Prestige Johannesburg office development stays cool with SE Controls

A new prestige office development in Sandton, Johannesburg is using a combined smoke and natural ventilation system, involving automatic window vents in the building’s elliptical glazed central tower, which is actuated and controlled by an integrated solution from SE Controls Africa.

Located in the Sandton business area, which is regarded as one of South Africa’s prime commercial locations, the R208 million (£10.7 million) Capital Hill development combines seven floors of office space with residential apartments, as well as covered parking for almost 400 vehicles.

                                  

Designed by MWLF Architects, the building not only provides high quality business facilities and residential accommodation, but is also highly energy efficient and is constructed to achieve a ‘Four Green Star’ rating from the Green Building Council of South Africa.

As part of this process, the building’s 12 storey elliptical central tower features a fully glazed external facade within an aluminium lattice structure, which incorporates an automatic window and vent opening system to provide natural ventilation and overnight cooling, as well as smoke ventilation in the event of a fire.

To achieve the necessary level of versatility and control required for the automated vent system, SE Controls supplied 49 SECO N 24 25 twin chain actuators with a 350mm stroke length together with 7 SHEVTEC® control panels and manual control points (MCP), which were networked using the company’s OSLink network cards. An external weather station was also installed to provide an information feed on ambient conditions into the system.

In normal operation, the windows open and close automatically, to provide cooling and a supply of fresh air, but in the event of a fire this is over-ridden and vents are opened to allow smoke to be vented, enabling escape routes to be kept smoke free.

Russell Cramb, General Manager with SE Controls Africa, explained: “Capital Hill is an iconic building and has already attracted a lot of attention for its eye-catching design, green credentials and the quality of facilities it provides. We have an immense amount of experience in combined natural and smoke ventilation solutions, which we used when working with the architect to create a solution that wouldn’t compromise the smooth architectural lines of the external glazed facade.”

Further information on SE Controls’ products, solutions and projects can be obtained by visiting www.secontrols.com or calling  +44 (0) 1543 443060.

SE Controls receives FIRAS accreditation

Leading smoke control systems manufacturer and installer, SE Controls, has become one of the UK’s first companies to be accredited under the FIRAS Fire Protection Certification Scheme, achieving a Gold Standard certification for both natural and mechanical smoke ventilation systems.

FIRAS is a voluntary installer certification scheme operated by Warrington Certification Ltd in conjunction with the Smoke Control Association and through the process of accreditation aims to raise standard across the industry while improving safety and compliance best practice.

As a FIRAS Registered Installer Company, SE Controls must abide by a range of clearly defined best practice principles and guidelines in all smoke control projects, whilst also ensuring that all relevant technical and supervisory staff are fully trained to meet the regular FIRAS inspection standards.

SE Controls’ Group Managing Director, Will Perkins believes the FIRAS scheme is essential to raising quality and fire safety standards across the industry and urges other businesses to do the same.

He explained: “Smoke control systems are life safety critical, and requires that they must be designed, manufactured, installed and maintained to the highest standards. By being FIRAS accredited, this confirms that we are committed to maintaining these high standards throughout our business while also signalling to the industry that by using SE Controls, there is a range of quality safeguards in place that may not be present in non-accredited companies. I hope more businesses follow suit and go through the FIRAS assessment process.”

Further information on SE Controls’ products, solutions and projects can be obtained by visiting www.secontrols.com or calling  +44 (0) 1543 443060.

SE Controls provides safe environment at Holy Rosary School’s new entertainment hall

A new 1000 seat multi purpose entertainment and sports centre at Holy Rosary School in Johannesburg is using precision automatic window actuators and control systems from SE Controls, to provide effective smoke ventilation in the event of a fire.

Bishop Shanahan Hall is the latest addition to the Catholic day school, which was founded in 1940 and provides private primary and high school education for girls from Grade R to 12 in a range of subjects including languages, mathematics and sciences.

Designed by Dual Design Architects and built by JTSON Construction, the extensive new hall was conceived as a multi-use building that could stage, formal events, indoor sports, competitions, student dances and entertainment, as the school had outgrown its existing facilities, which could no longer accommodate large audience functions.

While Bishop Shanahan Hall provides the highest standard of staging and equipment for events, safety for students, performers and the audience is also at the core of the building’s design, particularly if a fire should occur. The smoke ventilation solution formed part of the rationale behind the overall fire system design, which was prepared by Building Code Consultants (BCC).

To ensure the various escape routes are kept smoke free and assist evacuation, windows in the building are automatically actuated by SE Controls’ compact SECO N 24 40 - 800mm stroke chain actuators, which are fire safety tested to the internationally recognised EN12101-2: Annex G standard.

In addition to the 12 SECO N 24 40 actuators, supplied by SE Controls’ South African operation, which has offices in Durban and Johannesburg, specialist contractor Robertson Ventilation Industries (RVI), installed and commissioned four manual control point (MCP) fireman’s override switches together with 2 x OS2 Type 23 controls panels to control the MCPs and actuators while also linking them to the school’s fire safety system.

