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Sustainability in focus for IPS and cladding specialist

Home » Feature Articles » Sustainability in focus for IPS and cladding specialist

As BioClad enters a new chapter, with a recent manufacturing extension in late 2023, our focus sharpens on sustainability and the company’s pivotal role in shaping the future of construction materials. With a steadfast commitment to reducing its environmental footprint, BioClad has embarked on a journey towards greater sustainability in manufacturing. With our production line busier than ever, we are set to have a record-breaking year, having already supplied and installed 141 IPS units this year, working with Harrogate Hospital and Imperial Healthcare NHS Trust, and with a further 49 units currently in production for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn NHS Foundation Trust on behalf of Darwin Group.

Meanwhile, with the backdrop of the NHS drive towards Net Zero, and wider climate change challenges ever in focus, the spotlight on sustainability has never shone brighter. We at BioClad have ensured that we have a clear and direct approach to ensuring that we can reduce our carbon footprint in multiple areas of the business.

Manufacturing processes

A major part of our drive towards greater sustainability is our prioritisation of environmental factors related to our manufacturing processes, products, and services. We recognise both our ethical duty and legal obligation to safeguard the environment, minimise pollution, and uphold safe, healthy, and sustainable areas. We are equally committed to ensuring that our business activities do not compromise the surrounding areas in which we operate.

By using a PVC sheet made from 100% recycled uPVC, we have cut down wastage from manufacturing. BioClad also offers a 20-year lifetime warranty, but with our products actually proven to last longer than this. As a result, our sheet has a long lifetime, with its high quality and robustness saving customers money on replacing the panels due to their longevity.

While traditionally, cladding materials often end up in landfill at the end of their lifespan, contributing to further pollution, BioClad’s recyclable PVC sheet is designed to minimise waste, to reduce carbon footprint. Typically, standard IPS units have an MDF core easily damaged by high humidity, and moisture. In contrast, BioClad’s 18 mm PVC core is not only impervious to water, durable, and made to last, but all offcut of the PVC core is broken down into a reusable material for re-use, leaving no waste. Set to launch in the third quarter of 2024, meanwhile, is a BioClad environmental sheet called Bio-Cycle, which will be ISCC+ certified.

With a keen eye for attention to detail, we have also looked at the containers that our products and raw materials are supplied to us in. We now use adhesive buckets with a 50% PCR (post-consumer recycled material) content and a 50% regrind content, meaning that the containers are 50% recycled.

A ‘world-first’ in IPS design

The world’s first antimicrobial modular integrated plumbing system (IPS) was, in fact, manufactured by BioClad in 2017, allowing healthcare services and other organisations to dramatically reduce microbial growth within their washrooms and other ‘clean’ areas. Following high demand, it was decided to market the product under its own exclusive banner, which saw the launch of BioPod. Since its introduction, the BioPod unit has increasingly developed in all design, construction, and installation aspects. The quality unit is prefabricated, factory assembled, and tested for adequate strength resistance prior to leaving our manufacturing facility. The lasting quality of our units confirms our position as experts in the field of manufacturing and supplying IPS units of all types. All units are constructed with a view to facilitating integration of various plumbing components into a single and compact unit that includes pipes, pumps, valves, filters, and control systems.

The BioPod IPS unit features a design that utilises silver-ion antimicrobial technology to inhibit microbial growth. Microbes that come into contact with BioPod units are instantly suppressed, and 80% eradicated within 15 minutes of contact. This eradication rate increases to 99.99% after just two hours. Alongside their hygienic qualities, BioPod’s PVC-enveloped IPS units feature an closed-cell PVC BioCore. The use of closed-cell technology ensures that the units are 100% waterproof, and insusceptible to rot and water damage. Using 18mm PVC, meanwhile ensures that they are durable, rigid, and made to last, with complete water resistance and longevity guaranteed well beyond their 20-year warranty.

The lightweight yet durable units not only guarantee a lifetime of protection, but also boast a sleek, seamless design. Behind each BioPod unit is a dedicated team working tirelessly to ensure meticulous craftsmanship, bespoke design, and attention to detail. The team strives to embrace cutting-edge ideas, constantly seeking innovation to stay abreast of the evolving healthcare industry. It is this commitment to quality and forward-thinking that positions BioClad at the forefront of providing state-of-the-art solutions for healthcare environments.

After expanding our manufacturing unit in November 2023, we have achieved an impressive lead time of less than two weeks from approval of drawing. A devoted workshop team operates on a split shift, covering both day and night, to guarantee on-time product delivery.

CASE STUDY

Key project at Lincolnshire mental healthcare unit

BioClad, which pioneered what we believe was the world’s first antimicrobial integrated plumbing system (IPS), has recently delivered its cutting-edge BioAcute IPS units to the Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust for a refurbishment of en-suite rooms and the laundry area at the Hartsholme Centre, a psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU) at St George’s Hospital in Lincoln. The project saw 10 BioAcute (IPS) units installed in a range of en-suite rooms and the laundry room.

The resulting en-suite facilities are designed to guarantee the utmost standards of hygiene protection, thanks to the incorporation of BioClad’s innovative silver ion technology incorporated into their PVC cladding. The system is also designed to reduce ligature risk through meticulously crafted access hatches.

The BioAcute system was in fact specifically designed for the mental healthcare sector, with the IPS units incorporating specialised components and fixings designed to eliminate or minimise points where an individual could attach a ligature (e.g. rope, cord, or fabric) to harm themselves. Examples of anti-ligature measures include rounded corners, tamper-resistant fixings, break-away fixtures, and ligature-resistant door hardware. The ultimate goal is to create a safer environment for individuals who may be vulnerable to self-harm.

Digital designs

BioClad is renowned for its extensive range of products, which include IPS units, hygienic wall cladding, and wall protection solutions. However, it is our digital designs and impression range that truly steal the spotlight, diverging away from the conventional clinical standard white. With our PhotoClad digital printed wall cladding service, we can digitally print images, text, or graphics onto our wall cladding to transform the design aesthetic of a project without compromising on hygiene. PhotoClad offers distinctive and personalised designs that add vibrancy and elevate any space. These unique designs can also be printed onto antimicrobial PVC, which has the support of the silver-ion technology, which is proven to reduce microbes and bacteria by up to 99.9%. PhotoClad is suitable for use in all sectors — including healthcare, education, sports and leisure, care homes, and veterinary applications.

Sophie Warhurst

Having been with BioClad from the early days, Sales and Marketing manager, Sophie Warhurst, has a broad understanding and knowledge of all areas of the company’s activities. Her journey with the business has been marked by continuous growth and development, during which she has witnessed and contributed to numerous positive changes within the company. BioClad said: “As a trusted member of the BioClad team, Sophie embodies the company’s core values of integrity, collaboration, and customer focus. Her unwavering dedication to exceeding expectations and her ability to adapt to evolving challenges make her an invaluable asset.” 

Joshua Tattersall 

Business Development manager, Joshua Tattersall, began his journey at BioClad as New Business executive, tasked with generating new business leads and accounts. After two successful years in the role, he was promoted to Business Development manager in 2023. BioClad said: “Throughout his time at BioClad, Joshua has consistently demonstrated remarkable drive and dedication, constantly striving to innovate our internal processes, while managing multiple ongoing projects and delivering successful meetings of our RIBA-approved CPD. With his exceptional ability to deliver across the entire project spectrum, Josh has proven himself as key player.” 

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