who has a disability, ensuring a lasting solution for the family.

The Royal Bournemouth Hospital’s ‘Jigsaw Building’, housing cancer treatment facilities and a new Women’s Health Unit opened in 2015. As part of the interior design, expansive wall murals featuring familiar seaside scenes were specified for key locations within the hospital. Due to its durability, resistance to damage and easy clean qualities, CS Acrovyn by Design® was identified as the best medium for delivering the artwork in busy hospital areas. Installed in the Oncology Recliner Bay and in the Breast Care Subwait, vibrant murals create a positive distraction and a calming, soothing environment for patients and visitors.

Promat UK has worked with Doorset Technology to help deliver a safe environment for a specialist healthcare facility. The new Ribblemere Unit at the Chorley and South Ribble District General Hospital, provides vitally important care for women experiencing severe mental health in the perinatal period. PYROSEC® 19 was chosen for its outstanding performance characteristics. It is a modified toughened, fire/physical attack resistant glass. With full transparency, the dual purpose nature of the glass makes it ideal for use in public sector environments, such as hospitals, social and mental health facilities, as well as police stations and custodial buildings.

Modernising historic properties can bring major challenges. The architects at Fuse Studios gave careful consideration to this question as they prepared for a refurbishment of the Fine Arts building at Leeds University. Early on, the new access ramp at the front entrance was identified as an important visual centrepiece. The architects opted to use Q-railing products, including an LED-lit handrail, when creating an ultra-safe glass railing for the ramp. Q-railing recommended the Easy Glass Max system. It is highly robust, meeting all the relevant safety requirements with ease, and yet provides an uninterrupted glazed area.

Part of a £162m investment in cancer care for the region. Affording stunning views, the open-plan chemotherapy department ensures each patient has a dedicated treatment bay, offering the choice to maintain privacy or interact with others. May Ling Nuttman, BDP Architects, “Rockfon Medicare Plus was used throughout the building, with Blanka dB being used to areas where the walls did not extend to the soffit and therefore, where higher acoustic insulation was required. We were very happy with the final outcome.” HTM 60 compliant Rockfon Medicare is perfect for demanding healthcare applications

NORclad supplied almost 1000m2 of the PEFC certified Thermowood for this project back in 2021, a new purpose-built £8m GP surgery in Crediton.Offering residents a much wider range of services than they were able to receive in the town and enables it to cope with a growing population.The official ribbon-cutting opening ceremony at Redlands Primary Care, located on Joseph Locke Way took place in October ’21.A number of areas of the project required the timber to meet EuroClass B, NORclad are able to offer this as a service to the timber, under factory controlled conditions. This allows the timber to be used as soon as it arrives on site.

AFL Architects wanted design consistency across the separate psychiatric intensive care unit and adult inpatient rehabilitation wards in this new Mental Health facility, in Leigh, Wigan. Our electronic locksets were used across the wards, offering superior safety for staff and service users – as the only electronic locksets with Staff Override System, staff can always gain access in an emergency. And offering service users control over their own living space by issuing a harmless key fob also met the trust's requirements of promoting service user independence and restoring dignity.

Good Hope Hospital set up plans for a new Paediatric emergency department to help care for their youngest patients.  Horsley Hube Architects Ltd jumped at the chance to specify YewdaleKestrel® products which were installed by our clients, Just Fabrics. With safety in mind, anti-ligature products were chosen for the cubicle tracking (K100 Curtain Divider Track), curtain tracks (K6200 Window Curtain Track) and window blinds (KVL31 Premium profile wand operated vertical blinds) with grey Dart PVC fabric. Read the full case study for more information.

Altro wall solutions support fight against COVID-19ChallengeNew Jersey’s Holy Name Medical Centre was at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19, coping with an alarmingly high rate of new COVID case admissions. It became clear that for Holy Name Medical Centre to continue providing its patients with crucial life-saving care, their existing Intensive Care Unit (ICU) space would need to undergo an essential update.Approach“Our ICU was built in the 1960s and was in need of an upgrade,” stated Melissa Candela, Holy Name Medical Centre’s Manager of Design and Construction. “Our experience at the epicentre of New Jersey’s outbreak triggered an action plan to transition the outdated space to a unit with the highest technology, safety, and design standards, in addition to strong functionality.” The design of the unit needed to prioritise interiors that could endure frequent cleaning and disinfecting routines while helping to create a design-oriented space with a patient focus.SolutionHoly Name Medical Centre selected Altro Whiterock White and the decorative Altro Whiterock wall designs throughout the ICU to create a high design, hygienic space for patient treatment. Altro Whiterock is a hygienic walls system, providing smooth impact-resistant surfaces and leaving dirt and bacteria nowhere to hide. This is especially practical in the case of Holy Name Medical Centre’s ICU, where thorough cleaning is vital in promoting the safety of patients and staff alike. Altro Whiterock wall designs can be used alongside Altro Whiterock White to create a less clinical feel in patient areas.