Russell Cramb of SE Controls Africa explained: “In addition to providing an effective smoke control solution, our actuators were also specified for this project as the architects wanted them to be almost silent and virtually invisible. To comply with this, each SECO N 24 40 unit was powder coated to match the window frame colour, while the low profile design of the actuator body enabled them to be sill mounted to keep them out of sight.”

SE Controls specialises in the design, project management and installation of advanced smoke ventilation and natural ventilation solutions to meet the needs of architects, contractors, building services engineers and facilities managers worldwide. Further information on SE Controls’ products, solutions and projects can be obtained by visiting www.secontrols.com or calling

 +44 (0) 1543 443060.

Fire safety and comfort cooling from SE Controls for new London apartment development

A six-storey apartment development in North London is using an innovative smoke control system from SE Controls to not only provide smoke-free escape routes in the event of a fire but also ensure that day-to-day temperatures in communal areas and corridors are kept at comfortable levels for residents.

The Notting Hill Housing Group’s 108 home development at Micawber Street in Hackney was handled by Ardmore Construction, which included the demolition of existing buildings and the construction of the new residential block, which also incorporates more than 2,500 m² of commercial floor space.

Initially, the building was designed with a mechanical ventilation system and a separate dedicated environmental shaft to help cool the building and address the overheating effect in multi-storey buildings, caused as a by-product of routing heating distribution pipework in building voids to optimise space.

SE Controls was invited to evaluate this system by conducting a thermal modelling analysis on the building and the results showed that it provided negligible cooling benefit, reducing temperatures by just one degree Celsius on only a few days in the year.

Working closely with the design team and Ardmore Construction, SE Controls engineered a combined smoke control and environmental solution, based on its SHEVTEC® system, which uses the existing smoke shafts to provide significant thermal performance improvements and enabled major cost savings to be made on the project.

SE Controls incorporated additional automatic opening roof vents and lobby vents into the design, allowing the smoke shaft is to be utilised as a fresh air natural ventilation system, which enables the lobby and corridors to be cooled and avoid overheating. This is achieved by the use of 0.5 m² permanently open louvres at roof level and within the stairwell, while also utilising the automatic smoke dampers on each floor to vent heat into the smoke shaft. Larger automatically opening roof vents, dedicated to the smoke ventilation system, were also installed and enable the natural ventilation system to be over-ridden automatically in the event of a fire.

In normal day-to-day operation, the natural ventilation design allows air to enter through the lobby doors, which are held open by electro-magnetic devices and flow across the lobby before being exhausted through the roof vents, with the lobby temperature being controlled by a tamper proof thermostat.

If a fire should occur, the lobby doors close automatically along with all the smoke dampers, except the one located on the fire floor. This allows smoke to be drawn from the corridor, through the smoke shaft and away from the stairwell to ensure a smoke free escape route is maintained.

The entire system is controlled by networking the smoke ventilation system’s smoke dampers on each floor with SE Controls’ OS2 controllers incorporating OS link network cards. In addition, the system also incorporates an SE Controls NVLogiQ room controller in the fist floor lobby core to monitor and log the system’s performance for future analysis and tuning.

Dr Chris Iddon, SE Controls’ Design Manager, explained: “Corridor and building overheating, particularly in multi-story residential projects is a key issue, as buildings become more airtight and the location of heating pipework in communal areas creates potentially uncomfortable levels of thermal gain, which can reach well in excess of 30 degrees C. In order to determine the most effective methods and provide a solution to this problem, we have carried out extensive studies and dynamic modelling of various ventilation scenarios, which show that natural ventilation is an effective solution to mitigate overheating risk.”

He added: “Also, dedicated cooling systems wouldn’t necessarily be considered for circulation spaces due to plant, installation and running costs for what are essentially non-profitable spaces. As smoke control systems are already a legal requirement within these spaces, our expertise can be used to adapt them to address both smoke and natural ventilation needs in a single, more economical solution. In addition, it can also be retro-installed to buildings with a smoke control system that are experiencing overheating issues with minimal disruption.”

SE Controls specialises in the design, project management and installation of advanced smoke ventilation and natural ventilation solutions to meet the needs of architects, contractors, building services engineers and facilities managers worldwide. Further information on SE Controls’ products, solutions and projects can be obtained by visiting www.secontrols.com or calling

 +44 (0) 1543 443060.

SE Controls Smoke and Natural ventilation solution for Airbus

A new 25,000m² office building for leading aircraft manufacturer, Airbus, is using an advanced smoke and natural ventilation system from SE Controls to provide a comfortable working environment for staff while ensuring that an effective smoke and fire control strategy can be implemented in the event of a fire.

The four storey building, which is part of the £70 million Airbus Aerospace Business Park development at Filton, accommodates more than 2,500 staff and brings together engineering, design and customer support functions that are currently located in several smaller buildings onsite into the new engineering and technology campus.

SE Controls was involved in the project from the early stages to clarify the ventilation strategy and provide calculations on the free area requirements for the smoke vents to ensure compliance and performance standards were met.

Four separate atrium spaces feature as part of the building, designed by AWW Architects, and each incorporates 84 Schüco AWS 102 projected top hung vents. The vents are automatically operated by a total of 336 SCCO 24 30 concealed actuators, which were supplied, installed and commissioned by SE Controls in partnership with specialist façade contractor, Norking Aluminium.

