Dementia Research Centre focusses on Heating the Right Way

The Iris Murdoch DSDC (Dementia Services Development Centre) is a world renowned centre of excellence for the diagnosis and care of persons with dementia. It has spearheaded the UK wide development of a better understanding of the disease, and also pioneered many new designs and technologies to improve the standard of care. When the centre decided to revamp their Virtual Care Home display rooms, they enlisted the services of BPA Architecture in Edinburgh – a well respected practice that specialises in the design and development of better care homes.

Sarah Mullin, Lead Architect at BPA explained;

“When we were asked to redesign the bedroom at the training centre, we started from 1st principles and considered everything from the needs of the patient. The latest developments in beds, hoists and bathrooms were all readily available, but when it came to providing a heating solution, we were unsure how to proceed. Clearly conventional LST radiators take up valuable wall space and present a hygiene problem, but under floor is difficult to control quickly, and so overheating has been a problem in many care homes. Similarly overhead radiant panels present there own challenges such as requiring higher ceilings and creating hot spots directly under them. We were keen to find a new solution.”

The Solution

By chance, Emeritus Proffessor Mary Marshall, a former Director at the DSDC and of Age Concern Scotland, had recently given a speech at the HealthCare Estates exhibition in Manchester, and had come across the EasyClean LST radiant skirting heating system, that had just been launched at the show. Proffessor Marshall immediately recognised the benefits of the system and sugested it to BPA.

The EasyClean LST combines the radiator heating into a convenient skirting board 'trim' that has a high security fixing and seals to the walls and floors. As result, the heat is not only controllable and responsive, but is kept free of germs and infections with a simple wipe down when mopping the floors. Being a skirting board profile, it is naturally anti-ligature, and can also provide a more familiar 'domestic feel' for those suffering with early alzheimers.

Iris Murdoch Centre Business Manager Chris McAdam explains:

“Patient comfort is an important part of the care and service clients can expect to receive in a well designed and run facility. Hygiene and safety are also necessary considerations, and the radiant skirting solution seems to answer all these issues.”

The Result

The EasyClean LST was simply installed onto the existing hydronic heating system, replacing a bulky and potentially hazardous radiator under the window. By circulating the heat evenly around the room at low level, it provides a comfort level that rivals underfloor heating, but with a response time (on & off) measured in minutes, not hours. As the EasyClean LST is at ground level, installation and maintenance is considerably simplified. Due to its fully sealed system it is easily cleaned and disinfected during general cleaning of floors. Being a low surface temperature emitter, it can also reduce running costs by allowing the heat source to operate at maximum efficiency.

As a result, the EasyClean LST system is now being specified on major NHS and private sector care homes, as well as being listed on the prestigious Procure 21+ program which aims to standardize components and reduce capital & running costs across the NHS.