[ Projects ]
Mead House Care Home | Reliant Care | Hayes
Project Background
As part of the extensive refurbishment of Mead House Nursing Home in Hayes, Reliant Care required a modern heating solution that would improve resident comfort, enhance safety, reduce energy consumption, and provide far greater control than a traditional gas central heating system. Like many care homes across the UK, the existing heating relied on wall-mounted radiators supplied by a central boiler, a system that presents several challenges in environments where efficiency, comfort and resident wellbeing are paramount.
For vulnerable residents, safety is a key consideration. Conventional radiators often require protective radiator guards to prevent accidental contact with hot surfaces. While necessary, these guards can significantly restrict heat output, meaning the heating system must work harder and for longer to maintain comfortable temperatures. Combined with the inherent inefficiencies of wet central heating systems, this leads to increased energy consumption and higher running costs.
Traditional gas heating also offers limited flexibility. Even when individual radiator valves are turned down or rooms are unoccupied, the boiler continues circulating hot water throughout the building, consuming energy and losing heat through an extensive network of pipework. This makes true room-by-room temperature control difficult, despite residents often having very different comfort preferences and heating requirements.
Infrared Group was appointed to design and install a complete infrared heating system that addressed these challenges while complementing the home's refurbishment. The project comprised the installation of 60 slimline infrared heating panels, all discreetly ceiling mounted throughout the building and controlled by the SALUS Smart Control System.
Objectives:
Replace the inefficient gas central heating system with a modern infrared solution that reduces energy consumption, lowers running costs, and delivers responsive, room-by-room heating control.
Improve resident safety by installing 60 ceiling-mounted infrared panels, eliminating exposed radiators, radiator guards, freestanding heaters, and unnecessary trip hazards.
Create a healthier indoor environment by reducing the circulation of air, dust, allergens and airborne germs, making the system particularly beneficial for residents with respiratory conditions.
Provide personalised comfort through the SALUS Smart Control System, allowing individual rooms to be independently zoned and programmed to suit occupancy and resident preferences.
Maximise usable wall space and complement the home's refurbishment with a discreet heating solution that remains completely out of reach of vulnerable residents.
Deliver a future-proof, low-maintenance heating system that enhances the building's overall energy performance and improve the EPC rating.
Key Features:
60 ceiling-mounted infrared heating panels installed throughout bedrooms, corridors, communal areas and staff spaces, delivering safe, efficient radiant heating while remaining completely out of residents' reach.
SALUS Smart Control System providing intelligent Wi-Fi room-by-room zoning, programmable schedules, remote app control and precise temperature management across the entire care home.
Discreet, space-saving design eliminating the need for wall-mounted radiators and bulky radiator guards, maximising usable wall space while complementing the home's modern refurbishment.
High-efficiency, low-maintenance heating solution delivering rapid warm-up times, improved indoor air quality and an improved EPC rating.
Discover Phase
Conducted a comprehensive site survey to assess the building layout, room usage, heat loss characteristics and the operational requirements of a modern care home environment.
Evaluated the limitations of the existing gas central heating system and identified opportunities to improve efficiency, resident safety, comfort and room-by-room heating control.
Worked closely with Reliant Care and the refurbishment team to programme the installation around ongoing building works, ensuring a smooth first fix and second fix strategy.
Design & Development Phase
Designed a bespoke heating system using 60 ceiling-mounted infrared panels, carefully sized and positioned to provide consistent, comfortable heating throughout the care home.
Developed a fully zoned SALUS Smart Control System, enabling independent room-by-room scheduling, precise temperature management and remote control via the SALUS app.
Produced detailed electrical layouts and first fix installation drawings, allowing cabling infrastructure to be installed ahead of ceiling completion before returning for the second fix.
Implementation Phase
Completed the first fix electrical installation during the refurbishment, installing all cabling and infrastructure before ceilings were finished to integrate seamlessly with the construction programme.
Returned during the second fix phase to install and commission all infrared panels, SALUS controls and smart thermostats once decorating and ceiling works had been completed.
Fully tested, commissioned and optimised the system before handover, providing Reliant Care with a safe, intelligent and highly efficient heating solution ready for immediate occupancy.
Results
Delivered a modern, fully electric heating solution comprising 60 ceiling-mounted infrared panels and a fully integrated SALUS Smart Control System, providing intelligent room-by-room heating management throughout the care home.
Significantly improved resident safety by eliminating exposed radiators, radiator guards and supplementary heating appliances, while keeping all heating panels safely out of reach on the ceiling.
Reduced energy waste through responsive zoned heating, enabling staff to heat individual rooms only when required and tailor temperatures to suit each resident's comfort preferences.
Created a healthier and more comfortable indoor environment by using radiant heat that does not circulate air, dust, allergens or airborne germs, making the system particularly beneficial for vulnerable residents and those with respiratory conditions.
Contributed to the exceptional energy performance of the refurbished building, helping Mead House achieve an EPC rating of A while providing a future-proof, low-maintenance heating solution with lower long-term operating costs.