In addition to installing the actuators, the interface control panels were also supplied, installed and commissioned by SE Controls together with the fire rated cabling, which is completely concealed within the curtain walling.

During day-to-day operation, the natural ventilation system responds to signals from sensors linked to the building management system (BMS) to ensure that the indoor air quality and temperature are maintained within the pre-set parameters to maintain a comfortable working environment.

In the event of a fire, the building’s alarm system signals the natural ventilation system to automatically close all the vents as part of the smoke and fire control strategy. This not only restricts the flow of oxygen into the building to help suppress the fire but also allows precise control to be taken by fire officers via the system’s manual control points, enabling smoke to be cleared from the relevant atrium.

As SE Controls’ actuators and Schüco vents have been tested and proven to meet the European smoke vent standard hEN12101-2 and the Construction Products Regulations that came into force in July 2013, the ventilations system is CE marked and fully compliant.

SE Controls’ Commercial Director, Martin Oates, commented: “The Airbus project is an excellent example of how a fully compliant life safety critical smoke ventilation system can also be utilised on a day to day basis to provide a controlled natural ventilation solution that maintains comfort for Airbus staff.”

He added: “By being brought into the process at a very early stage, we were able to clarify the specification, assist the design team and help resolve any technical and operational issues during the build.”  

  

SE Controls specialises in the design, project management and installation of advanced smoke ventilation and natural ventilation solutions to meet the needs of architects, contractors, building services engineers and facilities managers worldwide. Further information on SE Controls’ products, solutions and projects can be obtained by visiting www.secontrols.com or calling

 +44 (0) 1543 443060.

MP, MICHAEL FABRICANT OPENS SE CONTROLS’ NEW TECHNICAL INNOVATION CENTRE

Lichfield’s Member of Parliament, Michael Fabricant, today officially named and opened the new technical innovation centre as part of a business and industry focused visit to one of the region’s fastest growing businesses, SE Controls.

The 21,500 sq.ft (2000 sq.mtr) ‘Hood innovation Centre’ is named posthumously in honour of the company’s former Head of R&D, Chris Hood, who played a pivotal role in developing SE Controls’ smoke and natural ventilation system products, which have helped the company grow by more than 35% since 2010 and create around 25 new jobs over the past two years.

“Product development and technical innovation are essential facets of our business and helps ensure that we provide the best and most effective solutions possible. This not only helps us maintain a strong competitive advantage, but is also vitally important when designing and manufacturing life critical smoke ventilation systems,” explained SE Controls’ Managing Director, Will Perkins.

He added: “Chris Hood was a true innovator and was instrumental in many of the products, systems and solutions that we offer today, so it’s very fitting that his legacy is recognised and acknowledged with the dedication of our new technical innovation centre in his name.”

SE Controls specialises in the design, project management and installation of advanced smoke ventilation and natural ventilation solutions to meet the needs of architects, contractors, building services engineers and facilities managers worldwide. Further information on SE Controls’ products, solutions and projects can be obtained by visiting www.secontrols.com or calling +44 (0) 1543 443060.

Charity fundraising by SE Controls raises over £6,500 for St Giles Hospice

For the past year, staff at Midlands based smoke and natural ventilation specialist, SE Controls, have been raising funds totalling £6,504 for local charity St Giles Hospice, which provides specialist care for patients with cancer and other serious illnesses.

The SE Controls staff found a variety of fun ways to raise money including fancy dress days, unwanted item sales and the hotly contested annual SE Controls cake baking competition that saw the Operations Director triumph for the second year in a row with his famous lemon cake.

The fund raisers joined up with Walsall Rugby Club to host a family fun day with a rugby match and balloon release. The Walsall Vets gained victory over the Bloxwich team and whilst age and athleticism wasn’t on their side the weight advantage meant they won every scrum. The balloon release was a great success with the winning balloon making it all the way to The Netherlands.

“Being able to help support a great charity like St Giles is always rewarding” Mark Soleil, who recently helped present the cheque to head of fund raising for St Giles Helen Relihan, who commented “It really is a fantastic amount and the money raised will go a long way to helping support those who need it most”.

SE Controls specialises in the design, project management and installation of advanced smoke ventilation and natural ventilation solutions to meet the needs of architects, contractors, building services engineers and facilities managers worldwide. Further information on SE Controls’ products, solutions and projects can be obtained by visiting www.secontrols.com or calling +44 (0) 1543 443060.

Exclusive smoke ventilation solution from SE Controls for London’s Marconi House

London’s prestigious Marconi House apartment and hotel development, which is already set to be one of the capitals most sought after addresses, is using an advanced SHEVTEC® smoke and heat exhaust ventilation system from SE Controls to provide smoke free escape routes for residents and staff in the event of a fire.

Located on The Strand, the building has a long and varied history, originally housing the Gaiety Theatre’s restaurant before being redeveloped as the headquarters of the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company and being chosen the location for the BBC’s first landmark radio broadcast in 1922.

