Rinac produces mobile ICU facilities for COVID-19 relief with BASF’s Elastopir solutions

Fully insulated and modular built mobile ICU  facilities, with superior fire resistance and increased energy efficiency, mark the first time use of Elastopir in healthcare facilities

Rinac India (Rinac), an insulated panel and refrigeration system producer in India, recently produced mobile medical Intensive Care Unit (ICU) facilities made with BASF’s Elastopir, a high-quality polyurethane rigid  foam insulation solution.

Traditionally used in the construction of refrigerated spaces for cold storage and animal  farming,  Elastopir is reportedly being used for healthcare facilities for the first time, to support India’s urgent need for more hospital beds during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Each mobile medical facility unit has five beds and is entirely prefabricated, making it easy to configure the number of beds based on the needs, as per a statement from the company. It can also be redeployed to different locations across the country using trailers.

“We need the ICU  facilities to  be fully airtight  and  insulated to  ensure  the  safety  of  our healthcare workers and minimise transmission of the virus,” said Soji Abraham, Senior Vice President, Strategy, Rinac India.

“Thanks to BASF‘s Elastopir, the wall panels made with this excellent insulating material can help meet these requirements. With its extra high-temperature stability, the patients can recuperate comfortably with consistent indoor temperatures at 22-25 degrees Celsius. Most importantly, Elastopir’s superior fire performance helps enhance the protection of these facilities against fires.”

By  reducing  air  loss  and  solar  gain, Elastopir lowers  energy  consumption  and helps increase  the facilities’ energy  efficiency. For  the  same  insulation  performance,  panels produced  with  Elastopir  are  50 per cent-100 per cent thinner than other traditional  materials  such  as concrete. With thinner walls  and  envelopes,  the mobile  ICU facilities  have  more usable space and higher flexibility during construction.

“BASF is also sponsoring a unit of the ICU facility as part of its social engagement,” said Andy Postlethwaite, Senior Vice President of Performance Materials, Asia Pacific, BASF. Sponsorship of the ICU facility is by BASF South East Asia and BASF East Asia Regional Headquarters.

“We aim to ‘go beyond’ by developing ever more innovative, sustainable solutions that help our  customers, such  as Rinac produce  the  highest  quality  and  most  energy-efficient insulation panels for their medical units.”