In conjunction with construction company Speller Metcalfe, Medspace was delighted to work on the new £35 million Accident and Emergency department at Worcestershire Royal Hospital. The previous A&E department at Worcestershire Royal Hospital had been built in 2002 to service a far smaller number of expected patients – around 45,000 patients each year. In recent years, the A&E department has seen 75,000 attendees every year – more than 160% of their predicted numbers. As such, the size and layout were inadequate to service today’s patient numbers.Medspace was tasked with designing, manufacturing, and installing bespoke reception desks and staff bases for the new A&E department as well as our standard HTM63 and HTM71 storage solutions. The desks and bases were bespoke designs made to fit the spaces perfectly and to house all the items necessary in these spaces.To ensure the finished items were as successful as possible, we worked closely with the hospital, the architect and Speller Metcalfe to get the designs right for the space and make them as functional and useful as possible. The items had to be highly durable and versatile so that staff could use them as effectively as possible, making their jobs easier and making it more straightforward to treat patients.The designs we created for Worcestershire Royal Hospital A&E department made use of solid surface; highly clinical materials with seamless joints, making them ideal for infection control within healthcare environments. This offers the client peace of mind that their staff bases and reception desks will last the test of time, no matter how much traffic they see. Working closely with SpellerMetcalfe, the Medspace team installed the fitted furniture and equipment to fit in with their construction schedule so that the project could be completed and handed over to the client by their agreed timeline. Our team fitted the items quickly and without disrupting other ongoing work on the site. Medspace was tasked with designing, manufacturing, and installing bespoke reception desks and staff bases for the new A&E department as well as our standard HTM63 and HTM71 storage solutions. The desks and bases were bespoke designs made to fit the spaces perfectly and to house all the items necessary in these spaces.To ensure the finished items were as successful as possible, we worked closely with the hospital, the architect and Speller Metcalfe to get the designs right for the space and make them as functional and useful as possible. The items had to be highly durable and versatile so that staff could use them as effectively as possible, making their jobs easier and making it more straightforward to treat patients.The designs we created for Worcestershire Royal Hospital A&E department made use of solid surface; highly clinical materials with seamless joints, making them ideal for infection control within healthcare environments. This offers the client peace of mind that their staff bases and reception desks will last the test of time, no matter how much traffic they see. The A&E department has proven to be a resounding success, revolutionising the provision of emergency medical care in the region. The department has significantly reduced waiting times and enhanced patient outcomes with state-of-the-art facilities, streamlined processes, and a dedicated team. SpellerMetcalfe said, “The expansion of urgent care facilities will further contribute to the improvements being led by local health and care organisations to reduce waiting times, improve ambulance handovers and also introduce new and innovative models of care in and out of hospital.”

GEC Anderson stainless steel worktops were specified for ward kitchens within the Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocinology and Metabolism (OCDEM). Part of the Radcliffe Department of Medicine, the OCDEM is a pioneering centre that combines clinical care, research and education.Sheppard Robson Architects, specified the L-shaped stainless steel units with hygiene, durability and practicality in mind. Continuous, integral upstands were included at the junction between worktops and walls. Sinks were fully integrated within the continuous stainless steel worksurfaces. The main sink bowls are set within a shallow recessed area, acting as a wet zone and to prevent spillage.

An £8m administrative hub at Bristol Airport has a bespoke Knauf Ceiling Solutions systems fitted throughout. A visually intricate honeycomb effect ceiling required the meticulous installation of suspended hexagonal acoustic rafts with precise spacing. A bespoke DONN® grid ensured each MINERAL Sonic Element was positioned equidistant to each other. Stride Treglown Associate Architects commented, “The internal aesthetic is an honest expression of the steel structure and exposed services installation. However, these two factors require careful acoustic consideration. The result is a series of randomly arranged, hexagonal suspended rafts that provide acoustic function, and a strong visual statement.”

Located near Taunton, Somerset, the Halcon Centre provides short breaks, with 24-hour professional care, for up to 18 adults who are physically disabled or have sensory loss. SureProtect Design® bespoke wall cladding was installed in the main corridor at the centre featuring a row of imitation panels, that have been designed to look hand-drawn with a marker pen to offer the homely feel the centre was looking for. In addition, the Halcon Centre further increased the corridor walls’ protection by installing Gradus’s CGH5090 High Impact PVC-u Corner Guards and WGS200 Wall Guards, both in colour Gravel.