The latest phase in its evolution, which has been designed by Foster & Partners includes the construction of a five star 157-bedroom hotel linked to and exclusive development of 86 apartments behind the original stone façade that still bears the Marconi name. Alongside this, the five star hotel development provides 157 bedrooms, which is served by a separate and completely independent SHEVTEC smoke ventilation system.
 

As each building has different layouts and specification, SE Controls worked closely with Lloret Fire and Security on the hotel development and Nomico/Galliard on the apartments to create smoke ventilation solutions dedicated to the apartments and hotel while integrating fully with the fire alarm systems.

SE Controls was responsible for the supply, fitting and commissioning of the North and South stair smoke shaft control systems, involving the installation of SHEVTEC automatically opening smoke shaft door actuators on each of the apartment block’s eight levels, primarily to provide pressure relief to the stair core pressurisation systems and passive smoke extraction to the communal lobbies when activated by the fire alarm.

The actuators are controlled by OS2 control panels, which are located on each floor together with tamper proof manual control points (MCP) for use by fire service personnel. Two repeater panels are also installed in the concierge area and the fire control room to provide a constant display of status and activation in the event of a fire.

Within the hotel, smoke ventilation is handled by two smoke shafts with one located in the North stairs and the other dedicated to the ten floor bedroom corridors, which also provides natural ventilation to the building in normal operation.

The extensive SE Controls’ solution incorporates SHEVTEC automatic multi-blade dampers on each floor, including basement levels, together with 28 OS2 Type 21 controllers, 31 fire servicetamper proof MCPs and reset points two repeater panels to provide full status monitoring. All systems used within the SE Controls system are CE marked and conform to the latest legislation requirements for performance, fire safety and operation including the EN12101 and BS9999 standards.

In normal operation, all dampers are open to provide natural ventilation, but automatically close when activated by a signal from the fire alarm system except for the damper located on the floor where the fire has started. This provides pressure relief to the staircase system and enables smoke to be vented from the fire floor, while stopping any cross contamination onto other floors and allowing smoke free escape to be possible on all floors.

Fire service manual control points are located next to each damper to enable control of the vent by fire officers. If a fire should occur on any non-bedroom floors, the system is configured so that all dampers will close to allow evacuation, while still allowing Manual Control Point override.

SE Controls’ Managing Director, Will Perkins, commented: “The developers have not only focused on the quality of the facilities, services, construction and finish within Marconi House, but also on the fire safety strategy and its vital role in ensuring the safety of residents, staff and hotel guests. Smoke ventilation is a vital element in this process and I’m delighted that we were able to put our extensive experience in residential smoke ventilation systems to use on this prestigious development.”

SE Controls specialises in the design, project management and installation of advanced smoke ventilation and natural ventilation solutions to meet the needs of architects, contractors, building services engineers and facilities managers worldwide. Further information on SE Controls’ products, solutions and projects can be obtained by visiting www.secontrols.com or calling +44 (0) 1543 443060.

Honorary Graduate receives SE Controls award at winter ceremony

Loughborough University student Tom Davis is the latest recipient to be awarded the ‘SE Controls’ prize for best overall performance on the MSc course in low carbon building design and modelling.

The course, which is accredited by CIBSE and The Energy Institute, covers concept design, renewable energy technologies and energy consumption as well as advanced thermal, airflow and lighting modelling, to ensure students have a complete understanding of the principles and practice of low carbon design.

SE Controls originally created the prize as part of the company’s highly productive relationship with Loughborough’s School of Civil and Building Engineering. The School is one of the largest multi-disciplinary engineering faculties in the UK. It aims to develop and nurture the skills required to face the challenges of an increasingly complex built environment. Its world-class teaching and research are integrated to support the technical and commercial needs of both industry and society.

On presenting the award, Will Perkins of SE Controls commented “The school’s graduates are extremely sought after by industry and commerce, and its undergraduate and postgraduate programmes are consistently ranked as excellent in both student surveys and independent assessments”.

Prior to completing the MSc, 25-year-old Tom graduated Nottingham Trent University with a 2:1 in Building Surveying. Tom is currently employed as an Energy & Sustainability Consultant and aims to work towards CIBSE chartered status in a building services design consultancy.  

SE Controls specialises in the design, project management and installation of advanced smoke ventilation and natural ventilation solutions to meet the needs of architects, contractors, building services engineers and facilities managers worldwide. Further information on SE Controls’ products, solutions and projects can be obtained by visiting www.secontrols.com or calling +44 (0) 1543 443060.

SE Controls ventilation technologies improves safety and saves energy at HMP Oakwood

The £150 million HMP Oakwood in Staffordshire is using advanced smoke and natural ventilation solutions from SE Controls to not only improve safety in the event of a fire, but also save energy at the prison, which has achieved a BREEAM excellent rating.

Located on a 50 acre site adjacent to the existing Featherstone Prison near Wolverhampton, HMP Oakwood was designed by architects Pick Everard and comprises of 17 buildings including a healthcare unit, first night unit and training centre alongside three ‘star’ shaped secure accommodation blocks, each providing 480 places.

Designed and developed by WSP Group with additional specialised input from SE Controls, the combined smoke and natural ventilation system was tailored to meet the specific criteria and configurations of the individual buildings to ensure they not only complied with the relevant natural ventilation standards, but also met strict smoke ventilation performance specifications.

