Plumis fire protection blog

Automist fire sprinklers for when traditional solutions demands too great a water supply

2018-05-12T04:23:00.002-07:00

The Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, Dany Cotton told the London Assembly that “as a measure as part of a range of options in making buildings safe fire sprinklers are key going forward.” Sprinklers are a reliable and cost-effective fire safety measure that can greatly reduce risk of death, injury, property damage and harm to local communities.

However, it is important to be pragmatic and accept that given the magnitude of the task it is not feasible to make sprinklers immediately mandatory in all buildings in England. Retrofitting sprinklers in buildings over 30 metres high– 10 storeys – in London alone could cost up to £500 million.

As such, we the London Assembly Planning Committee are calling for a risk-based, phased, ‘road map’ towards making sprinklers mandatory in all homes in England. They call for the Government to require sprinklers to be retrofitted in every existing tall building, care home and sheltered housing block during refurbishment work.

The costs of installing Automatic Fire Sprinkler Systems (AFSS) in new flats are relatively low, although costs are higher for houses. A typical sprinkler system in a new-build block of flats costs around £2500 per flat, or around 1 to 2 per cent of the total development cost. However, installation costs for houses are significantly higher than for flats, largely because water supply problems represent a significant cost in AFSS installation. While it should be possible to supply houses directly from the mains, in many cases a pump and tank are needed. Thames Water will not supply water for firefighting directly from the mains unless there is no alternative.

Watermist systems present a unique technology to address this problem. Automist Smartscan is one example which is designed to minimise disruption during installation and does not need a tank or a commercial incoming water main. It uses 90% less water than tradional sprinklers, whilst delivering BS8458 fire performance.

Surrey Towers have been retrofitted with the system subsequent to consultation with Surrey Fire and Rescue Service after reviewing its fire risk assessment in the light of the Coroner’s ruling following the Shirley Towers blaze in April 2010. Automist was selected because it is easier to retrofit than other active fire suppression systems. To avoid issues with access and disruption to tenants, installations took place when they are either subject to major internal works, or at the time of re-letting.

Also Dean Reeve, UK and Ireland Agent for VID Fire-Kill, stresses: “Yes, water mist is acceptable for high-rise buildings.” He adds: “There are published British Standards and the scope of these standards gives guidance and recommendation on the design, installation, water supplies, commissioning and maintenance of water mist standards.”

Many of the costs of installing AFSS in new build can be offset by innovative and flexible design and a more rigorous approach to building resilience. AFSS often allow for reductions in other fire safety measures and allow for more marketable open plan room layouts. Installing high quality systems throughout a building can also significantly reduce damage costs when a fire does occur. A greater focus on resilience in the Building Regulations is required to encourage high quality systems and give insurers the confidence to reduce premiums.

Automist enabling new wave of open plan homes

2017-12-29T09:11:00.000-08:00

Whether an architect trying to design a trendier residential layout or homeowner looking to refurbish their residence with a fresher look, modern layouts are constantly at odds with the country’s safety regulations. More and more frequently, homeowners want to adjust their property to reflect an ‘open plan’ layout. This simple yet effective architectural trend is derived from an old Japanese tradition which merges rooms (i.e. living/dining room, kitchen/dining room, or entry hall/living room) to let in more natural light and give the appearance of a much larger space.

The difficulty associated with open plan design is that it carries with it two central conflicting ideas: a space that is modern and valuable: we’ve seen gigantic kitchen-diners, futuristic staircases and amazing mezzanine loft spaces in high-end Hollywood homes. But also, an insecurity that open plan may not work for the majority of standard homes and spaces.

Open plan is valuable for three reasons. Firstly, it looks good: impressive open spaces are lighter, tend to be aesthetically more pleasing, and remind us of the homes and imagined lifestyles of the wealthy and successful. Secondly, its practical; if you want to host a dinner for ten, one large room is going to work much better than two small reception rooms. Sometimes you just need a larger space. Finally, open plan layouts — especially those that eliminate hallways and corridors — make better use of space and make properties look bigger, ultimately increasing their value.

