THERMASKIRT A TOWERING SUCCESS FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL

A Scottish primary school has upgraded its heating system and given its facilities a new lease of life thanks to ThermaSkirt heated skirting board from Discrete Heat. The radiant baseboard was specified as part of an expansion and refurbishment project at Tower Bank Primary, Edinburgh.

Due to an increase in demand the primary school had an additional three-story classroom complex built and relocated the existing nursery to accommodate the extra pupils. After finding the old heating system to be antiquated and inefficient ThermaSkirt was called upon to heat the new extension, nursery and toilet block, providing an all round comfortable and safe heat, similar to that of under floor heating.

Tower Bank Primary occupies a Victorian building that comprises an old and delicate single pipe heating system served by gas condensing boilers. This inefficient system could not be extended for use in the new parts of the school so an alternative heating system was required.

Planners were presented with a number of restrictions when choosing the heating system due to the design layout of the new classrooms. The nursery and a ground floor classroom have direct access to the playground via sliding doors, which automatically limits the amount of wall space available. This combined with the window areas being maximised to ensure a sufficient daylight factor due to the orientation of the building, further reduced space in which to mount heat emitters.

Another considerable factor was that regulations require the nursery to be supplied with low surface temperature heating while the classrooms can receive the normal temperature as provided by the gas condensing boiler that serves the existing school buildings.  Unlike other heating systems, ThermaSkirt can be run at high and low temperatures with a response time to match conventional radiators enabling it to cope with the fluctuating heating demands of a school.

Traditional radiators were concluded to not be a viable option, as the limited space would cause the heat to be concentrated in the one area directly around the radiator. After a demonstration to the in-house mechanical consultant, ThermaSkirt was specified for its ability to fit into the tight space under the window and provide an even distribution of heat across the room while not taking up any usable space so total flexibility for classroom layout is allowed.

ThermaSkirt heated skirting boards produce a heating pattern similar to that of under floor heating but does not entail the same extensive installation work and instead is an easy retrofit for a wide range of property types. Having been independently tested for its level of energy efficiency compared to conventional radiators, ThermaSkirt was found to have a 50% higher heat transfer ability while reducing bills significantly thanks to its naturally lower running temperature.

ThermaSkirt’s profile is identical to that of a skirting board allowing ThermaSkirt to be wiped clean at the same time as the floors are mopped and with no exposed pipes or protrusions it is free of trip hazards making it the obvious choice for creating a safe environment for children.

Further information on EasyClean LST is available from Discrete Heat on 0845 1238 367, by emailing: martin@discreteheat.co.uk, or by visiting the company’s website at www.discreteheat.co.uk

WARM RESPONSE FOR THERMASKIRT AT SPECIAL NEEDS HOME

A new special needs care home in Nuneaton is benefiting from the secure and reliable ThermaSkirt heated skirting board system to provide a comfortable environment for the residents. NobleCare selected Discrete Heat’s ThermaSkirt product to install in the new 12 bed care home after finding it to be the heating solution that fitted all the architect’s strict requirements.

ThermaSkirt is a radiant skirting board that doesn’t entail the bulky covers or exposed pipes of conventional radiators while providing an all-round comfortable heat from the ground up but at significantly lower installation and running costs than under floor heating. Its rapid response time caters for the variation in occupancy and type of activity to ensure the care home is energy efficient without compromising the comfort of the residents.

The purpose built care units are designed to cater for young persons with severe autism and learning disabilities and therefore the heating system installed faced intense scrutiny from NobleCare and their designers, a.i.architecture, to ensure it would withstand the exuberance of the care environment. Personal safety of the inhabitants was of great concern as those suffering with autism can be unpredictable and prone to accidental self-harm so it was of utmost importance that the heating system posed as little hazard as possible.

Conventional LST radiators were ruled out as their bulky covers restricted space and wheelchair access while also posing a collision hazard with sharp edges and exposed pipe work. The architects ruled out under floor heating due to previous experience of the system in similar care establishments found that it encouraged the residents to lie on the floor rather than participate in the therapeutic activities that they are there to benefit from.

ThermaSkirt caught the attention of the architects by chance through a Google search with its rapid response to output requirements, allowing the users to easily adjust the controls when needed to maximise comfort and save money on energy bills by reducing the amount of heat wastage.

