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The
completion of a new £60m Cardiothoracic Centre (CTC) at Basildon
Hospital means that patients in Essex will no longer have to travel to
London to undergo treatment. Housed in a new four-storey building
at Basildon and Thurrock University Hospital it will act as a centre of
excellence and the hub of a new network of cardiac services across the
county.
Ceiling mounted Radiant Heating panels from HCP, a division of SAS
International, were chosen for the project as they offer a discrete
heating solution, which frees up valuable floor space.
Importantly in this type of environment they are also easy to clean,
have a long life-cycle, and unlike other heating methods, have not been
linked to the spread of diseases such as Legionnaires’ Disease.
Architects Nightingale Associates recognised this as a space saving and
hygienic solution: “Our client was keen to ensure that we maximised the
use of floor space. Of particular concern to them was where desks
and computers abutted radiators. They felt this used up valuable
space and also made cleaning more difficult. The current focus on
infection control within hospitals combined with the space requirement
was a key driver to us selecting radiant panels as a heating solution
for this scheme.” commented Graham Harris from Nightingale Associates.
Featuring throughout all four floors of the Centre, the panels range
from 600mm to 6 metres in length. Radiant Heating panels have
been used in the ward areas, offices, meeting rooms, reception areas
and corridors.
Along with integrating into suspended ceiling systems, some panels were
also integrated within plain plasterboard ceilings. In order to
provide essential maintenance access to pipework and valves for these
panels, HCP manufactured flush fitting access plates.
HCP Radiant Heating panels are manufactured from aluminium and copper
and are 100% recyclable. They contain approximately one seventh
the amount of water in a traditional radiator system, which results in
a reduction in plant size and energy consumption.
Planned maintenance of the product is minimal due to the lack of moving
parts within the panel. This means that regular maintenance work will
have little impact on either the building’s occupants or the Trust.
The state-of-the-art CTC includes over 100 beds, a critical care unit,
specialist theatres for heart and other major chest surgery,
laboratories and overnight facilities for relatives. The CTC has
just been handed over to this NHS Trust.
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