FEATURE ARTICLES
Software accurately models ‘real-world’ performance
A software system which helps heating and cooling system designers make more accurate engineering calculations using ‘dynamic simulation’ to show how their installation will perform under ‘real-world’ conditions has been deployed at an Essex hospital
Teamwork and commitment have made the difference
Anyone working in healthcare has their own experience from the COVID-19 outbreak, and especially its peak, but what was it like for those working behind the clinical care frontline in facilities management?
New-build or refurbish in the healthcare sector?
The post-virus world sets immense challenges for every aspect of the healthcare estate, particularly in the creation of modern facilities which are fit-for purpose to accommodate the latest technology and practices.
Better training pathway for decontamination engineers
With the advancement of technologies, and the need for greater accountability, John Prendergast, senior Decontamination engineer, , discusses the current training systems for engineers working on equipment used to decontaminate medical devices.
Insulation monitoring brings safety and cost-savings
An in-depth look at the importance of insulation monitoring in protecting both medical staff and patients in operating theatres and other Group II medical facilities.
Building in landscape for a more ‘natural’ experience
The Landscape director at architects BDP’s Bristol studio considers some of the most effective ways to build access to nature into hospital design to aid recovery and wellbeing, and explains how this was accomplished at two high-profile new hospitals
Designing more resilient hospitals for the future
With the coronavirus pandemic seeing the rapid construction of an emergency hospital in Wuhan, Burkhard Musselmann, Managing Principal and healthcare architect at Stantec, and Maria Ionescu, senior healthcare architect, discuss 'what we've learned.
Ensuring the best UPS system performance
Alex Emms, Operations director at Kohler Uninterruptible Power, highlights some of the key priorities for healthcare engineering teams to consider to ensure that hospitals and other healthcare facilities have safe, efficient, and compliant UPS system
Facility engineered ‘through the eyes of a patient’
Thomas Rodger, MEng MIET, at AECOM, describes the critical first 48 hours of work converting a conference venue into Glasgow’s COVID-19 hospital, NHS Louisa Jordan, and how he believes the experience can bring about positive change in future projects
Design challenges for one of Europe’s tallest lab buildings
The newest addition to Imperial College London’s White City campus, The Sir Michael Uren Biomedical Engineering Hub, is one of Europe’s tallest laboratory buildings. Buro Happold, the project’s consultant, describes the design challenges.
Adopting a military model is secret to Avensys’ success
An Army-trained engineer who is CEO of biomedical equipment engineering services specialist, Avensys, believes many NHS EBME departments are under-resourced and undervalued. Consequently many may be over-reliant on OEMs for equipment maintenance.
A ‘Nightingale’ hospital with a difference completed
The NHS Nightingale Hospital in Exeter was the last of the eight Nightingale UK hospitals to be built. Writing exclusively for HEJ, project manager Andy Witnall, from contractor BAM, explains why it is different to others.
Staying agile and flexible in the face of new challenges
In this ‘question and answer’-style article, Adrian Powell, head of Property Development at NHS Property Services, discusses future NHSPS and wider NHS estates optimisation strategy ‘post-COVID-19’ with HEJ editor, Jonathan Baillie.
Understanding the risks of pathogen aspiration
Elaine Waggott, director of Operations for Angel Guard and Water Kinetics, and a former head of the Business Development team for Ideal Standard/Armitage Shanks, discusses some of the key risks posed by aerosol transmission of harmful pathogens.
Engineering interventions’ contribution highlighted
IHEEM was among the professional engineering bodies to contribute to a ‘Rapid Review of engineering factors that will influence the spread of COVID-19 in hospital environments’ earlier this year, the results of which were unveiled in June by the RAE.
Finding smarter ways to manage energy sustainably
Many NHS Trusts have taken advantage of distributed energy technologies to reduce energy costs, improve sustainability, and improve resilience. Few, however, are making the most of newer opportunities to fully optimise their energy.
Staff go ‘above and beyond’ in their efforts to contribute
This year’s coronavirus outbreak has seen many organisations in the healthcare sphere turn their hand to non- ‘run-of-the’ mill activity as part of the wider UK effort to tackle the virus.
Lessons from pandemic must inform future practice
Stuart Skinner, senior Product manager at Rada, looks at what can be learnt from the initial response to COVID-19, and how those learnings can inform the role that infection control plays in the very fabric of our healthcare infrastructure.
London Nightingale project: team spirit ‘shone through’
Eugene Conroy CEng, FIHEEM, MIET, managing director of consulting engineers, Eta Projects, reports on the personal experiences of the professional team in the delivery of the NHS Nightingale Hospital London.
‘Extremely complex’ plant installation at ‘supercentre'
The creation of a decontamination ‘supercentre’ for the Royal Free which is enabling it to decontaminate and sterilise more efficiently under one roof, and also to take on work from other Trusts, required an ‘extremely complex’ plant installation.
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Construction Specialties (CS) is a global manufacturer with over 50 years’ experience of supplying quality specialist building products to the healthcare sector. Our solutions assist in increasing the lifecycle of the building fabric and reducing cleaning and maintenance costs, whilst meeting the aesthetic and functional requirements of...