The challenge of open plan design, however, comes with implementing this concept in countries like England and the UK, where safety regulations are strict and often require a layout plan that contains small closed-in spaces in order to help contain potential fires and allow for an easy escape route with minimal danger of exposure.

Thankfully, these limitations are quickly coming to an end thanks to an invention known as “automist.” Automist is a water mist system that uniquely uses a small amount of water (5-6 litres per minute) and has a small, condensed design makes it convenient for spaces where it is difficult to retrofit the sprinkler system. Because of its design you can plug It into a space relatively easily. You don’t require a tank or run a network of pipes. Instead you can install the device in a similar way to installing a power shower.

Beautiful, environmental, practical, legal and so valuable it pays for itself. The future, it seems, is open!

Why Building Insurers Are Excited About Smart Water Mist Sprinklers

2017-12-15T08:00:00.000-08:00

There are an estimated 365,000 residential fires each year in the United States alone. Of which, approximately 180,000 starts in the kitchen. The average cost is $45,000 leading to an economic cost of at least $7 billion. Multiple residencies such as student housing, retirement homes, shared accommodation and flats with communal kitchens are all high-risk categories and increasing concerns for property owners and insurance companies alike.

Automist, a new smart water mist sprinkler system, has the advantage of being designed to be compatible with the majority of building layouts and ease of retrofit without major disruption. When installed in the course of a major refurbishment project, the advantage is twofold: disruption is minimised, and volume pricing offers exceptional value.

A common concern to all building insurers and insurance holders alike is the requirement to meet standard regulations and fire safety laws. Automist Smartscan is the only product of its kind that has been approved by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) in the US. In addition to compliance with building regulations (review our standards for more detail) this fire mist system has been thoroughly tested and adheres USA standards for code 904.11 and for limited water and well water regulations. Because of this, insurers are able to confidently recommend Automist Smartscan to a wider range of clients since the products can be utilized not only in new builds, but also, in retrofitted refurbishments.

What makes Automist unique is that unlike other sprinkler systems, this technology only uses up 5.6 litres of water per minute, and as a result, causes minimal water damage to the room or content. This is ideal for insurers, who, often need to implement high interest rates to make up for the loss they face when paying out a client’s claim. Since the fear of high interest rates and complicated regulations are the main reasons why building/home owners are cautious about choosing building insurance or even opt out all-together, this relief of pressure enables a stronger homeowner/insurer relationship down the road.

Hear a professional insurer’s view of Automist watermist system.

Whether you’re a homeowner or property owner of a larger multiple resident building, making sure your property complies with all fire safety regulations and complies with insurance terms can be very complicated and even then, can still be very hard and costly to make a claim in event of a fire. Automist can be used as a more convenient alternative to fire sprinklers to meet Building Regulations and is particularly suitable for retrofit and shared residencies like flat towers or nursing homes.

A Fire Sprinkler Designed for Retrofit

2017-12-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

When coming up with design solutions for refurbishing older home models with modern aesthetics, architects are often confined to solutions that are limiting in order to meet the national safety requirements set by the LABC. In addition, city officials are often torn when handling older constructions because they need to be brought up to code with modern fire sprinkler systems but the costs are too high. The choice becomes so challenging that more often than not, the problems are ignored or left alone without an attempt to find a solution that would be both practical and economical. Unfortunately, however, this is a huge risk and liability, and the consequences could be horrific.

One of the biggest issues with a traditional sprinkler system is that you’re often required to expand or attach a main with additional piping to get the amount of water required. This is a feat that is both impractical and costly when dealing with older constructions, especially in areas that are more remote and far from natural water sources and city pipelines. Automist water mist sprinkler system is a smarter, automatic fire sprinkler system. Instead of the typical ceiling-mounted sprinkler head, this device consists only of a stainless-steel panel that seamlessly integrates into the interior of almost any living space. As soon as the sprinkler system is activated, the head of the unit rotates automatically to directly target fires with a powerful jet of water mist, using about one-tenth of the water supply of traditional fire sprinklers.

