Latest guide helps healthcare designers
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Desiging better healthcare facilities is the aim of a new guide produced by flooring experts Tarkett.
The company has drawn on its 130 years of commercial flooring expertise to produce the guide which covers all areas of healthcare, from sanitary facilities to operating theatres and pharmacies.
The Healthcare Solutions Guide details how design and ergonomics can change perceptions and improve patient comfort.
John Devine, UK Sales Director for Tarkett, said: “Flooring plays a major role in how an interior is perceived and can be used creatively to fulfil a wide range of functional and aesthetic requirements. It can separate areas, act as a way finder for patients and staff, reduce stress and improve comfort. But the guide is not just about visual appearances – it covers durability, cost effectiveness, hygiene and infection control. For architects and designers it’s a vital tool in creating long-lasting facilities that benefit patients and staff.”
The guide draws on Tarkett’s experience of providing quality flooring to all manner of healthcare environments from Manchester, England to as far away as Melbourne, Australia.
It suggests suitable products for each area and provides a list of considerations for designers to take into account.
One example is in the use of flooring in operating theatres, where the product must be suitable for intensive cleaning and provide protection from electrostatic discharge, which can damage sensitive equipment and ignite flammable gasses.
Sustainability and the environment are also key factors considered by Tarkett within the guide.
John added: “Designing and manufacturing sustainable flooring is a major challenge, but Tarkett has recognised the difference it can make and we have made huge advances in the production and logistics of our flooring. The new linoleum range is made using natural raw materials and last year the Tarkett group collected and recycled more than 6,000 tonnes of post-installation and post-consumer waste. Air quality is also an important factor, particularly in healthcare environments and here our goal is to lead the market by presenting a complete portfolio with VOC emissions below quantifiable levels.”
In total four typical areas that shape the smooth running of a healthcare environment and the orientation paths of patients through the facility are identified and analysed.
These include traffic and common areas, medical areas such as radiology and dialysis, hospitality areas, administration and logistics.
The guide is the second in a series made to assist healthcare designers. The first focused on designing facilities for dementia sufferers.
To request a copy of either guide please email: marketing@tarkett.com or call: 01622 854 040.
