A total of 350 worn timber casements at the Victoria and Lynebank hospitals in Kirkcaldy have been replaced by modern, energy efficient Rehau Total 70C windows.

The installation was carried out by M&S Windows, following a number of successful projects upgrading various healthcare buildings within its jurisdiction

Operated by NHS Fife, Victoria Hospital provides a wide range of services to patients across the region including Accident & Emergency and Minor Injuries Services. The hospital contains approximately 300 staffed beds and has a full range of healthcare specialties. Meanwhile, Lynebank, which is also run by NHS Fife, was established as a specialist hospital for people with learning disabilities.

Derek Sinclair, director at M&S Windows, said: “24 years working with health organisations has given us a sound understanding of how hospitals work and we appreciate there is no room for error. The health and safety of staff and patients is paramount and therefore minimising disruption to day-to-day operations, during building maintenance, is crucial.

“With recent global health events further highlighting the UK population’s reliance on the NHS and its hospitals, it is more important now than ever that healthcare buildings and facilities are of the highest of standards.”

A concoction of challenges

Derek initially visited both hospital sites with the estate managers to assess the issues. It soon became apparent that an upgrade from the existing timber windows was required – they were installed in 1965, were making the buildings inefficient, and demanded additional maintenance. Both properties had specific areas of concern, with around 50 windows needed in the main canteen at Victoria Hospital, and 300 new windows for the offices and Learning Disabilities Services wing at Lynebank Hospital.

Access to the wards and canteen also presented a unique challenge. Specifically, safety and security were of high importance to Victoria Hospital due to the purchase of a new MRI scanner worth over £1.3 million. Additionally, Lynebank hospital unearthed a potential asbestos presence in the old windows which posed a health risk.

Framing a remedy

Working with Rehau fabricator, DP Windows based in Fife, M&S Windows specified, manufactured and installed circa 350 of Rehau’s Total 70C casement windows in white across the two buildings.

The versatile window solution delivered on each of the hospital’s needs, with market leading acoustic and ‘A’ rated thermal performance.

Additionally, the profiles contain a unique compound with a smooth gloss finish, guaranteeing to retain their pristine appearance – a welcome update for the estates teams as capacity restrictions meant they needed to be able to focus their time and efforts on other areas of the hospitals.

As well as keeping maintenance teams happy, the Rehau Total 70 window system promised to provide all staff and patients with peace of mind in regards to safety and security. This is achieved through the British Standard BS7950 and PAS 23/24 security standards.

Derek commented: “40 years of fitting windows has shown us that each job is different and that we need to respond to the specific needs of building occupiers. With support from DP Windows, Rehau and the estate teams, we worked up a phased programme with the staff to ensure facilities downtime was minimised.

“Because the Total 70 profile is so easy to work with due to the 70mm depth, it means there’s no requirement for additional trimming when replacing old timber frames. This meant we could get the job done efficiently without compromising on install quality.”

A healthy outcome

Estates manager, David Lowe, commented: “When it comes to prioritising health and safety of our staff and patients, we had to ensure the project ran smoothly. M&S Windows went above and beyond our expectations, even working over weekends when required, so that our facilities could be kept open as much as possible. We are really pleased with the outcome and believe that the Rehau products installed really solved our challenges.”