With many renovations to older buildings, relocating occupants to alternative facilities can be a significant expense. Automist technology was developed with this problem in mind. Its compact, straightforward design enables retrofit without the use of a tank or network of pipes. Instead, Automist is installed similarly to a power shower, making it the perfect retrofit alternative for older constructions, especially multiple occupant residencies like: dorms, assisted living centres and apartment towers.

Runnymede Council began a programme to retrofit sprinklers to flats within its only tower block – the 16-storey Surrey Towers in Addlestone. To avoid issues with access and disruption to tenants, installations took place when they are either subject to major internal works, or at the time of re-letting. Automist was selected because Automist water mist systems were easier to retrofit than other fire suppression systems and uses less water whilst still maintaining excellent performance.

Read how Plumis Ltd. retrofitted Surrey Towers with their water mist fire sprinkler alternative here!

Automist Smartscan is a Top Winner in IDSA International Design Excellence Award (IDEA®) 2017

2017-07-17T08:50:00.001-07:00

London, UK —June 29, 2017—Automist Smartscan, designed by Plumis, is a Top Winner in the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA®) 2017 hosted by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA). See the gallery. Which 25 designs won Gold and which 52 designs won Silver, will be announced on Aug. 19 at the IDEA Ceremony—open to the public at Rich Theater and followed by a ticketed Gala at High Museum. Through Aug. 11, the public can vote online for the People’s Choice Award winner.

Plumis won in the Home & Bath category. “We are delighted to have been recognized as one of the outstanding products of 2017, alongside a host of other exciting products” said Design Director, Yusuf Muhammad.

Link - http://www.idsa.org/awards/idea/home-bath/automist-smartscan

Automist Smartscan is a smarter, modern fire sprinkler system. Instead of the typical ceiling-mounted sprinkler head, this device consists only of a stainless steel panel that seamlessly integrates into the interior of almost any living space. As soon as the system is activated, the head of the unit rotates automatically to directly target fires with a powerful jet of water mist. This has been proven to achieve the same performance as other familiar sprinkler systems. However, one huge advantage it boasts is that this approach uses 90% less water. The result is significantly less water damage to the living space.

“IDSA IDEA 2017 winners demonstrate how designers are able to capture what’s invisible to others and inspire beauty through the smallest of details within the simplest of artifacts,” said IDEA 2017 Jury Chair Owen Foster, IDSA. “Winners go beyond the tangible that we are so accustomed to seeing—to cultivate amazing, holistic ecosystems.”

Foster led more than two dozen, global design experts in judging 20 categories covering products, brands, experiences, strategies and more. Onsite jurying was held in May at the newly-renamed Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn, MI.

Proving design truly is a universal language, IDEA attracted hundreds of entries from 54 countries on six continents. Innovations abound in the latest winners submitted by design firms, corporations, universities and more. The competition drew entries from Australia to Austria, Belarus to Brazil, Chile to China and from countries including Croatia, Estonia, India, Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, United States, Uruguay and Vatican City State.

Several other special awards will be announced on Aug. 19 including People’s Choice, Best in Show, Curator’s Choice, Jury Chair—and new this year—the Plastics Innovation Award from the Plastics Industry Association. The Ceremony and Gala will follow IDSA’s International Design Conference 2017: Design IS Business, scheduled Aug. 16–19 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis. Follow the excitement on #IDSAIDEA #IDSA17Atlanta @IDSA on Twitter; Industrial Designers Society of America on Facebook and LinkedIn; and @IDSAdesign on Instagram. For information on sponsorship opportunities, contact sales@idsa.org. To schedule interviews with jurors and winners, contact media@idsa.org.

Founded in 1965, the nonprofit IDSA has thousands of members in dozens of Student Chapters, Professional Chapters and Special Interest Sections around the world. The Society hosts events including an annual International Design Conference, District Design Conferences and niche events. Global outreach includes designUpdate and designBytes e-newsletters; INNOVATION magazine; and the Yearbook of Design Excellence. IDSA Ambassadors support and promote industrial design with research and thought leadership such as INsights.