In addition, all of the components, systems and solutions provided by SE Controls were fully CE certified and complied with the relevant European standards including EN12101 and BS9999.

The complexity of the smoke and natural ventilation system varied depending on the size and nature of the seven individual buildings, ranging from a relatively straightforward installation within the healthcare block, to the complex multi-zoned solution used in the each of the main accommodation blocks, which would need to allow the safe evacuation of more than 500 people in the event of a fire.

Each four-storey accommodation block is designed with five ‘arms’ radiating from a centre access core, with four of the five providing accommodation and the last one dedicated to housing services to the building.

In natural ventilation mode, AOVs and roof actuators open to allow stale hot air to escape, with fresh air being drawn in through automatic glazed vents at the gable end of each prisoner wing, which operate as two separate zones serving the lower two and upper two floors. Air intake is also provided through additional glazed vents in the curtain wall screens on the centre core between the wings.

When smoke ventilation is required, the system provides both natural and mechanical smoke ventilation to ensure the smoke can be vented quickly and effectively to keep corridors and communal areas clear to aid evacuation. In the event of a fire, natural smoke ventilation is provided by the core’s glazed vents with the addition of ducted dampers, while mechanical smoke extraction is handled by high level louvres together with duty and standby fan sets located at the end of each accommodation wing.

To enable the natural and smoke ventilation systems to monitor the air quality and operate effectively, SE Controls supplied and installed a 32 zone BMS and fire alarm interface panel for each accommodation block together with all necessary actuators, vents and over-ride switches as well as smoke extract fan starter systems and pressure monitoring.

SE Controls’ Commercial Director, Martin Oates, explained: “We have undertaken a number of smoke and natural ventilation projects within the prison sector and they each have their own specific demands. The distinctive design of the accommodation blocks at HMP Oakwood not only provide a secure custodial solution, but also enabled us to create a highly effective natural ventilation systems that improves safety and evacuation in the event of a fire.”

SE Controls specialises in the design, project management and installation of advanced smoke ventilation and natural ventilation solutions to meet the needs of architects, contractors, building services engineers and facilities managers worldwide. Further information on SE Controls’ products, solutions and projects can be obtained by visiting www.secontrols.com or calling +44 (0)1543 443060.

SE Controls passes 100th employee landmark

The appointment of four new trainees sees international smoke and natural ventilation solutions specialist, SE Controls pass the 100^th employee landmark, as the company continues to grow to meet sustained demand for its products in UK and overseas markets.

The four new recruits are aged between 19 and 22 with George Geary, Josh Nolan and Danny Scotcher joining SE Controls as Trainee Window Fitters in its Northern and Southern regions, while Chelsea Beard takes on her new role as Business Apprentice at the company’s head office near Lichfield.

SE Controls’ Managing Director Will Perkins, explained: “To be successful, it’s not just about developing innovative products, expanding into new markets and clear strategic thinking, it’s also about having the right people with the right skills and committing to invest in those individuals. I’m convinced that much of our success is down to our approach of supporting our products services with high quality people that can deliver beyond expectations.”

He added: “We have a firm commitment to formal apprenticeship schemes as well as recruiting trainee’s in a range of positions at SE Controls. This not only helps us develop, design and deliver our smoke & natural ventilation solutions now, but allows us the opportunity to invest in the future success of our business. Passing the 100 employee mark is a major achievement and the fact that we have achieved it with four new trainee and apprentice roles underlines our commitment to the future of our business and the development of our team.”

SE Controls specialises in the design, project management and installation of advanced smoke ventilation and natural ventilation solutions to meet the needs of architects, contractors, building services engineers and facilities managers worldwide. Further information on SE Controls’ products, solutions and projects can be obtained by visiting www.secontrols.com or calling +44 (0) 1543 443060.

SE Controls solves corridor overheating in multi-storey buildings

SE Controls solves corridor overheating in multi-storey buildings

An effective solution to overheated corridors and communal spaces in multi-storey residential buildings has been developed by SE Controls, which exploits the versatility and performance of the company’s smoke ventilation systems, allowing the controlled ventilation of hot air to maintain comfort for residents.

With the increasing focus on energy efficiency, the use of centralised boilers and distributed heating are common solutions in many multi-storey buildings for both new build and refurbishment projects. While routing hot water pipe work through corridors provides a simple method of distribution to feed individual apartments, it can make the corridors uncomfortably hot for residents as well as service and maintenance teams working within the building.

To combat this issue, SE Controls has designed a solution, which allows its smoke ventilation systems to also operate as a precisely controlled passive or mechanically assisted natural ventilation system to help maintain comfortable temperatures and energy efficiency.

By using sensors to monitor the temperature on each floor, the smoke ventilation system’s control panels automatically manage the proportional opening of end of corridor vents, smoke shaft doors and roof vents, which allows the controlled venting of hot air to cool the corridors.

SE Controls’ combined smoke ventilation and natural ventilation solution not only enables the integrity of the fire safety system to be maintained, but also provides an effective answer to corridor overheating, which has already been proven on a number of new build and refurbishment projects.

