Ulster Museum is acknowledged as one of the UK's finest, having won the Art Fund Prize in 2010 for the museum within the UK that best recognises and stimulates originality and excellence. The museum is home to a number of collections that represent Northern Ireland's history, varying from fossils and archaeology to world cultures and art. Two of the museum's prize pieces are Takabuti, a seventh century BC Egyptian Mummy, and Peter the Polar Bear. Peter shot to fame when the museum's night watchman reported hearing unusual noises coming from the preserved and stuffed bear. The museum also houses the most complete real dinosaur fossil on display in Ireland in the form of the Edmontosaurus skeleton and some of the finest examples of Celtic design from the Iron Age period.

As part of the refurbishment, a new extension was added to the original museum, which is a listed building. The central feature of the new extension is a 23 metre high atrium area which houses the giant 'Window on our World' display tower. This state-of-the-art attraction rises up through the museum's four levels and houses the most iconic objects from across the museum's diverse collections. As well as containing many exhibits that are of high financial and sentimental value, the recently refurbished museum also boasts three new learning zones, 33 galleries and exhibition spaces and a restaurant.

There were a number of factors that had to be taken into account when designing the fire detection system. Given the diverse nature of the facilities, the client required a fire system that was reliable in a range of different environments. In addition there was a need to be able to protect a large number of visitors of all ages, many of whom would not know the building layout or fire evacuation drill. As well as being able to protect a large number of people in a challenging environment, a reliable voice controlled evacuation system was necessary in order to communicate with those who are unable to understand the traditional alarms, whether due to a disability or because of language barriers.

Approximately 500 Apollo analogue addressable XP95 detectors were specified to meet the main fire protection requirements, with the system based around a Kidde Vega panel that controls 24 zones. The specification required a large number of interfaces to be incorporated into the system, for example to control the display lighting, audio and visual display features and the museum lifts in the event of an emergency.

Geoff Dougan, of Eurotec Safety Services, said:

"Apollo's XP95 range gave us the product choice and flexibility to meet the specifications of this application. It is well proven in the field and the reliability of Apollo systems is one of the main reasons why we have been using their products for more than 20 years."

Within a year of re-opening following the refurbishment, Ulster Museum had welcomed 500,000 visitors, making it Northern Ireland's busiest visitor attraction.

For orders required before this period please ensure your purchase order reaches us by the following day and time. 

UK Orders                  10:00 a.m. on 23rd December

Export Orders            12:00 noon on 16th December

We would like to thank you for your continued business during 2011 and wish you and your colleagues a prosperous 2012.

West Sussex County Council headquarters consists of a main five-storey building and seven satellite buildings. One of these is Edes House, a Grade I listed building that was built in 1696. The Georgian building was bought by the County Council in 1916 and used as council offices until the building of the present county hall in 1936. Today, the house is still used for County Council meetings during the day and is open for a variety of artistic, ceremonial and cultural activities at other times.

Other buildings at the headquarters are host to the council chambers and administration buildings, the County Council Emergency Management centre in the basement of the main building and a main server room. Each of these locations had very different requirements and Southern Fire Alarms Ltd recommended an Apollo-based detection system that was designed to meet L2 standards as required by West Sussex County Council.

More than 700 Apollo devices were installed alongside an existing fire alarm system, which needed to be retained until the new system was tested and commissioned. Advanced Electronics MX4000 panels are used to control the new fire alarm system. David Fell, System Sales Consultant at Southern Fire Alarms Ltd, explains: "For this installation we had a number of situations where specialist devices were required and Apollo was able to meet our demands. West Sussex County Council required an open protocol system. Apollo technology was chosen as it offers a great deal of flexibility when considering maintenance and, if required, spare parts are easily available."

The fire detection system had a number of specific requirements, which Apollo technology was able to meet. For example, fire detection was required in the building's attic spaces to supplement the existing smoke detection. Apollo's Discovery carbon monoxide detectors were chosen to operate where the ceiling construction consists of multiple beam structures. As well as being able to operate in one of five response modes, Discovery detectors also incorporate drift compensation, which reduces the likelihood of false alarms as the detector can adapt to dirty or dusty environments.

The council chamber, Chief Executive's office and entrance halls presented a very different fire detection challenge. The installation of hard-wired devices would have caused unacceptable damage to the decorative design on the walls and ceiling, so Apollo's XPander range of wireless detectors were chosen. Designed for use in areas where hard-wired fire detection is impossible or impractical, XPander devices are also a good option for listed buildings, which may have strict rules regarding alteration to the original fabric of the structure. In these circumstances, channelling and wiring for traditional fire detection can cause damage to the interior during installation.

Specialist fire detection was also required in the county hall's generator oil store room. Due to the volatile nature of the room's contents, care needed to be taken with the fire detection that was installed. Electrical equipment for use in such areas must be designed so that it cannot ignite a flammable mixture, so Apollo's XP95 Intrinsically Safe (IS) detectors were recommended. The range has been specifically developed for use in hazardous areas.