Plumis Automist facilitates flat conversion in London

2017-05-21T14:33:00.001-07:00

Automist from Plumis, an LABC Registered and cost effective alternative to sprinkler systems was recently used in the conversion of a ground floor flat in Crouch End, Haringey, London into two separate flats, one of which incorporated a 27m long basement space. Building Control officers insisted that, in order to meet fire regulations, a fire suppression system like Automist that offers full room, active fire suppression should be used. The alternative would have been to install staircases in the light wells as a means of escape in the event of a fire. Mr S. Perkins, the owner of the property was reluctant to do this. “This was because it would have meant substantially enlarging the light well space, thereby reducing the internal space. And this would have seriously compromised the aesthetic of the project.”

The traditional alternative was to install sprinklers but, for this, additional building works would have been necessary in the already completed flats. Furthermore, a discharge would have drenched the new fixtures and fittings as well as the recently refurbished fabric of the property. Mr Perkins searched for a solution and visited the Plumis website where he familiarised himself with the Automist product, which uses a high pressure pump to generate a fine water mist from nozzles mounted under a standard tap, on a worktop or unobtrusively mounted on a wall. It is designed to limit fire growth and minimise exposure to toxic gases and heat, making escape safer in an emergency. He was referred to Fire Fend Installations, a London and South East-based accredited Automist installer who he duly contacted with his architect’s plans. Karen Cowling, Fire Fend’s General Manager dealt with the enquiry promptly and advised him that 3 fixed heads and 2 pumps would provide adequate protection, which, was approved by the private Building Control Officer. Mr Perkins was delighted with the solution. “We were in a position to install quickly and we were able to complete the process and commission the system within a relatively short time. Fire Fend made sure that the various elements were delivered to site when we needed them and we found the process pretty painless!”

Mr Perkins was fully satisfied with the completion of his project and would certainly consider using Plumis Automist and Fire Fend Installations for any future projects of this type.

Plumis Automist Smartscan provides alternative to enclosed lobby in Hitchin loft conversion

2017-05-21T14:29:00.001-07:00

A Plumis Automist Smartscan system was installed recently in a loft conversion in Hitchin, Hertfordshire in order to facilitate the retention of the open plan living space. For this kind of contemporary, open space design Building Regulations demand that a protected enclosed stairwell is provided or they require the use of alternative compensatory measures such as sprinklers.

The property owner, Matt Newis was reluctant to install sprinklers because of the potential water damage to his home should the sprinklers be activated. He was recommended to consider the Plumis device and did some research on the internet. He was fully satisfied that it would fulfil his requirements as a more usable alternative to sprinklers, so he contacted his local approved Automist installer, Creative In/Exteriors Ltd. LABC registered Automist Smartscan is a modern alternative to a fire sprinkler system. Instead of the typical ceiling-mounted sprinkler head, this device consists of a wall mounted stainless steel panel that seamlessly integrates into the interior of almost any living space. As soon as the system is activated, the head of the unit rotates automatically to directly target fires with a powerful jet of water mist. This has been proven to achieve the same performance as the more familiar sprinkler systems. However, because this approach uses 90% less water there is significantly less water damage to the living space in the event of a discharge.

Automist also has the advantage of fitting unobtrusively into modern decors. In this case, the pump was located under the stairs and the spray-head on the staircase wall. A Kidde KF30 heat alarm complete with SMK23RU relay was installed and connected to the pump. The heat alarm was mains powered from an existing consumer unit, on a separate RCBO. This is effectively the trigger for the pump to activate. All plumbing work, electrical work and making good was completed by Creative In/Exteriors Ltd. The pump is connected to the existing consumer unit using FP200 cable and runs on a separate RCBO.

Mr Newis was pleased that Automist helped avoid the need to create an enclosed lobby to the exit from the bottom of the stairs, which exited at ground floor level into an open plan dining room and helped retain the open plan nature of the living space. He would most definitely use the Automist system again and indeed would recommend it to others.