Kevin Deane, SE Controls’ Maintenance and Supply Commercial Manager, explained: “As most multi-storey buildings with more than three floors require smoke ventilation to aid escape, our systems exploit the automatic ventilation capabilities to control the cumulative thermal gain. In new build projects, we’re finding that consulting engineers, architects and developers are well aware of this issue and are incorporating this solution into building designs.”

He added: “However, one of the main advantages of the system is that it can be retro-fitted to existing smoke ventilation installations. This also enables residential managing agents to address concerns from residents and service teams over high corridor temperatures, which can often reach 30^OC, by providing an effective automatically managed solution.”

SE Controls specialises in the design, project management and installation of advanced smoke ventilation and natural ventilation solutions to meet the needs of architects, contractors, building services engineers and facilities managers worldwide. Further information on SE Controls’ products, solutions and projects can be obtained by visiting www.secontrols.comor calling +44 (0) 1543 443060.

Innovative solution for natural ventilation in schools control launched by SE Controls

The need to maintain precise control over carbon dioxide (CO₂), temperature and energy consumption is essential to create quality learning environments in classrooms and educational buildings and SE Controls’ new compact NVLogiQ room controller provides an innovative solution to meet these demands.

NVLogiQ constantly monitors indoor air quality, temperature and humidity and uses innovative algorithms, developed in conjunction with Loughborough University’s Building Energy Research Group, to control the automatic operation of windows, vents and heating to improve learning and comfort while saving energy. A manual over-ride option is also incorporated to provide additional versatility and direct control.

Capable of being used as a stand-alone classroom controller or networked throughout schools and educational buildings, NVLogiQ’s also incorporates integrated data logging to allow detailed analysis against pre-defined design and performance criteria on both new build and school refurbishment projects.

This ability also presents a range of opportunities for consultants, contractors and facilities mangers to not only verify a school’s natural ventilation (NV) design and performance, but also to enable accurate ongoing system evaluation to be easily undertaken.

As NVLogiQ has a compact and unobtrusive, with a footprint of just 160mm x 105mm, it can be located close to desks and work areas, allowing the precise monitoring of carbon dioxide (CO₂), temperature and humidity to maintain good indoor air quality and comfort levels.

SE Controls’ Natural Ventilation Division Manager, Nick Hudleston, explained: “There are clear guidelines of the volume of fresh air to be introduced into school classrooms, lecture theatres and other educational facilities to ensure that learning is not impeded by high CO₂ levels as well as elevated temperatures. NVLogiQ provides a simple, compact and powerful method of monitoring these parameters and automatically controlling the natural ventilation system to maintain a productive learning environment.”

He added: “For consultants, contractors and those responsible for managing educational buildings, the data logging facility can be used for detailed ongoing analysis, allowing the NV strategy to be ‘tailored’ precisely to the needs of the students and teaching staff, while optimising energy efficiency and comfort.”

CO₂ temperature and relative humidity readings are continuously displayed on NVLogiQ’s integral LCD screen while a red, amber and green ‘traffic light’ display gives a constant indication of indoor air quality. A manual over-ride capability is also built in to the room controller, allowing staff to temporarily open or close windows, louvres or other ventilation devices.

NVLogiQ’s versatile and powerful control structure has been designed to enable it to be used in a range natural ventilation strategies including cross ventilation and single sided ventilation as well as managing passive ventilation and night purging.

“From the outset, we designed NVLogiQ to provide an unrivalled mix of features, control and precision to help take indoor air quality, comfort and energy management of natural ventilation systems in education to the next level,” continued Nick Hudleston. “The innovative operating algorithms, integral data logging and the unobtrusive design, enables it to address a range of NV control and educational building management requirements in a highly versatile package.”

SE Controls specialises in the design, project management and installation of advanced smoke ventilation and natural ventilation solutions to meet the needs of architects, contractors, building services engineers and facilities managers worldwide. Further information on SE Controls’ products, solutions and projects can be obtained by visiting www.secontrols.com or by calling +44 (0) 1543 443060.

Innovative smoke and natural ventilation from SE Controls at Building Services show

Innovative smoke ventilation and natural ventilation control solutions form the primary focus of the SE Controls’ stand at this year’s CIBSE Conference and Exhibition.

A fully working model of SE Controls’ SHEVTEC® Extended Travel Distance System is integrated into the exhibition stand design to demonstrate the highly effective smoke ventilation solution, which received full Registered Detail Certification from the LABC (Local Authority Building Control) earlier this year.

The fully compliant and CE marked system gives local building control officers (BCO’s) the confidence to accept the SHEVTEC Extended Travel Distance System knowing that it has already been rigorously evaluated and tested. It also incorporates a range of additional features that enable specifiers, designers and developers to achieve a more cost effective solution without compromising safety, including the ability to reduce the size of smoke shafts to less than half of the 1.5m² required by an Approved Document B compliant natural ventilation system.

SE Controls is also launching an innovative new natural ventilation control solution, NVLogiQ, at the show, which is designed to maintain precise control over indoor air quality, temperature and energy consumption as a compact stand alone unit or as a networked system.

Using new control and performance algorithms developed in conjunction with Loughborough University’s Building Energy Research Group, NVLogiQ not only provides advanced monitoring and control of NV systems in individual rooms or zones, but also combines integrated data logging for detailed building performance and environment analysis.

