The new Jules Bordet Institute is a model of hygiene

The Jules Bordet Institute combines screening, clinical care, research and teaching in one brand new building, located in Anderlecht, Belgium. The public university hospital is a reference center in Europe in the fight against cancer. More than any other hospital, attention was paid to hygiene, especially for the water installations. DELABIE provided products and solutions that guarantee a high level of safety in this area.

Today we talk with Frédéric Coteur, director of infrastructure at the institute and project manager for this new location. "Our current buildings are totally unsuitable," Coteur acknowledges. "This new building will allow us to further develop our ambitions in research, teaching and patient care, with all the new technologies now available to provide the best possible care."

The new Jules Bordet Institute is a nine-story, 80,000-square-foot parallel piped, structured around a central axis that serves all vertical circulation systems. Says Coteur, "Patient care at Bordet is comprehensive and multidisciplinary. The shape and layout of this building reflect our desire to work in an integrated manner rather than with a fragmentation of specialized services. When building a hospital, the patient is obviously first and foremost, but the well-being of this patient is linked to the fact that the teams have a good tool and enjoy working there." The building's layout will optimize the care pathways of patients and nurses. The building's clean architecture and the materials used also contribute to its calm and peaceful atmosphere.

The new building must of course meet all criteria and quality standards, especially in the area of patient safety and health. "This is particularly important here," says Coteur, "since we have a special hematology activity where patients receive hematopoietic cell transplants, a treatment that weakens their immune defenses. Of course we have specific rooms with positive air pressure, controlled air particles, classified rooms, ISO 5 rooms. But one element is often less controlled: the hydraulic networks. Legionellosis is mentioned, but it is not the only danger. These networks are elements integrated into the building: intervention in case of a problem is very complex and the means of action are limited and difficult to implement."

The assumption that a hospital is somewhat like a hotel and that the plumbing equipment that can be installed there is similar is false. Fortunately, more and more healthcare professionals are aware of this. DELABIE's chosen products meet all the requirements of the client, the architects and the engineering firm in terms of hygiene, safety and ease of maintenance of the faucets, accessories and flushing system of the toilets. "Specific attention to the sanitary installation is of utmost importance from the design phase of the building," said the infrastructure director. "The regular exchange of knowledge and know-how between DELABIE and the Jules Bordet Institute has allowed us to pay due attention to certain points that are not immediately obvious to a hospital operator, but which DELABIE puts at the forefront."   

It is also important not to forget the installer, who is reassured to be able to work with a company active on the Benelux market. It is a point of honor for DELABIE to be present throughout the construction project to provide technical support during the installation of the products, as well as after the completion of the building to ensure the guarantee.

DELABIE offers a wide range of products and solutions perfectly adapted to the needs of the different departments within the Institute: public toilets for visitors, bathrooms for patients, hygiene stations for nursing staff or operating rooms. In each department of the Jules Bordet Institute, there were specific requirements to which DELABIE was able to provide an appropriate response. Thus, for the showers, thermostatic mixers with anti-combustion insulation and double temperature limitation were chosen to ensure patient safety. For the sink, a mixer without a spout was opted for. The unique design of this faucet reduces the amount of water in the body to 85%, reducing bacterial growth.

Finally, in Anderlecht, a direct-flush toilet system was also chosen. Toilet systems with cisterns are in fact unsuitable for intensive use and are a recurrent source of problems in care facilities. Cisterns are susceptible to scaling, encourage the spread of bacteria and pose a permanent risk of leaks. Thanks to the absence of a cistern, the direct-flush toilet system prevents stagnant water and limescale or dirt build-up in the sanitary facility. This system is therefore more hygienic than a toilet with a tank, combats bacterial growth and ensures total user comfort thanks to its particularly efficient flushing. The many advantages of this direct flush toilet system quickly make the product more economical.