XP95 interfacing devices were installed to connect the fire detection system to a number of the other building systems, including the air handling unit, gas shut off and access control. As part of the fire system specification, Southern Fire Alarms also provided a bespoke panel and Apollo sounders in case of a bomb alert.

Educational establishments may typically consist of a number of buildings that are spread across a site, such as sports centres and exterior classrooms. Linking these buildings back to the main fire detection system can be expensive or impractical depending on distance and the large amount of cabling required. Apollo's wireless XPander range solves this problem.

The extended XPander range includes two new products and now consists of an optical smoke detector, a multisensor smoke detector, heat detector types A1R and CS, a wireless base, a manual call point, a sounder and a sounder beacon and Single and Dual Input/Output Units. The complete range has been granted the new wireless link fire standard EN54 Part 25, which is the standard for European-compliant radio products.

XPander has an updated 31-device loop interface and connects to an XP95-compatible control panel via an interface which is wired to the loop. No special adjustment or programming is required and the devices are recognised by the control panel simply as another detector connected to the system. The detectors are multi-state in that they report normal, fire or fault states to the radio base, which transmits the information to the interface. The radio bases and signalling devices are addressable and use a pre-set analogue value to report via the XP95 protocol. In addition to 'normal' and 'fire' signals, the bases can also indicate a low battery, a dirty detector, detector tamper and low signal strength fault conditions.

The OpenConnect Gateway is effectively a 'plug and play' device that can be incorporated into a fire control panel design, relaying information from the panel into the BMS using standard protocols such as BACnet™, Modbus® or LonWorks®. This gives both system integrators and end users the advantage of utilising an intra-system communication architecture between both environments, while maintaining the integrity of each system independently. The benefits include faster response times, coordination strategies, and utilisation of pre-planned and/or pre-programmed evacuation procedures in case of emergency or times of failure. Because the gateway is an integral part of the fire control panel, it is also simple to install and configure reducing the associated time and costs when implemented into projects.

At the heart of the hardware is the Tridium JACE®, designed in conjunction with the well-established Niagara AX Framework®, to provide easy physical integration to a host of established networks. The versatility of the OpenConnect standard allows participating fire panel partners to adopt and seamlessly integrate their equipment into building monitoring, automation and control systems using the gateway. Through its Panel Partnership, Apollo has already worked closely with leading panel manufacturers to develop panel-to-BMS interfaces, and will continue to do so as future licensed partners come onboard and develop suitable connections to the gateway hardware.

The new gateway will be available in four base models that reflect the number of configured points exposed within the BMS environment (200, 1600, 12000 and 25000). Each OpenConnect Gateway includes two standard Ethernet ports, an RS232 port, and a 15V DC input. Additional plug-in I/O slots are also available if needed for other connectors, such as LON adapters.

To learn more about the OpenConnect Gateway module and Apollo's full range of fire detection, visit www.apollo-fire.com, or e-mail infous@apollo-fire.com.

The device provides a monitored input circuit for connection to dry contacts, as well as a 120V, 4A rated dry relay contact output. Mounted in a plastic fascia plate for use with 4 inch square or 2 gang electrical back boxes, the unit's red LED flashes when polled by the fire panel. The LED changes to solid red to indicate an active output.

The loop powered design eliminates the need for additional power supply and minimizes installation wiring. Its 120V, 4A rating enables switching of the mains voltage, with reduced installation costs when interfacing directly with mains fans and dampers. The XP95A 120V AC Input/Output module is approved to UL and ULC standards.

Brisbane Women's Correctional Centre is the only assessment and placement centre for female prisoners in South East Queensland. The centre accommodates up to 258 prisoners across two accommodation areas - secure and residential cells. The Women's Correctional Centre includes a purpose built-area that can accommodate those women who have been approved to have their children reside with them in custody. Adjacent is Wolston Correctional Centre, which houses 600 male inmates.

There are a number of particular considerations that have to be made when providing fire detection in such a facility, including evacuation procedures. Apollo's analogue addressable technology will allow an alert to be accurately located and verified, and an evacuation can be avoided if not needed.

Ampac recommended Apollo's XP95 system to meet the main fire detection requirements at the site. Dayshelf installed approximately 3,500 devices to meet the fire detection requirements, including more than 1,500 smoke detectors, 1,200 heat detectors and 500 interface units. The system is based around 46 networked Ampac control panels. The fire system has been integrated into the prison's building management system using an Ampac controller interface card.

Due to the nature of the building, a phased replacement was necessary. Fire detection devices were changed as each panel was upgraded, which had to take place one at a time. The entire process took six months to complete.

