Client: Douglas Macmillan Hospice
Type of works: supplied Western Red Cedar Shingles for roof and wall cladding.

Silva Timber's Western Red Cedar Shingles have been used on three new care units at Douglas Macmillan Hospice, North Staffordshire.

For patients requiring palliative care, Douglas Macmillan Hospice aim to provide the very best quality of life possible. As the hospice has grown in recent years, the organisation required new care units for patients in order to expand their services.

With a background in creating unique and special environments for various hospices, KKE Architects were chosen to undertake the design. From here the designs lead KKE to discuss Western Red Cedar Blue Label Shingles with the customer support team at Silva Timber and ultimately specify Silva's Shingles for the project.

Douglas Macmillan required three units for their hospice, with Western Red Cedar Blue Label Shinges making an ideal choice, not only for the roof, but the wall cladding too.

The units were designed using ther PassivHaus philiosophy whcih through super-insulation, avoiding cold bridging and maximising solar gain, saves up to 90% on traditional building fuel costs. A ground source heat pump was installed to generate low-temperature water for underfloor heating, meaning any additional heat used will be a top up to an already efficient system rather than an compensating for heat that traditional leaks from windows, doors, floors and roofs.

Silva's Western Red Cedar Shingles made perfect sense for the roofing and cladding project, as KKE Architects commented, "Western Red Cedar Blue Label No.1 Grade Shingles were specified for the roof and wall cladding as they look good visually, weather well and fit easily into the the rural setting. They are sustainable, trap carbon emissions through carbon capture and have a very low embodied energy as they are producted using a relatively simple process."

Shingles are a beautiful product which have been proven to be a superior material for roof and wall cladding, providing durability, warmth and resistance to extremes of wind and weather. Their natural appearance help finish buildings with stunning effect, with Douglas Macmillan Hospice being a prime example.

The 3 self-contained units which make up the Intermediate Care Unit sit seperately within the grounds of the Douglas Macmillan Hospice. They are used for short term stays, typically 1 to 3 weeks by patients who are ready to be discharged from hospice care but may not feel ready to fully cope at home. It also works the other way round, for people who need assistance with settling into the hospice. The Units have enough space for relatives to stay, providing a home from home with the benefit of an on-site nurse and further medical backup from the hospice if required.