News

November 2011: A recent pilot study carried out by Heriot-Watt University - as part of ongoing research concerning the spread of infection and cross-contamination - has affirmed that the tested hospital building's drainage system (BDS) maintains optimal environmental conditions for the propagation of harmful pathogens.

Air samples acquired by Dr. Michael Gormley and Dr. David Kelly throughout the study, allowed for testing to be carried out for the presence of pathogens; temperature, relative humidity and airflow were measured from the air taken from within one of the stacks. The purpose of this data collection was to determine whether the conditions within the stack were contributing factors to the survival and spread of pathogens. Numerous wastewater swab samples gathered over a 5-week period from the collection drain of a sewer pipe within the hospital building were found to yield strong positive results for Norovirus GII, an RNA virus responsible for causing approximately 90% of epidemic non-bacterial outbreaks of gastroenteritis worldwide. The airflow monitoring results captured from the air samples confirmed that there was significant upward airflow within the stack, suggesting that pathogens present in the collection drain could migrate to the occupied space within the hospital.

The recent study reinforces the point that the Dyteqta-System marks positive progress in the risk reduction of cross-contamination caused by defective water trap seals, and when utilised as a diagnostic and/or monitoring tool for drainage systems, serves a vital role in the detection and the subsequent reduction of public health risks.

11 August 2011: Dyteqta Limited, part of Dyteqta International, is pleased to announce the appointment of Roz Garnem as the new Office Manager of the company's Hove office.

Roz joined Dyteqta Limited from The Rocket Marketing Group, where she was Corporate Office Manager and key achievements included accreditation by The British Standard Institute for ISO 9001. Roz holds an unblemished track record in managerial positions within the marketing sector and over 12 years' collective experience within customer service, operations and Quality Management.

In this new role, Roz will be responsible for researching and securing new opportunities for both Dyteqta and the Dyteqta-System, as well as providing specialist knowledge to help support the facilitation of the growth of the business in both the United Kingdom and overseas.

2 March 2011: Day two, and the Dyteqta team can report positive results from Ecobuild 2011.

Comments Project Manager and Director, Steven White: "The second day at Ecobuild saw major interest from all around the world, including the Middle East, Africa and the South Americas. We were interested to learn that one senior project manager in the healthcare industry has tracked the progress of the Dyteqta-System from its early research stages through to the commercialised business, and made a particular point of visiting us to discuss the system further. "We were also pleased to welcome our founders, Doris and Sture Ericson, who were on the Dyteqta stand to support the team and offer their expertise and industry knowledge to potential customers. If the success of today's show is anything to go by, Ecobuild will have proved to be a very beneficial event for Dyteqta and we are looking forward to another positive day tomorrow. For those whose responsibility it is to protect buildings from complex and potentially harmful drainage problems, resulting in bad smells, escaped sewer gases and disease, do come along and visit our stand or contact us direct."

1 March 2011: The Dyteqta-System for trap seal detection is on show for the first time at Ecobuild 2011, which is taking place this week at Excel London from 1 to 3 March. Dyteqta is exhibiting alongside Studor, whose range of products is utilised as the preferred solution for rectifying problems and failures within the building drainage system.

Utilising innovative sonar technology, the Dyteqta-System is responsible for investigating and monitoring the effectiveness of the building's drainage network, whilst Studor's products and systems offer the preferred solution to rectify any problems encountered.

The Dyteqta team is available throughout the show to demonstrate their remote detection service from the Ecobuild stand direct to the company's demonstration rig in Hove, East Sussex. This enables them to explain firsthand the full remote detection facility that the Dyteqta-System provides.

Dyteqta Product Manager, Charles Hartley, says: "In all types of building, from apartment blocks to healthcare facilities, drainage is the only system that is not routinely checked after installation and completion of the building. It is frightening that this fundamental system interconnects an entire building and can often be overlooked during routine maintenance checks. For those who are concerned about protecting their building from complex and potentially harmful drainage problems, resulting in bad smells, escaped sewer gases and disease, and are looking for peace of mind, do come along and visit our stand."