NVLogiQ constantly monitors indoor air quality, temperature and humidity and via separate PSU’s (power supply units) and actuators, automatically manages the operation of windows, louvres and vents within a building’s natural ventilation (NV) system, as well as controlling the heating.

With a footprint of just 160mm x 105mm, NVLogiQ can be located almost anywhere within a building in close proximity to desks and work areas, allowing the precise monitoring of carbon dioxide (CO₂), temperature and humidity to maintain indoor air quality and comfort levels.

NVLogiQ’s integral data logging capability presents a range of opportunities for consultants, contractors and facilities mangers to not only verify a building’s NV design and performance, but to also enable accurate post occupancy evaluation to be easily undertaken.

Further information on NVLogiQ, SHEVTEC and SE Controls’ full range of smoke and natural ventilation solutions can be obtained at the exhibition in addition to visiting www.secontrols.com or by calling +44 (0) 1543 443060.

SE Controls wins ‘historic’ award from The National Archive

A major project to replace and upgrade the glazed roof at The National Archive (TNA) in Kew has resulted in SE Controls’ smoke ventilation solutions being recognised within TNA’s Team Awards, which have been awarded collectively to the internal departments, external partners and contractors involved in the successful completion of the project.

The National Archive is the central repository for all UK historic and government records covering almost 10 centuries of information going back to the Domesday Book of 1085. As a result, while the safety of the building’s staff and visitors is the critical concern in the event of a fire, it is also vital that the archive is protected from damage.

By replacing the existing roof glazing, which had begun to leak in a number of places, TNA took the opportunity to improve the overall quality of the glazing, as well as bringing the smoke ventilation and actuation system up to the latest regulatory standards to ensure compliance with the relevant fire safety and building legislation.

The previous pneumatically controlled smoke vent and window automation system was replaced with a new integrated window and actuator solution, which is fully compliant to the latest EN12101-2 standard and is linked to SE Controls’ smoke and environmental control panels within the building’s eight smoke control zones.

HTP Architects designed the new glazed roof and Structura UK was the principal contractor on the project, with both companies also being part of the collective award from TNA. Throughout the project, the entire upgrading was undertaken while the building was occupied and provided full access to the public to ensure no disruption was caused.

SE Controls specialises in the design, project management and installation of advanced smoke ventilation and natural ventilation solutions to meet the needs of architects, contractors, building services engineers and facilities managers worldwide. Further information on SE Controls’ products, solutions and projects can be obtained by visiting www.secontrols.com or calling +44 (0) 1543 443060.

SE Controls provides a creative environment at new university design centre

Students at Loughborough University’s recently completed East Park Design School building are being helped in their studies by an integrated natural ventilation system from SE Controls, which ensures that carbon dioxide (CO₂) and is kept in check and indoor air quality levels are maintained.

Designed by Burwell Deakins Architects, the £14.7 million building uses informal design themes and layouts to create an ‘inspirational environment’ as well as providing practical work spaces, design studios, lecture theatres and workshops.

As with all learning environments, one of the key considerations for the design school was ensuring that levels remained within the appropriate limits to ensure that students’ abilities are not impaired by poor indoor air quality. Also, the building was conceived form the outset as a low carbon structure with minimum emissions, so utilises a range of energy efficient technologies including solar shading, insulated glazing and SE Controls’ natural ventilation solution.

The extensive natural ventilation control and actuation system was designed and installed by SE Controls to not only manage the CO₂ levels, but also ensure the temperature within the building is maintained within comfortable limits by using precise incremental control over the entire natural ventilation system.

To achieve these key goals, SE Controls installed over 400 chain actuators over the ground, first and second floors to control high level vertical vents in laboratories, offices and study areas, as well as the design school’s workshops and computer room.

Automatic louvres are also installed in ground floor public areas and meeting rooms, to allow fresh air to enter the building, while a further 48 chain and linear actuators in the building’s extensive glazed atrium vents provide ventilation to the atrium space below.

The entire system is controlled by a series of SE Controls’ OS2 networked control units and an OS2 modular panel for the atrium vents, which are seamlessly linked into the buildings BMS. This not only monitors CO₂ and temperature, but also signals the actuation of the vents and louvres to maintain the levels within the system’s upper and lower set points.

Darren Wainwright, SE Controls’ project leader on the East Park installation, explained: “The close relationship between CO₂ levels and the performance of students in schools and other educational establishments is already well documented, so it’s vital that good indoor air quality is maintained. However, it’s equally important that heat losses are minimised during ventilation to avoid unnecessary use of energy to re-heat the building, which is why the operating algorithms and ventilation strategy deployed minimise energy consumption while maintaining excellent indoor air quality and comfortable temperatures.”

Loughborough University has also been closely involved with the development of SE Controls’ new ‘NVLogiQ’ compact natural ventilation control solution through a highly active knowledge transfer partnership (KTP) programme. The ongoing relationship, which has already been in place for more than two years, has enabled SE Controls to develop advanced energy saving operating algorithms to the current design standards and accepted best practice for its new generation of controllers, of which NVLogiQ is the first.

