Product category:
Fire and Smoke Protection, Detection and Alarms
News Release from: Smoke Control Services | Subject: Guide to smoke control in construction
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 17 April 2008
New guide to smoke control in
construction
Smoke Control Services has launched a definitive guide to picking fit-for-purpose products which it says could save the construction industry millions of pounds.
New guide to smoke control could save construction industry millions A leading smoke control company has launched a definitive guide to picking fit-for-purpose products which it says could save the construction industry millions of pounds
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 17 Apr 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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As part of a campaign to encourage simplicity in the sector, Smoke Control Services has distilled the steps which house builders, architects, MandE engineers, technical managers and quantity surveyors need to take to decide on the correct smoke control system into a comprehensive booklet which is available free of charge.
The guide contains everything that is required to select the most appropriate smoke control system for a multi-storey building.
It includes a simple "yes/no" flowchart which presents the different generic building types and layouts and leads the user to the most appropriate solution.
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Smoke Control Services provides guidance on all aspects of environmental ventilation and smoke control and is an established industry expert in installations for apartment buildings.
The company's systems have been installed in thousands of buildings nationwide.
Frustrated by the over-complications which beset developers and consultants when it comes to designing and installing smoke control systems, the company has launched a "keep it simple, make it effective" campaign to demystify smoke control systems.
Smoke Control Services' managing director Allan Meek said the company concentrated on offering straightforward, simple design-and-install solutions for smoke control systems for all types of buildings: "A great mystique has been propagated around smoke control systems and it's easy for developers to be blinded by science.
Actually, we think installing the right smoke control system is very straightforward - so much so that we've produced an easy-to-use guide because we think that's all that's needed to explain it.
"There is a trend in the industry for smoke control systems to be 'over-engineered' and in some cases unnecessarily costly and cumbersome, leading to time delays and budget issues.
We want to help housing developers understand that in the majority of cases bespoke systems are inappropriate for simple apartment buildings.
Natural ventilation-based systems, which are cheaper and quicker to install, are often a far more appropriate solution.
The good news is this can save hundreds of thousands of pounds on some projects when compared to mechanical extract systems, which across the board translates into multi-million pound savings for the industry".
There are over 50,000 fires in dwellings in the UK every year and more than 300 fatalities, the majority of which are caused by the effects of smoke.
Smoke control systems protect common escape routes to enable people to exit buildings safely in the event of a fire.
Smoke control systems come in many forms but their basic objectives are the same; keeping escape and access routes free of smoke, facilitating fire fighting operations by creating a smoke free layer, protecting a building's contents and reducing structural damage.
Copies of 'A guide to smoke control in residential buildings' are available by visiting the company's website.
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