Altro Whiterock provides smart space saving solution for operating rooms
Altro Whiterock
An innovative modular system of Altro Whiterock hygienic wall cladding has been used in the new state of the art operating rooms at Al Zahra Private Hospital Dubai (AZHD). The hospital has been designed and developed to provide premium medical care and comfort with modern equipment and a team of professional doctors. AZHD has a capacity of 187 beds and serves patients with a broad range of individual health services.
Woodmans Meditech LLC, Dubai, delivered a complete turnkey package for the new operating rooms at AZHD including a modular system using Altro Whiterock hygienic PVC wall cladding. Using this innovative modern system rather than stainless steel has delivered many benefits on this high tech project.
Altro Whiterock is a cost-effective sheet extruded from a high quality uPVC polymer. It provides a watertight, seamless surface that is impervious and can be hygienically finished around fixtures and fittings, pipes and other extrusions for a single continuous surface. The system includes thermoformed pencil rounded corners giving bacteria nowhere to hide and making it easy to clean and disinfect. Its high durability and low maintenance cost make it an excellent long-term investment.
The modular system developed for this installation uses Altro Whiterock PVC sheet bonded to a honeycomb panel, which is demountable allowing access behind. It also uses a slimline track and stud system, saving valuable space in this key clinical area. Originally just two operating rooms had been planned for the space, but by using this innovative modular system and the flexible lightweight Altro Whiterock wall cladding, three fully functioning operating rooms were created.
Shirish Yawalkar, Chief Engineer at Al Zahra Private Hospital Dubai, said: “The Altro hygienic modular wall panel solution which fits into all forms of refurbishment of OR’s giving maximum space benefit, compared with any other competitive solution.
Altro Whiterock delivers the highest hygiene standards, along with the flexibility to adapt the space as needed. Woodmans’ Director Thomas Kochappan explains some of the hygiene benefits of the system: “Altro Whiterock panels are 1.2m wide, and are joined with a clinical Altro Whiterock FlexiJoint strip that is just 3.5mm wide. This compares with stainless steel panels that would be 80cm or 90cm at most and are joined with a gasket 12cm to 15cm wide. This means the Altro Whiterock system has far fewer joints, vastly reducing the chance of bacteria growth.
“Altro provided very good technical support for this project, allowing us to achieve superb results. The ability to thermoform the material around corners, pillars and curves gave us greater scope for design and ensures a hygienic finish. The quality of the installation provides a clear advantage against other systems in the market.
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