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Product category: Fire and Smoke Protection, Detection and Alarms
News Release from: Aico | Subject: Ei160 Series mains-powered smoke alarms
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial Team on 26 January 2006

Sunderland Housing approves Aico Ei
smoke alarms

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Ei160 Series mains-powered smoke alarms from Aico have been selected as one of the three approved types used by the Sunderland Housing Group.

Ei160 Series mains-powered smoke alarms from Aico have been selected as one of the three approved types used by the Sunderland Housing Group (SHG) as it upgrades its properties as part of its £360million Investment Plan to modernise over 29,000 homes across the city SHG has modernised over 15,000 homes to the Group's Amenity A Standard, which exceeds the Government's Decent Homes Standard

"One of the things we liked most about Aico's Ei160 series was the 10-year plus Lithium cell back-up," says Senior Electrical Designer Les Robason.

"This considerably reduces the maintenance requirements we would obviously have fitting replacement batteries".

SHG was established in March 2001, when it transferred 36,351 homes from City of Sunderland Council.

Some already had mains-powered smoke alarms installed.

Others were merely equipped with old battery units fitted under a fire brigade initiative - and some had no protection at all.

It was clear to SHG that it had to take the initiative in the interests of tenant customer safety.

Mr Robason added: "The Aico Ei160 series meets the standards Sunderland Housing Group has set for the modernisation of its homes".

"Aico provides a quality product which offers value for money, and peace of mind for the customer, which is why the company was included on SHG's list of preferred suppliers.

"Our Investment Plan includes electrical upgrading, and that includes fitting decent smoke alarms to LS3 Grade D".

Since the start of the Plan, the Group has protected approximately 5,000 properties per year, of which 7,000 of the alarms installed have been Aico Ei 160 Series units.

The installation work has been conducted by five principal installation contractors, who are able to select which alarm type they prefer, provided it is included on the Group's approved list.

However, SHG is not content to rest with its initial specification and is constantly reviewing how safety can be improved.

In one new initiative, the Group is currently in discussions with the fire brigade about switching to optical alarms throughout properties.

In another, they are actively assessing the impact of the BS.

5839 Pt.6 Revisions of 2004.

SHG is currently ahead of programme and expects to have all properties modernised to Amenity A Standard by 2008.

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