A Health Centre with community at its heart.Out-dated and worn, Greenock’s former Health centre did not facilitate provision for modern, healthcare services. This was an opportunity to create a centre where the local community could get access to efficient, quality care close to home. Strong links to the surrounding area can be felt throughout the Health Centre through art works and displays created by members of the community. The layout of the building is centred around a courtyard garden with a bright, airy atrium that climbs with the site topography. The open-plan staff areas are located on the third floor with spectacular views across the Clyde with a roof terrace for the staff.

Lend Lease bagged the £70m contract to build an emergency care hospital in East Cramlington. The hospital will be the first in the county to have specialists working around the clock to ensure seriously ill or injured patients get treatment quicker. Alongside the major A&E department, the hospital includes a short-stay paediatric facility and consultant-led maternity unit. Its innovative design includes wards arranged around a central nurses' station, to enable staff to keep a closer eye on patients. Naylor Concrete supplied Hi-Spec R8 and R6 concrete lintels to Specialist Brickwork Contractor P James throughout the construction.

“Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust CEO, Ben Travis, was delighted with the new facility … he confirmed that this project was the catalyst for delivering improved care and facilities in Woolwich. Venesta dealt with issues and restraints not of their making, along with their Accredited Installer, excellently. The pre-installed sanitaryware provided a better quality finish and a programme advantage” - Kevin Millen, Vinci Construction We supplied more than 40 boxed-out hand washing units to suit various clinical purposes, enabling staff to stay sanitised. All sanitaryware was pre-plumbed and tested at our manufacturing facility, saving time and reducing labour on site.

D1 Decking Solutions recently completed the remediation of Kensington Aldridge Academy’s terrace deck and balustrades, using the AliDeck Senior Ridged Board and AliRail Plate Fix systems. The transformation has created a fire-safe and futureproof environment.Recent years have seen a stringent review of current building regulations led by drastic changes outlined in BS 8579:2020, a welcome step forward in improving the fire safety of thousands of buildings across the UK.After careful consideration, AliDeck aluminium decking and AliRail balustrades were specified to ensure project success was achieved. Our products offer complete Aluminium balcony, terrace, and walkway solutions.

The North Block expansion (Cork Cancer Centre) at Bon Secours Hospital Cork incorporates a 12,500m2 7 storey development, including Radiotherapy, Oncology, Ward Accommodation, Critical Care and Operating theatre facilities.Forbo products were used almost exclusively throughout as the client recognised its durability over the years in the existing facility.Forbo was able to provide a wide range of flooring solutions from entrance ways and high quality, sustainable floor coverings, to hygienic and slip resistant surfaces.The Marmoleum range met the environmental, technical and maintenance requirements of the development with wide range of available colours assisting in the interior design development and way-finding design.

The £226m, 513 single bedroomed hospital features a dedicated Women and Children’s unit with a Level 2 Neo-Natal Unit providing special and high dependency care. The imposing primary windows have been supplemented with secondary units providing better internal environment control, offering additional guarding and allowing for remote controlled privacy blinds. Together with main contractor Laing O’Rourke, Selectaglaze developed a design that met all criteria. Most windows were treated with Series 40 hinged and fixed panels featuring a chamfer bead to avoid dust ledges. Glazed with 8.8mm laminated glass, the units meet the required safety levels.

At the heart of one of the largest centres of health science and medical research in the world, the £140 million Papworth Hospital in Cambridge has seen the application of a comprehensive range of waterproofing solutions from Sika, ensuring this landmark hospital has a watertight and healthy future.Located on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, the 300 bed hospital replaced the existing Papworth Hospital and was built by Skanska for the Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. The specialised cardiothoracic hospital will features 7 state-of-the-art theatres, a 46 bed critical care area including Cardiac Recovery Unit and Cardiac High Dependency Unit, diagnostic and treatment facilities and a 24 bed day ward.

A 1963 Vanwide railway goods wagon with plans to turn it into a garden room for a family. To get the wagon to a usable state, a full strip out was required, leaving only the metal casing of the original wagon remaining. Once the wagon was stripped back, there wasn’t much metal remaining for the roof, only six thin metal trusses were left. Due to the shape of the wagon, insulation was needed that not only performed well but was fully flexible to fit the arched roof. It was also important that the insulation had a shallow profile to fit into the narrow space. Looking to insulate the 2m x 5m roof, careful consideration had to be given to retaining the original look of the carriage.

