The Louisiana Immersive Technologies Enterprise (LITE) in Lafayette, LA is a state-of-the-art 3D immersive visualization resource center featuring one of the world’s first six-sided, digital virtual reality cubes, as well as the world’s largest digital 3-D theater. This leading-edge visualization environment is powered by one of the largest shared memory resources in the world, a 4.1TB of RAM high performance computing system.
The LITE facility, a State entity governed by a Board of Commissioners, is designed to stimulate collaboration between technology intensive companies, state and national universities and government agencies for basic research, testing and validation, product development, commercial production and high-performance computer modeling.
ECARO-25 clean agent fire protection system
Fike distributor, C & S Systems, was selected to protect LITE’s multi-million dollar data centerProtection of this advanced facility became a natural priority. Due to their long standing relationship with the contractor, Fike distributor, C & S Systems (a pioneer in fire protection solutions in the Louisiana area), was selected to protect LITE’s multi-million dollar data center.
C&S installed the Fike ECARO-25 clean agent fire protection system (utilizing DuPont FE-25 clean agent fire extinguishant), not only because it is a very cost-effective waterless fire protection system, but it offers tremendous flexibility and ease in installation.
The success of the ECARO-25 installation led the engineers to include the new Fike CyberCat fire alarm system in the specs for the entire LITE facility. Newly appointed Fike distributor, Electronic Protection Systems, was excited to utilize this revolutionary product.
Cybercat intelligent alarm system
EPS installed the CyberCat 1016 fire alarm system for its ability to manage up to 1,016 devices“We were a new Fike distributor when this job came up,” explained EPS Director of Operations, Bryan Joubert. “In learning about the Cybercat intelligent alarm system, we knew it was fast, capable of generating accurate and highly detailed information (such as the specific location of a fire) and that individual modules could be programmed to perform process management tasks. That represents a great step forward in fire alarms, but we were anxious to see how an actual field installation would go. This was an excellent test of this system’s true potential.”
Due to the size and complexity of the job, EPS installed the CyberCat 1016 fire alarm system for its ability to manage up to 1,016 devices (including any combination of sensors and modules) and its enhanced ability to perform tasks, such as shutdowns, HVAC, voice evacuation systems, elevators and Security / CCTV / Building management awareness.
The system was interfaced to include access control and incorporated fire shutters to close off sections in case of a fire scenario. In addition, a FikeGuard voice evacuation system was incorporated to specifically monitor and control the safety of patrons to the theater located within LITE.
Flexibility to interface with other systems
The installation went very well, and we have had no concerns, questions or false alarms since"“The installation went very well, and we have had no concerns, questions or false alarms since,” explained Bryan. “Even though the system offers a tremendous amount of features, programming capability and flexibility to interface with other systems, my techs were excited about how easy it was to work with the CyberCat during installation. We are currently working on several hotels with the reconstruction efforts going on in southern Louisiana, and we plan on using the CyberCat in these jobs.”
The LITE world-class visualization and supercomputing center in Lafayette, LA is positioning the Acadiana region as the state leader in attracting high-tech businesses and ultimately as a real player on the national landscape for technology industries. As another leader in state-of-the-art technology, Fike fire protection products are doing their part to see that LITE reaches that goal.