Ecobuild is the world's largest event for sustainable design, construction and the built environment and the UK's largest construction event of any kind. The exhibition has attracted more than 1,300 exhibitors this year, representing over 8,000 products, and it is expected that in excess of 80,000 visitors will attend the three day event.

21 February 2011, Edinburgh – Scotland, UK: This day marked the sudden passing of Professor John Swaffield, Professor Emeritus, FRSE, BSc, MPhil, PhD, CEng, MRAeS, FCIWEM, FCIBSE of Heriot-Watt University. John will be sorely missed by the whole international Dyteqta team, as well as personally by the founders of Dyteqta – Sture and Doris Ericson. A pioneer in the development of numerical simulation techniques and their application in the field of building drainage engineering, John was highly respected within the plumbing industry, and had a lifetime of achievements that include: authoring many academic books and journal papers; active participation within the CIB Working Commission W062 on Water Supply and Drainage for Buildings since 1975; his role as co-inventor of the P.A.P.A. (Positive Air Pressure Attenuator) with his good friend Dr. David Campbell; election as President of CIBSE (Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers) in 2008/9; and leading the ‘Defective Trap Identification System’ project which developed into the business Dyteqta. He was a dedicated and committed researcher and teacher, as well as a valued friend. Dyteqta’s deepest condolences are extended to John’s wife Jean and daughter Jo at this difficult time.

14 October 2010: The Dyteqta-System appeared on NHS Online TV this evening, the only digital television service dedicated to specialist healthcare programmes. A commercial presentation about the system and interviews with Dyteqta personnel was featured within the documentary Tackling MRSA and Other Hospital Related Infections,which was screened on Sky Channel 166 and Freesat Channel 402 and will be repeated on Sunday 17 October 2010 at 1800 hours. The programme was presented by Georgina Burnett and featured Derek Butler, Chairman of MRSA Action UK.

Dyteqta Product Manager, Charles Hartley, says appearing on the programme provided Dyteqta with the opportunity to reach NHS employees and other healthcare professionals around the world. He comments: “We explain how our unique drainage monitoring system can play a vital role in the battle against the transmission of disease, and hospital related infections like MRSA, through cross contamination. Using innovative sonar technology, the Dyteqta-System provides the only solution capable of actively monitoring the drainage network, ensuring that the barrier provided by the water trap seals is maintained and reducing the risk of pathogens filtering through into the living environment. That’s why we call the system ‘health care’ for your building.”

Dyteqta is featured 15.36 minutes into the documentary, which may be accessed by visiting http://www.nhsonline.net/tv/ and selecting “Tackling MRSA, 14 October 2010”.

1 June, 2010: Charles Hartley, Product Manager, has now joined the team of the newly incorporated company Dyteqta Limited in Hove, which has been established to bring the Dyteqta-System to the market place. Previously a member of the Heriot-Watt team which developed the Dyteqta-System, Charles brings an in-depth knowledge of this ground-breaking technology to his new role promoting the Dyteqta-System as 'healthcare' for buildings.

3 March 2010: With development work nearing completion at Heriot-Watt University, the Dyteqta-System and its Product Manager will be moving to its new home in Hove at the beginning of June. The last couple of months have been an exciting time, as the team has seen the product take shape with some innovative new control solutions being incorporated into the electronics cabinet and signal distribution manifold. With the ability to target specific areas of a building, the Dyteqta-System can now monitor at 'risk areas' more frequently providing a greater degree of protection to the building and its inhabitants.

27-28 October 2009: The Dyteqta-System is being introduced to the UK health care sector at the Healthcare Estates Conference & Exhibition. Visit Dyteqta on stand B21, where our team of experts will be on hand to explain how the Dyteqta-System is indeed a major breakthrough in the detection of public health risks.

For a greater insight into the topic, Dyteqta is partnering with leading academics from Heriot-Watt University (HWU), to present a Healthcare Showcase titled "reducing the risk of infection spread through identification of defective water trap seals." Steven White (Dyteqta), Emeritus Prof. John Swaffield (HWU), Dr. Michael Gormley (HWU) and David Kelly (HWU) will be speaking on this subject on Wednesday 28 October from 1500-1525 hours in Room A.