Altro wall solutions support fight against COVID-19ChallengeNew Jersey’s Holy Name Medical Centre was at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19, coping with an alarmingly high rate of new COVID case admissions. It became clear that for Holy Name Medical Centre to continue providing its patients with crucial life-saving care, their existing Intensive Care Unit (ICU) space would need to undergo an essential update.Approach“Our ICU was built in the 1960s and was in need of an upgrade,” stated Melissa Candela, Holy Name Medical Centre’s Manager of Design and Construction. “Our experience at the epicentre of New Jersey’s outbreak triggered an action plan to transition the outdated space to a unit with the highest technology, safety, and design standards, in addition to strong functionality.” The design of the unit needed to prioritise interiors that could endure frequent cleaning and disinfecting routines while helping to create a design-oriented space with a patient focus.SolutionHoly Name Medical Centre selected Altro Whiterock White and the decorative Altro Whiterock wall designs throughout the ICU to create a high design, hygienic space for patient treatment. Altro Whiterock is a hygienic walls system, providing smooth impact-resistant surfaces and leaving dirt and bacteria nowhere to hide. This is especially practical in the case of Holy Name Medical Centre’s ICU, where thorough cleaning is vital in promoting the safety of patients and staff alike. Altro Whiterock wall designs can be used alongside Altro Whiterock White to create a less clinical feel in patient areas.Altro Whiterock wall designs give elegance to interior walls while providing the durability you expect from an Altro Whiterock wall sheet.

High performance, one-coat, weberpral M through coloured monocouche render from Weber has been specified for recent new-build properties at St. George’s Park Retirement Village in Burgess Hill, West Sussex.The new buildings will provide extended accommodation for the retirement community established and run by Augustinian Care which is set in 250 acres of glorious parkland and gardens.The buildings are finished with weberpral M, a one-coat, through-coloured external decorative render. An elegant ashlar architectural detail has been used to underscore the traditional aesthetics required to blend perfectly with buildings already established in this community. The project was designed by award-winning PRP Architects, with practices in London, Manchester and Surrey, who undertook the original brief for the St. George’s Park Retirement Village.  PRP Architects specialise in designing high quality buildings that enrich the lives of users and their communities.The main contractor, Galliford Try Building, is very impressed with the weberpral M decorative render noting that it is a high quality material and that the application work carried out by Complete Rendering Systems was first class and has given the very best possible finish for St George’s Park.weberpral M, a one-coat, cementitious, through-coloured render, is suitable for application to most brick and block work substrates. It is factory produced from carefully selected raw materials for consistency and supplied ready-mixed requiring only the addition of clean water on site. It is formulated for pump application which makes for quick and efficient installation, contributing to shorter programme periods, reducing associated scaffolding and site costs and permitting the completion of ground works at an earlier stage.weberpral M has excellent weather resistance and durability whilst allowing the structure to breathe. The through-coloured render requires no decoration, is truly low maintenance and offers a variety of ways to achieve distinct architectural features. On the St George’s properties ashlar patterns have been applied. weberpral M is applied in a two pass operation to a thickness of 20-28mm and then scraped when green giving a minimum render thickness of 15 to 25mm. When set but not fully hard, the ashlar detail is cut into the render ensuring that a minimum of 15mm is left at the base of any cut. The through-colour characteristic of weberpral M ensures that the overall colour aesthetic is maintained even in the deepest recess.The properties at St. George’s Park Retirement Village have been finished in Ivory, just one of 24 colours in the weberpral M range.  Specialist applicator Complete Rendering Systems of Lewes, East Sussex, were awarded the contract and director Bradley Halls supervised the project. “Our extensive experience of applying Weber render products gave us complete confidence that we would meet the client’s expectations. Overall there was 1000m² of weberpral M applied and the ashlar work covered approximately 600m² with the remaining surface carrying a plain scraped finish. We worked at St. George’s Park Retirement Village over a six month period as the buildings were readied and the colour consistency is perfect.”Weber is the first manufacturer of monocouche renders to be awarded an A+ rating as defined in the BRE Global 2008 Green Guide to Specification. This audited material helps specifiers to make selections that will collectively reduce the environmental impact of their buildings while achieving a higher number of BREEAM material specification credits.St. George’s Park Retirement Village is located on the site of the original Retreat that was the first home established by the Sisters of St. Augustine when it was re-formed in 1866, principally to care for the mentally and physically ill. The Sisters have continued to care for those that need it ever since in several care facilities in Sussex.