The First Facility Management Blog

When Credit Valley Hospital (CVH) in Mississauga, Ontario was originally commissioned in 1985, drinking fountains were not viewed as a threatening source of communicable diseases. However, several years ago, faced with growing concerns after a deadly infectious outbreak of C. difficile in an Ontario hospital, the 365-bed CVH needed to pursue new infection control measures.

Farrow Partnership Architects (FPA), a firm located in Toronto, saw that CVH’s drinking fountains, which had been decommissioned but still had an existing built-in source of water, could be converted into a hand washing units as a positive force for infection control.

One of 15 drinking fountains converted to infection control units in Credit Valley Hospital in Ontario.

According to Health Canada, hospital-acquired infections kill some 8,000 to 12,000 patients across that country every year, and cost the health system millions of dollars. The Canadian Health Network points out that hands spread an estimated 80% of common infectious diseases, yet studies show less than half of hospital nurses and physicians clean their hands between patients.

In 2008, working with CVH’s infection control and maintenance managers, FPA developed and implemented 15 hand washing units in the corridor of an inpatient care area over a one-month period. Aimed primarily at reducing the spread of infection, it was also recognized that improvements in hand washing facilities would reduce the risk of legal action resulting from infection disease outbreaks.

These hand washing units were designed in the absence of any government performance guidelines, specifications, or industry standards. At the start of this initiative, FPA and CVH created the following criteria for success that was realized through the ultimate design:

• Convenience and ease of use: reduced the significant time loss incurred by busy doctors and nurses walking to a distant location many times a day
• Minimal spread of contaminated water: deep basin reduces splashing of soiled water
• Minimal amount of physical contact: faucet with hands-free operation
• Rapid prototyping: off theshelf components were used where possible to reduce implementation time (e.g., regular paper towel dispenser and disposal)
• Ease of installation: developed a self contained unit for ease of installation into new or existing plumbing
• Warm and inviting materials: selected solid surface material over the more clinical standard stainless steel products
• Supportive of maintenance programs: solid surface material conducive to low maintenance and ease of cleaning

Diverse participants contributed to the success of the hand washing units including the hospital’s infection control committee, various doctors and nurses, and the maintenance staff. FPA worked with a subcontractor and Wilsonart to develop the prototypes and final product. Nurses and infection control committee members commented on the first prototype and minor adjustments were made, which included a curved front to facilitate cleaning and to create a more elegant looking shape. A second prototype, complete with plumbing and antiseptic gel, was developed and put into use over a two-week period.

Ultimately 15 final versions of the hand washing units were installed in 2008, and more will be added as funding becomes available.

(Photo: Tom Arban)

Casulo, a new concept for mobile living originated in June 2007 as a part of the dissertation of Marcel Krings and Sebastian Mühlhäuser at the Köln International School of Design in Cologne. So what is it? Pictured at left, it’s a complete furniture set which can be set up in less than 10 minutes and later disassembled and repacked like a standard pallet. No tools are needed in the process.

A packed Casulo can be transported and stored at nominal expense by any carrier and shipping agent. Not only can a disassembled Casulo unit be packed with one’s personal items, the Casulo itself is sturdy and thus no additional packaging materials are necessary when it is ready for transport.

The Casulo can then either be sent to a prearranged address or delivered directly. Two people can lift, carry, and assemble each piece of furniture within the Casulo. The unit is constructed of durable, long lasting materials.

Each Casulo unit includes all the essential furniture for setting up in a new place: wardrobe, large desk/table with a separate desk cabinet with locking drawers, a revolving, height adjustable desk chair, two stools, a single bed and mattress, and a tall set of shelves. The stools and the drawers of the desk cabinet also serve and double as additional storage containers.

When disassembled and packed, the Casulo becomes a crate. It can even fit in the trunk of a medium sized vehicle.

When the furniture has been disassembled and prepared for transport, the Casulo is safe and sturdy; additional packing materials are not required. An additional feature of the Casulo is that when packed, half of its volume becomes space for storage and at least 440 pounds can be safely placed atop it. See the video below.

A variety of features makes each unit an innovative solution–particularly when temporary living space or student housing is necessary: there are invisible locks on the desk drawers; a magnetised clothes rack system; and safeguards for computer cables and electric wires. The Casulo ideal for those in job training, students, and people in the service industry who have to change their location frequently. People who must move frequently and rent empty rooms need no longer accumulate sets of inexpensive furnishings whose transportation costs are higher than the value of the furniture.

Still in its prototype stage, Casulo’s designers look forward to going into production as soon as possible. For more information, visit this link.