Douglas Controls get sporty...

Need

• As part of a refurbishment programme and continuous upgrading of its changing room facilities, sports college status Queens' School in Bushey, Hertfordshire, required efficient, easy-to-install/maintain, well-designed shower fittings (group mixers/controls, shower panels).
• The school dates from the 1950s, and other major considerations for the 32 changing room shower facilities were:
• water efficiency - good performance without wastage against backdrop of drought conditions throughout south-east England
• durability - with much use by students - over 1,500 attend
• Queens' School - the facilities are also extensively used by external,
• local football, table tennis clubs etc
• vandal-resistance - installed shower fittings must be robust
• aesthetics - the mixers and controls needed to look good, be unobtrusive.
• During refurbishment, a key prerequisite was keeping disruption to daily sports activities minimal.

Solution

• Queens' School's site facilities manager Malcolm Hunt worked closely on the refurbishment project with consulting engineer Bryan Franklin, and Herts based plumbing contractor, Instalectrics.
• Douglas Controls thermostatic shower mixers/controls and sporting shower panels (time flow panel, brush aluminium finish) were specified as the ideal solution - ease of installation/maintenance, safety.
• Sporting Shower panel - neat, stylish (chrome and brush aluminium finishes), combines performance (delivers pre-set flow rate of eight litres/min) and durability to withstand heavy changing area usage patterns.
• Delivers effective water savings.
• Easy to install and clean, vandal-resistant.
• Prefabricated, it's a true second fix item requiring just three wall fixings.
• Installation and wall sealing requirements are reduced.
• Low maintenance - nozzle jet showerhead reduces scale build-up, serviceable cartridge. The unit is used with a TMV to provide a safe water temperature and prevent scalding.
• Thermostatic group controls - TMVs: the TM28 installed is a practical valve for safe temperature control group showers and for hand washing.
• The device allows simultaneous supply to several outlets, while maintaining constant temperature under varying new flow conditions.
• Ideal for multiple shower applications eg sports halls, schools, swimming pools. Preventing scalding, they also provide an effective solution for low water pressure.

Result

• Installing Douglas Controls products was simple and quick - fitted as second fit on tile surface.
• Trouble-free installation allowing heavy usage of amenities.
• Minimal disruption to school activities.
• Digging out walls and exposed high-maintenance pipework have been avoided.
• Douglas Controls' products looked good, blended with other changing room facilities.
• Maintenance has been minimal, fittings easy to clean.
• Good performance and water efficiency achieved.

Queens' School site facilities manager, Malcolm Hunt: "The Sporting Shower panels have been totally trouble free. While, the resulting performance and water savings have surpassed our expectations. The fittings have proven easy to clean and maintain. They look good too.

"We've just received a £2M county council grant for a new sports facility - with water saving taps a vital consideration. We'll certainly be looking to Douglas Controls products again."