Safety first

Wrightstyle will be installing fire-rated screens and doors at the Woodside Care Village, a new care home in Warwick that will provide care for 72 older people and people living with a dementia, due to open in 2019.

The new home is being built for Warwickshire-based charity WCS Care, and has been designed by local architects Robothams.

Designing buildings for older people, particularly for those living with a dementia, involves many challenges for glazing. Floor-to-ceiling windows have been included to maximise light, which can have positive health benefits for residents, and avoid using window frames that block views from the line of sight of people using wheelchairs or who might be sitting down for long periods of time.

The windows will provide uninterrupted views from beds, which also aids recovery and wellbeing. Tamper-proof window restrictors enhance safety and security in rooms.

Suppression and containment capacity if a fire breaks out is also an important element in any healthcare facility and Wrightstyle has long experience in the UK and internationally in designing and supplying glazing systems to contain fire at source.

While fire suppression is important, the other component is containment – ensuring that any fire remains trapped in one area, and giving staff adequate time to evacuate the building.