I’m sure most of us are aware, however just incase BS 8300:2001 (Design of buildings and their approaches to disabled people - code of practice) has been revised to BS 8300 :2009. 

Amendments include:

• The recommendations on steps, stairs and handrails reflect those in BS 5395-1.
• There has been a relaxation of the recommendations on the provision of vision panels in doors, and more detailed information is given on the location and design of door opening and closing furniture.
•  More information is now provided on means of escape and references are made to BS 9999.
•  An increased percentage of accessible bedrooms is now recommended.
•  New subclauses have been included on accessible baby changing facilities and Changing Places sanitary accommodation.
•  Information on achieving sufficient visual contrast has been revised and included in a new annex that makes reference to BS 8493 on the measurement of light reflectance values.
• A new annex on slip resistance has been included, drawing on guidance issued by BRE and CIRIA.

These however are not exhuastive and reference should be made to the document itself online through The Construction Information Service.

Nuffield Healthcare Warwickshire Hospitals

Stage one recovery.

Photograph shows the recently refurbished Recovery area. The previously open recovery area has been enclosed inline with the requirements of HBN26.  Tormax glass sliding doors have been introduced, with split sandblasting, to provide privacy for patients and still maintain an visual link between Theatre staff.

Nuffield Healthcare Warwickshire Hospital - Theatre Two.

Photograph shows Theatre two recently refurbished including new doors and nurse workstations.

Stage One Recovery

Due for handover 3rd November, the photogrpah shows the internal view of the recently refurbished and enclosed Stage one recovery area.  All M&E including medical gases have been upgraded. We’ve introduced a central Nurse workstation. The flooring has been setout to mirror the curtain tracks, as previously seen at Nuffield Newcastle.  Also as Newcastle we have utilised Reglit glass screens, through out the Theatre department, to break up and provide interest into what would otherwise be large areas of blank walls.

Royston lifelong learning centre opened it’s doors on 15th September 2008, following the fit out of the library. Some fit out works are still being carried out to the first floor learning areas, but the library and CIS are being well used by the local community. This is one of the last projects to be developed by Barnsley Metropolitan Borough council inconjunction with the European Objective 1 funding.

Week 40 of the programme, due for completion in June 2008. Scaffold down the photograph shows the rear of the building. This will be the main staff and out of hours entrance. The galvanised pipes running parallel up the gable end are the supply and air extract for the fuel to the biomass bolier. The pellets are pumped upto the hopper room on the first floor, and then gravity feed the boiler on the ground floor.
 

Photograph shows the curtain wall bays, which will be the main pedestrian entrance to the Centre. There are some additional finishing works to be carried out to the externals, including a perimeter powder coated steel channel.

Photograph shows a sample of the palette of materials utilised at Royston, Sandtoft interlocking clay Cassius tiles, Weber  Pral H system through coloured render and Finforest thermowood.

Photograph shows the first floor main corridor. The natural light is being provided through the Xtralite triple skin barrel vault skylights.

Photograph shows the CellWeb Tree Root Protection System,  This was a requirement of the planning approval from the Arbicultural officer for protecting the trees roots during the excavations for the new drainage. It is permeable and can offer a permenant ‘no dig’ solution for new access roads, however in this case it is providing temporary protection for the duration of the works.

Wk 31 of the programme, completion set for June 2008. This view of the rear gable shows the pre treated Thermowood battens and cladding from Finn Forest, being fixed inplace. It is expected the timber will fade slightly, but should not lose as much of its original colour as Cedar for instance. Areas of this cladding have been treated for spread of flame, due to the proximity of adjacent (mostly glazed) squash courts. We have resisted the urge to infill the panels with render for the mock Tudor look.

A view from the main staircase across the first floor. Eventually internal partitioning will obscure this view, but we can see the insulation inplace across the entire floor, prior to the Under floor heating pipes being laid.

Ryan Meadows and Joe Stenson, P+HS’s very own little and large, visit site.  This was Joe’s first site visit with P+HS, where as Ryan was dragged out to answer for some of his handy work.

Wk 26 of the Contract and work is being completed to the flat roofs and purlins, prior to the kingspan panels arrival on site. The facing brick is nearly complete, with blockwork continuing from first floor to eaves, this will provide a substrate for the timber cladding to the first floor.

The formwork for the central flat roof at Royston. to the centre are the upstands which will eventually support the Xtralite triple skin barrel vault skylights.