Designed to replace the skirting board and radiators in one convenient package, ThermaSkirt blends into the interior with secure top and bottom fixing making it an extremely durable and robust retrofit heating alternative. The seamless transition between ThermaSkirt and the floor allows the skirting board to be wiped clean at the same time as moping the floors, lessening maintenance time and ensuring a hygienic environment that is vitally important to care facilities. The ThermaSkirt system allows for maximised use of space by not being wall mounted and with a profile of less than 20mm it doesn’t cause restrictive obstacles to the functionality of the building.

The care home received recognition of its meticulous design and planning through being short-listed for the Pinders National Healthcare Design Awards in the Best Design for Younger Adults category. Ian Ray of a.i.architecture commented; “On seeing ThermaSkirt we recognised straight away its potential to solve our heating problems. We couldn’t use LST radiators as the service users are prone to self-harm and occasional vandalism. Our client and ourselves are really impressed by the ThermaSkirt package that is working well and providing everything we hoped it would. We’re already designing the system into future projects”.

ThermaSkirt is available in a variety of profiles and colours to suit all interior designs and is supplied pre-finished to allow quick and simple installation, minimising disruption to facilities services.

Further information on EasyClean LST is available from Discrete Heat on 0845 1238 367, by emailing: martin@discreteheat.co.uk, or by visiting the company’s website at http://www.discreteheat.co.uk

HEALTH CENTRE FIGHTS WAR ON GERMS WITH EASYCLEAN LST

Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust has selected EasyClean LST to solve the various heating problems they faced when redeveloping the Queensway Health Centre in Hatfield.

Developed in conjunction with the NHS, the EasyClean LST has evolved from ThermaSkirt, the successful heated skirting board, to provide an easily cleaned, low maintenance heating system that significantly reduces the risk of infection and lowers running costs.

The Queensway Health Centre in Hatfield underwent a £3 million redevelopment and specified EasyClean LST as it provided solutions to all of the Health Centre’s heating requirements and is easily retrofitted into existing buildings.

Many healthcare facilities find a significant proportion of their maintenance budgets are wasted on old, inefficient heating systems that are expensive to run. Comprising large buildings with multiple open areas, hospitals require a heating system to be economical, reliable and easily controllable all whilst providing a comfortable environment for patients.

A key area of concern is infection control and a great effort is made to eliminate any areas where infectious spores and germs breed. Traditional radiators require covers to achieve low surface temperature health and safety standards, but these then become a dirt trap that entails a high level of maintenance to clean. This is not only time consuming but also prevents the delivery of services as the room is out of action whilst the covers are removed.

After some research and recommendations from previous projects, both NHS and private, EasyClean LST was specified by project manager Andrew Philips from Ampersand Associates to be used as the heating method throughout the clinic.

Being a radiant heated baseboard, EasyClean LST is connected onto a traditional plumbed system and provides an all round comfortable heat that is similar to that of underfloor heating without the disruption associated with underfloor heating. EasyClean LST’s flexibility and simplicity in design allows it to be applied to accommodate all room sizes and layouts while freeing up wall space unlike conventional radiators.

The grill-free profile blends seamlessly with the wall, eliminating any gaps or areas in which dirt and germs can accumulate and pose a health risk. This also significantly reduces maintenance time and costs as EasyClean can be wiped down when the floors are mopped rather than needing specialist equipment. EasyClean’s suitability for the healthcare sector is furthered with its natural anti-ligature design and absence of sharp edges and exposed pipes that can pose trip hazards.

Having been independently tested against conventional radiators, EasyClean LST has been proven to be more energy efficient due to the systems naturally low running temperatures allowing the entire heating system to operate more efficiently and reduce energy bills, and thus carbon footprint.

After being installed on time and in budget, the client has expressed their interest in using the product again on other NHS refurbishment projects. Graham Bell, head of capital projects for NHS Property Services concluded, “As part of the Queensway Health Clinic refurbishment we were very keen to ensure an energy efficient delivery of heat, whilst maintaining patient safety and to design out cleaning troubles, which are typically experienced with traditional radiators especially when they are fitted with an LST cover. Specifying ThermaSkirt has achieved all of the above”.

Further information on EasyClean LST is available from Discrete Heat on 0845 1238 367, by emailing: martin@discreteheat.co.uk, or by visiting the company’s website at http://www.discreteheat.co.uk