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Jul 9, 2015 / in Case Studies / by
The Cockcroft Building, University of Brighton

The Cockcroft Building, University of Brighton

Earlier this year we undertook a major fire detection and alarm system upgrade for the University of Brighton in the Heavy Engineering department of the Cockcroft building.

Existing System

Having used an Autronica system in the building for a number of years, factors such as limited availability of replacement parts and technical support, lead the university to seek a new solution for the fire detection and alarm system.

Wider Safety Issues

CFE presented a cost-effective solution to the university that met the required specification and also addressed the issue of the Heavy Engineering system being networked to the rest of the campus which both had to remain operational throughout the duration of the contract.

For this reason, a significant amount of time was spent planning the upgrade of the fire detection and alarm system, as it was an occupied building. This was to ensure that site personnel were not put at any risk during the upgrade.

We liaised with the university staff to ensure a smooth transition during the upgrade and to also avoid any possible false alarms during the upgrade.

Installation.

A new Morley IAS 5 Loop open protocol panel using the Apollo Discovery range of detection was installed thought-out the building. As part of the contract a new VESDA LaserScanner aspirator system was installed in five areas of the Heavy engineering block as an alternative to using multiple beam detectors, reducing and saving on the overall cost of the installation. The department now has a much more capable level of fire detection, providing safety for all users of the premises.

Russell Butcher of the University of Brighton had this to say about working with CFE,

“I found CFE to be very easy to work with throughout the project. There were hurdles to overcome but on each occasion we sat down together and discussed the issues and possible solutions. This was achieved in a professional open manner and [CFE’s] experience helped us come to a good compromise between cost and compliance.”