Pioneering Eco Care Home Specifies Antimicrobial Copper
A pioneering care home for the elderly with an
integrated nursery, opened this January, is the first healthcare
facility in France to implement copper touch surfaces to help
reduce the risk of infections.
9th February 2011
The handrails and door furniture were produced by French company
Cuivrinox, and bear the Antimicrobial Copper Cu+ mark, which
signifies the products are capable of continuously killing
pathogenic microbes, 24/7, in-between cleans. Not only does
copper offer unrivalled antimicrobial efficacy, but it is also
adding to the core environmental credentials that make this
facility so special.
The new Centre Inter Générationnel Multi Accueil (CIGMA) in Laval,
France consists of a nursery for 35 infants and a 60-bed care home
for dependent elderly people, and is equipped throughout with
copper handrails and door handles. These surfaces are
constantly touched by the residents, children and care staff, and
are therefore potential hotspots for the spread of germs and
illnesses. With normal cleaning, the antimicrobial copper
surfaces will kill viruses, bacteria and funghi that could
otherwise remain on the surfaces, thus contributing to a healthier
environment for all.
CIGMA's director, Michel Porhel, explains: "Whether we are talking
about elderly people or young children, CIGMA cares for those who
suffer from certain illnesses such as flu or gasto-enteritis.
Therefore, the prevention of infectious illnesses is an absolute
priority for us, both in the care areas and in the living
spaces. Taking into account the clinical trials, the choice
of copper as a permanent factor in the fight against bacterial
infections was important for us."
Laboratory tests and clinical trials carried out in hospitals
across the world have demonstrated the efficacy of copper and its
alloys against bacteria such as E. coli, Salmonella and MRSA, and
viruses such as Influenza A (H1N1). The trials, conducted in
working clinical environments, showed antimicrobial copper touch
surfaces had over 90% less contamination on them than standard
surfaces.
Set in the heart of an eco-district, the CIGMA building of nearly
6,000 square metres has been designed with green credentials in
mind. Using renewable energy has been an important
consideration - geothermal energy is used for heating, solar energy
for hot water, and a 'green roof' tops the building's excellent
environmental performance. It is currently in the process of
obtaining a certificate for high energy performance and renewable
energy (HPE-EnR).
According to Michel Porhel, "CIGMA in Laval is exemplary.
From the beginning, strict environmental and sanitary constraints
have been set. As with the copper, all the materials were
selected for the advantages they provide as much as for technical
considerations and their effect on the residents and young
children."
For more information about copper's antimicrobial properties, and
other projects around the world taking advantage of it, visit
www.antimicrobialcopper.com.
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For further information or high res images, contact:
Bryony Samuel
Communications Officer
Copper Development Association
5 Grovelands Business Centre, Boundary Way
Hemel Hempstead, Herts HP2 7TE
Tel: 01442 275705, Fax: 01442 275716
Email: bryony.samuel@copperdev.org.uk