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 | | INTELLIGENT HEALTH I-HOUSE LAUNCHES | | | BNK Construction Ltd | | 20/05/2008 | | | A Birmingham construction company, which has a talent for building homes with a difference, has refurbished a terraced house in West Bromwich in the West Midlands which demonstrates the future of UK healthcare. Working with industry specialists Medilink West Midlands, contractor BNK Construction Ltd., has built the i-House – the home of smart healthcare technologies.
Pioneering the principles and technologies for both sustainable and assisted living in an existing home for the first time in the UK, the i-House includes specialist insulation and ventilation, automated lighting and heating to maximise energy efficiency. It also features keyless entry with widened doorways, helping visually impaired residents to access the house, as well as hands-free and scald-free taps and a master control computer to monitor activity in the house to ensure the wellbeing of the resident. It will even turn the taps off if they are left running!
Proving that the technology is already available to enhance every home, and not just new build properties, the traditional Victorian terraced house has been refurbished using intelligent technology and access-focused building design concepts, to support the key principles of lifetime homes, cost-efficiency and sustainability.
Moseley Company BNK Construction was handpicked to refurbish the i-House for the company’s ability to challenge traditional methods and embrace new building techniques, incorporate new technology and complete on time, to the highest standard.
Rob Chesters, i-Health network manager for Medilink West Midlands, said: “BNK Construction has been a key player in the success of the i-House, embracing the ethos of collaboration to break new ground and set a new standard for the UK. The company’s expertise in assisted living and eco-homes is second to none and they have surpassed all our expectations. This was a challenging brief with little precedent, so the contractor’s ability to deliver within the tight timeframe to the standard we required was exceptional.”
The aim of the home, created with the help of partners from Health and Social Care, Housing Associations, Industry and people living with physical or sensory impairments, is to help participating companies refine, improve and develop their technologies. A proactive programme of visits to the i-House will raise awareness amongst health service providers, housing associations, local government and create demand from the public.
Chesters added: “The West Midlands is known for its world-leading products for assisted living, its forward-thinking health authorities and its active housing associations. It’s ideally placed to develop existing and future solutions for the UK through an innovation partnership. i-Health has the collaborative framework to make it happen.” | |
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