Edinburgh Napier University is one of the largest higher education institutions in the country, with almost 18,000 students based across twelve campuses in the Scottish capital. The University has recently embarked on an ambitious £100m investment program to provide some of the UK’s best teaching and learning facilities.
One of the campuses currently being developed is the Merchiston campus which houses the majority of the University’s Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Built Environment facilities. Located in the lively Bruntsfield area of Edinburgh, Merchiston Campus is also home to several art studios, engineering & design workshops, as well as an award-winning 500-seater computing center.
Gent FDA system installed
As part of the Merchiston renovation, the University is extending the campus to introduce a new reception and student gallery. A brand new single story building is also being erected with several sound-proofed state-of-the-art music studios and teaching rooms. The FDA system had to provide the ultimate reliability and integrate seamlessly with the existing system
Every element of the extension and new buildings have been planned and designed to the highest standards. The fire detection and alarm equipment (FDA) had to provide the ultimate reliability and integrate seamlessly with the existing system already installed in the campus.
Gent Vigilon System
A solution by fire industry experts Gent by Honeywell was chosen to cover the buildings in the new development and integrate with the existing system. Stanley Security Solutions worked on the project and supplied, tested and commissioned the Gent FDA solution, with M&E contractor FES Limited carrying out the installation.
Andrew Lees, Stanley Security Solutions, said “The main challenge on this project was integrating the new part of the FDA system with the existing solution and also selecting a system that would provide the best protection in the new music studio, without affecting the building’s acoustics.”
S-Quad sensors
The Gent solution used for this part of the campus was the Gent fully addressable Vigilon system, complete with S-Quad detection.
The project required an additional Gent Vigilon 4 loop fire alarm panel, one fully functional repeater panel and more than 400 devices with a combination of smoke and heat detectors, sounders, interfaces and call points as well as the new Vigilon panel being added to the existing Gent Vigilon network.
Gent aspirating system
The Gent aspirating system was selected as it is the ideal complement to the Vigilon range"
Lees continued, “The ideal solution for the music school was a system that could be fitted above the ceiling at a higher level. The Gent aspirating system was selected as it is the ideal complement to the Vigilon range and allows smoke detection to be installed where it isn’t possible to put normal point detection.”
The Gent aspirating system that is fitted in the ceiling void of the music school, actively takes air samples from the monitored area and analyses them for the presence of smoke particles, it can identify a possible fire in its very earliest stages and removes the need to have several point type smoke detectors.
Smoke and heat detectors
Andrew Lees further stated, “The Gent FDA solution was selected as it was the most cost effective option for the University. As one of Gent 24’s network of Systems Integrators, we are very familiar with the company’s products. We push Gent as much as we can the unique functionality you get from the devices and the robust technology means that customers can have complete peace of mind when choosing the Gent brand.”
As part of the renovation, the library in the main part of the campus also had its fire alarm and detection system upgraded with the installation of 70 new devices to protect the building and its occupants. Work on the University’s renovation, including the construction of the new music school began in March 2012, with an expected completion date of June this year.
