Healthcare

Color and Design Trends in Healthcare
Color and design play a huge role in healthcare designs. They can turn a sterile, unwelcoming hospital room into a place that feels like home. Studies have been released showing that healing occurs faster when the patient is relaxed and comfortable and linking certain colors to improvement in healing and wellness and certain colors are said to create moods that have a psychological impact on healing.

Healing & Color Throughout History
Throughout history, color has been thought to have an effect on health and recovery. For example, the Persians were believed to have practices color therapy and Greek philosopher Pythagoras was said to have used poetry, music and color to cure diseases. Even the early Egyptians used color – they actually researched color healing and then created color halls within their temples.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a famous German poet in the 1700’s, who developed his own theory on color, which explained what emotions particular colors would induce. He believed that orange gave people a warm feeling that is reminiscent of the setting of the sun, that green was very satisfying to the eye and that a very pale form of purple has a certain amount of life in it, but no joyousness.

Red = Increased Strength, Circulation, Blood Pressure
Green = Relievs irritation, exhaustion and soothes headaches
Purple = Induces relaxation and sleep
Orange = Appetite stimulant and healer
Blue = Calming, Decreases respiratory rate and blood pressure
Yellow = Increase appetite, lessens irritability

The Center for Health Design / Healing Environments

There are many recent studies of the effect that colors have on healthcare settings as well - According to a recent study, Red stimulates and invigorates the physical body. It increases circulation, muscular activity, blood pressure and stimulates the nervous system and senses. Yellow raises blood pressure, pulse and respiration. It can relieve depression, tension, and fear, and soothe mental and nervous exhaustion. Orange is an appetite stimulate, and is seen as a universal healer that can counteract depression and humorlessness. Green effects the whole nervous system and is especially beneficial to the central nervous system. It has a sedative effect, relieving irritation and exhaustion and soothes headaches. Purple induces relaxation and sleep, lowers body temperature, and decreases sensitivity to pain.

Current design Trends
Besides the color itself, overall design and layout are also very important. Current design trends in health care are all focused on bringing color into the environment. The facilities still need to be sterile – but they do not need to be sterile looking. New colors and design pallets are moving healthcare environments away from the stereotypical cold and unwelcoming vision, to a warm, welcoming place that encourages wellness and healing and feels like home.

• Neutral color schemes infused with bright accents
• Accent colors in new areas (doors, ceilings, partitions)
• Vibrant and bright pediatric units
• Non-traditional color pallets
• Effort to move from a sterile looking environment to a cheerful, sterile environment

Designing for Healthcare Environments
Special Considerations in Healthcare

• Hygiene
• Heavy Use
• Chemicals
• Budgets

There are special considerations to be kept in mind when designing for a healthcare environment – such as special hygiene needs for preventing the spread of bacteria, heavy-cleaning, high use and heavy traffic, chemical spills and budget restrictions. According to the CDC, each year, nearly 2 million patients in the United States get an infection in a hospital and of these patients, about 90,000 die as a result of that infection. (www.cdc.gov). This is why it is so important to have a clean, anti-bacterial environment for treating and preventing the spread of disease and bacteria.

Related Standards, Codes and Building Requirements

• NEMA: National Electrical Manufactures Association
• ANSI: American National Standards Institute
• ASTM: American Society for Testing & Methods
• UL: Underwriters Laboratory

Healthcare environments are one of the most stringent environments to spec as they are held to many standards, building codes and regulations. All laminate products are monitored by NEMA – the National Electrical Manufacturers Association. Laminate surfacing materials are tested by and have received approvals by the best in the business – including ANSI , ASTM and UL. These organization measure against voluntary standards for the purpose of improving quality, reducing costs, ensuring safety and confidence of the users.

Standards Testing

• Physical Properties (Thickness, Appearance)
• Light Resistance
• Boiling Water Resistance
• Cleanability
• Stain Resistance
• High Temperature Resistance
• Impact Resistance
• Formability
• Surface Wear
• Blistering
• Surface Burning
• Flame Spread
• Smoke Developed

Other Standards Organizations

• U.S. Federal Specification for government installation
• National Sanitation Foundation for surfacing for food service equipment
• Scientific Equipment and Furniture Association

Laminate in Healthcare
If laminate is not the first material that comes to mind when you think of healthcare surfacing – it should be. Here are some of the advantages of laminate and how it stacks up against the competition.