Adam Lansdown at Dayshelf, said: "A false alarm at this facility could be dangerous, so the end client needed to be confident that the chosen fire detection was reliable and accurate. Dayshelf have grown to hold a majority share in the Gold Coast fire protection market and buy Apollo equipment from Ampac 95 per cent of the time."

In addition to this large scale upgrade, Ampac are also pleased to announce the opening of a new Northern Territory Customer Service Office.

M Shed museum explores the city's history from prehistoric times to the 21^st century through extensive collections of objects, art and archives in addition to working exhibits on the harbourside, including steam trains and cranes. Situated on Bristol's historic wharf, the museum is located in a 1950s transit shed, originally known as M Shed, which was designed to store goods imported into Bristol's docks. M Shed is one of the few remaining buildings of its type in the country and has been redeveloped into Bristol's only museum dedicated to the city's history. This was possible thanks to an £11.6 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Covering 6000m², M Shed has three permanent galleries named Bristol People, Bristol Places and Bristol Life; a rooftop gallery; a learning suite that is estimated to attract 20,000 school and community visitors each year; a maintenance and conservation workshop which opens onto the dockside allowing visitors to see the work going on inside; a café and gift shop.

The fire detection was the responsibility of Multi Alarm who recommended an Apollo-based system to meet the BS5839 L1 fire protection requirements. Around 350 Apollo Discovery devices have been installed to protect the museum, and these are controlled by a Multi Alarm 4 loop IFAX panel. The main point fire detection system interfaces with aspirating smoke detection which has been installed to protect the building's large ceiling voids. In addition, the client required that the system was networked with the existing fire detection in the museum's storage and refurbishment area next door, which is also based upon Apollo technology.

Derek Cooper, Surveyor at Multi Alarm, said: "A system was required that would allow mode changes to be made from the panel. This will enable the fire system to be adjusted to take account of activities in the museum workshop and working exhibits, such as steam trains, which may otherwise affect the reliability of the fire detection. We recommended Apollo's Discovery detectors as they have been fully approved to operate in five different response modes."

M Shed museum opened its doors for the first time on Friday 17^th June 2011.

You can still email your orders to us as usual on ukorders@apollo-fire.co.uk. Apollo is committed to improving processes to optimise resource utilisation and minimising environmental impact. 

Eddie Bean, Technical Manager at T&P Fire Ltd, says: "We have always advocated the open protocol approach, because it offers flexibility of product choice and better whole life costs. We recommended Apollo technology due to the high quality, range and reliability of Apollo products, which satisfied all of our client's requirements for this historic site."

James Carswell, Cabinet member for Cultural Services at Norfolk County Council, said: "Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery is so much more than just a building; it is a treasured part of our community loved by visitors and staff alike because it brings to life our heritage in a space fit for the 21^st century, complete with state-of-the-art fire detection that secures the safety of our staff, visitors and valuable collections."

Norwich Castle was built by the Normans 900 years ago, and is one of the city's most famous landmarks. Originally a wooden fortification, surrounded by deep dry ditches for defence, the castle was later used as a prison. The castle complex is both a Scheduled Monument and a listed Grade I building. Today the castle is a museum and art gallery, housing collections of fine art, archaeology and natural history. One of the museum's star collections is centered on East Anglia's very own Queen Boudica; visitors can admire displays of Iceni gold and treasures and ride on a re-creation of an Iceni warrior's chariot.

Attached to the castle by a First World War Communication Trench is the Royal Norfolk Regimental Museum. This museum traces the lives of the soldiers of the County Regiment and their families from 1685 onwards, through the items that have been collected from their campaigns; including a medal collection boasting three Victoria Crosses.

T&P Fire was appointed to supply, install, commission and maintain the new fire detection system. Installation was required on a like for like basis, and using the existing loop wiring. The work was programmed around the building's occupants and requirements, mostly taking place during normal working hours.

The fire system replacement was split into two main areas; the Castle Museum and the Regimental Museum, Shirehall and Chambers at street level. More than 700 Apollo analogue addressable devices - including smoke and heat detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, audio visual devices and interfaces - have been installed altogether.

Within the Castle Museum and Art Gallery, around 300 Apollo Discovery fire detectors are configured across seven loops controlled by an Advanced Electronics Mx4807 panel. Nearly 100 interface devices allow the fire system to interact with other building systems, such as the sprinkler system and the Public Address Voice Alarm system, as well as access controlled doors and other critical plant. The main point fire detection system also interfaces with aspirating smoke detection which has been installed to protect the building's large ceiling voids and the main castle keep.

The Regimental Museum and Shirehall are protected by a two-loop fire system, again based around an Advanced Electronics control panel, and incorporating 130 Apollo devices, while the Chambers has a four-loop system that includes more than 200 Apollo fire detectors, sounder beacons, base sounders and interfaces.

Designed to meet L1 standards, the fire systems offer a phased evacuation, with an alarm signal being raised in the affected area only.