SE Controls specialises in the design, project management installation and maintenance of advanced smoke ventilation and natural ventilation solutions to meet the needs of architects, contractors, building services engineers and facilities managers worldwide. Further information on SE Controls’ products, solutions and projects can be obtained by visiting www.secontrols.com or calling +44 (0) 1543 443060.

‘Why Automate Windows' Part 2

'Window Orientation and Cabling'

Will Perkins - Managing Director - SE Controls

In this series of articles by Will Perkins we look at the provision of adaptive natural ventilation for healthy and efficient buildings and the safety provision of smoke ventilation. The series attempts to explain some of the pitfalls in the lack of early design and understanding of such systems.

The process of opening windows of any orientation can be automated to provide easy access to the outside air for natural ventilation or for the provision of smoke ventilation no matter where the windows are located. There are various types of window openings currently available:

‘Hung’ on the outer frame, ‘hung’ refers to the part of the frame which is hinged allowing the vent pane to open, ‘top hung’ refers to a window which is hinged at the top, ‘top hung - open out’ suggests that the window is hinged at the top and opens outward. There are many types of arrangement using these two parameters, including ‘bottom hung - open out’ providing a hopper type window, generally used for smoke ventilation.

‘Hung’ windows can be fitted on ‘butt’ hinges to the outer frame, but more frequently are fitted on ‘variable geometry friction hinges’. These are usually made of stainless steel and are concealed in the space around the vent frame to outer frame and are actually fitted near to the ‘hung’ outer frame member, being placed on corresponding jambs. They are known as variable geometry as the hinges often move the vent frame away from the ‘hung’ outer frame once they are opened.

Centre pivot, or offset pivot windows have simple pivot points on the jambs and can rotate 180 degrees for easy cleaning. These are available in both horizontal and vertical pivot arrangements.

Both ‘hung’ and ‘pivot’ arrangements can be used in sloped facades or roofs.

Glazed or solid banks of opening louvres can also be incorporated into an effective natural and/or smoke ventilation system.

Parallel opening windows are becoming a frequent feature in modern architecture, offering  a simple ‘push out’ arrangements taking the whole vent away from the facade line and offer an excellent mode of ventilation.

All these arrangements can have one or more actuators fitted to provide simple operation and security. In order to calculate the number and size of the actuators required the size and weight of the window needs to be identified, together with its material, the hinge mechanism, and what free area is needed for ventilation. Free area is the area open to allow for ventilation which needs to take into consideration cills and reveals which compromises the free area.

The Geometric Free Area (GFA) of the opening window is calculated as the leading edge of the opening vent ‘x’ the distance opening, plus the two open triangles on each side of the open vent. The GFA can never exceed the maximum opening in the outer frame, or the ‘throat’ as which air can pass. Building Regulation, Approved Document B 2007, states that the method of calculation should only include the leading edge of the opening vents by the maximum opening of the window. Here adjustments may need to be made to the calculation regarding both possible obstructions and the presence of reveals and cills.

Depending on the opening, or stoke distance of the vent to outer frame, a variable efficiency is achieved for the free area provided, this is known as the coefficient of discharge (CV). Depending on the design of the windows and the area being ventilated, this is crucial to efficient operation and the design of the window configuration that needs to be detailed at the early design stages. More importantly the provision of free area for smoke ventilation is crucial in case of fire - again early involvement of a ventilation specialist is crucial.

Once the windows are designed, actuators will need to be placed on brackets to ensure that when a window vent opens the chain actuator operates to the geometry of the opening window. It is vital that this is correctly achieved for all opening positions of the vent to ensure long life of the actuator and correct operation as specified. A poorly designed actuator fixing can cause the actuator to clash with the outer frame which may not be noticeable, but will ultimately lead to damage to the frame and failure of the actuator Early confirmation of design details will ensure that the correct parts and preparations are completed on the windows to make site fixing effective and efficient, accurate and most of all to a high standard. Cabling between the actuator and the control panels seems like a straightforward task, but not one that should be tackled without prior planning, particularly if 240v actuators are being used. If tails are going to be left are these going to run through the window material, if so are bushes required and internal preps to the windows and or curtain wall? What material, what colour of cable should be used - who is going to install and where to? So many questions - all of these need to be answered at the design stages so that a safe and efficient installed system is provided.

To meet the aesthetic requirements of the client, consideration and detailing at early design stages again is crucial. Whilst the sheathing colours of cables may not match the colours of the window system, actuators can be powder coated to match the internal finish of the window making the installation as neat as possible.

As mentioned throughout this series, one of the most important aspects in delivering a cost effective and efficient system is the early involvement of a natural ventilation and smoke control specialist. A complete installation involves many trades working side by side and one experienced specialist overviewing the whole provision.

In the next and final issue we will cover the control of the actuators and the contractual process along with covering free area calculations guidance under the new Approved Document B 2007, and how to achieve this effectively and safely.

SE Controls operate across the globe with offices in several continents, with dedicated specialists offering clients expert advice based on local legislative requirements. Visit the website at www.secontrols.com for further information. To discuss your requirements with SE Controls, or request literature, please call their head office in Lichfield on 01543 443060.