Why Choose Laminate?
To start with, laminate is extremely durable, easy to install and work with and requires virtually no maintenance.

Laminate is versatile and can be customized to specific projects and environments. It is available in hundreds of design options – from traditional solids to exotic woods and stone patterns. The design options make it possible to create an environment that looks and feels like home – minimizing the sterile and unattractive reputation that healthcare environments had in the past.

Laminate is also a good financial choice and saves money in several different ways. First, the material itself is less expensive than most of the alternatives, so there is less cost up-front. Second, it is very easy to work and install so labor and fabrication costs are lower. Also laminate is extremely low maintenance and requires no special cleaning equipment or cleansers or additional maintenance costs.

Laminate is also available with several performance finishes – that help them stand up to the needs of the healthcare environment.

Chemsurf is a special chemical resistant laminate with a special resin layer to protect the surface against a variety of chemical spills, bacterial growths and high-intensity cleaners – ideal for a healthcare application.

Fire-rated laminates have a special composition that make them ideal for areas where building codes require low flame spread and smoke development ratios. This makes laminate a much safer choice over other surfacing materials such as natural wood.

High wear laminates are designed for areas that must withstand more than normal wear and tear. It has five times the abrasion and scuff resistance than normal laminate.

Laminate is also considered a green surfacing material. Laminate contains up to 40% recovered material and only renewable forest products are used. They contain no heavy metals, rain forest timber or tropical hardwoods.
Many brands of high definition laminates were tested, and will continue to be tested, under the stringent GREENGUARD Standards for low-emitting products. These laminate products, as well as their corresponding adhesives, may be used to obtain credits towards a LEED rating and the Green Guide for Health Care.

LEED Points
Material & Research

1 point for recycled content due to its raw material content
2 points for recycled content of the end product

Credit 7

1 point for wood materials certified in accordance with FSC guidelines

Environmental Air Quality1 point Low-Emitting Materials - Adhesives and Sealant.

Laminate vs. The Rest

The American Institute of Architects has developed a description of the ideal surfacing product for use in hospital and health care facilities. They use 18 characteristics to judge how suitable surfacing materials are. The 18 areas are…

AIA Guidelines for Design and Construction of Hospital and Health Care Facilities: Preferred Surface Characteristics

Laminate Suggestions in Healthcare
Laminate should be considered as not only a viable option for healthcare color and design trends, but as an answer to your color, design, durability and budget requirements Laminate is available in so many colors, designs and patterns, that it is difficult to imagine a place not to use it. Most laminate companies offer 200-250 different patterns. Here’s a closer look at the color and design options…

Solids/Small Patterns
High definition laminate is available in a rainbow section of solid colors. Small patterns, like tone-on-tone designs with weaving and detailing, are extremely popular as they provides seamless eye-catching designs with a modern and minimalist feel.

Stones/Marbles/Soapstone
They also can mimic the look of real stones and marble, such as quartz, granite, porcelain, soapstone and cement.

Traditional Wood Grains/Exotic Wood Grains
Wood grains are a durable alternative to using hardwood or veneers for reception desks or work stations. They are available in a diverse range of color, grain and style from various regions throughout the world – ranging from traditional oak, maple and cherry to exotic bamboo, Brazilian walnut or mahogany.

Metals
Metal looks have become increasingly popular in recent years, and laminate manufacturers have used this trend to create a product with a similar look that is much easer to use, like these metallic designs available in bronze, copper, gold, nickel, steel and many other tones.

Unique Designs/Custom
Laminates are also available with designs that would will not find on any other material – such as these alchemy designs featuring gold and silver toned bamboo and Laminate can be made with almost any pattern or print. You have the option of getting the laminate custom made for your job. Custom laminates usually have a minimum size requirement.