Plumis Automist facilitates open plan design in terraced property

2017-05-21T14:05:00.000-07:00

Plumis Automist has been used to provide an innovative, best value fire protection solution in a loft conversion in a terraced property in Berkhamstead, Hertfordshire. Creative In/Exteriors, the local accredited Automist installers, installed the system to facilitate a contemporary open plan design whilst at the same time complying with Building Regulations. The means of escape was on the ground floor onto an open plan kitchen and dining room and as a compensatory alternative Building Regulations required an active fire suppression system such as sprinklers. The property owner was disinclined to do this because of budget considerations and the danger of accidental discharge which could seriously affect the fabric of the property and the fixtures and fittings. A suggested alternative was to create an enclosed lobby using a fire door but, equally, Mr Evans was reluctant to compromise the open plan design. A third option was to reconfigure the staircase but this would have proved expensive and intrusive.

Builders, Berkamstead Loft Conversions suggested Automist as an innovative and unobtrusive solution. It only uses 10% of the water required for a conventional sprinkler system and fitted seamlessly into this project. Furthermore, it delivers rapid and automatic fire suppression. The installation is neat and economical reducing the need for costly pipework and the disruption associated with a traditional sprinkler system.

Mr Evans was pleased with the fact that Automist enabled him to maintain the desired design of his property. He would definitely use the Automist system again and would recommend it to others with similar requirements.

Plumis Automist used to protect a Grade II listed Gatehouse

2017-05-21T13:56:00.000-07:00

Plumis Automist was used to comply with building regulations and to provide unobtrusive fire protection in the Grade II listed Gatehouse Lodge, near Grantham in the Lincolnshire Vales. The Lodge had been rescued recently from dereliction and has been sensitively restored with a mix of original and contemporary features. The system was installed in the kitchen area to the front of the property because the escape route from the 1st floor came down into this small room, meaning that it was not protected as required in Approved Document B.

The owners were reluctant to have sprinklers fitted because of the damage to the fabric of the period property and to the new fixtures and fittings the release of water would cause if they were activated. They had looked at the Plumis website and assessed that Automist would perfectly suit their requirements. Newflame Ltd of Peterborough is the Accredited Automist Installer for the region and Richard Scotcher recommended a wall mounted spray-head.

Automist is a pre-engineered water mist system and uses a high-pressure pump to generate a fine water mist from nozzles. The innovative device uses significantly less water than a sprinkler system, minimising water damage and limiting run-off. It provides residential fire life protection and can also be mounted stand-alone on a work top or under a tap. It is a simple, retrofit, alternative to sprinklers for full room active fire protection. The device automatically and reliably detects and suppresses incipient fires before they can take hold and cause devastating damage and potential injury or loss of life. The system is activated utilising a heat detector as recommended in Approved Document B, effectively eliminating nuisance alarms. It fits seamlessly into any décor, which was a distinct advantage for this project where the interior decoration was such a crucial part of the character of the Lodge.

Plumis Automist provides fire safety solution for open plan living in converted flats

2017-03-28T09:39:00.000-07:00

Newflame Fire Equipment Co. Ltd has provided Plumis Automist systems as an innovative watermist fire sprinkler for a block of 7 flats above Baldock library, which had been converted from office space in the Hertfordshire town. The modern, open-plan design of the living areas of 6 of the flats meant that there was no protected means of escape. The LACoRS guide and Approved Document B allow open plan designs as long as some additional features, including fire suppression, are provided. The owner of the building was reluctant to install sprinklers which would have marred the clean lines of the design and in the event of discharge, accidental or otherwise would have drenched the property, the new fixtures and fittings.

The owner, whose extended family are using 4 of the flats while the 3 remaining flats are being rented out, discovered the Plumis website when searching for a resolution and sent the plans of the conversion to Newflame, the accredited Automist installer for the area. He was delighted to find that the Automist system would protect the building at a reasonable price, with much less disruption and in a considerably shorter timeframe than fitting sprinklers, which meant that the conversion could progress speedily. Automist also has the benefit of using only 5.5 litres of water per minute per head in a fine water mist compared with 60 litres per head generated by sprinklers. Because Automist uses a wireless system, installation was brief, it did not affect the fabric of the property and there were no ugly wires to mar the new decor. It is aesthetically pleasing and, unlike smoke alarms not only alerts occupants to an incipient fire but also suppresses it.

Richard Scotcher of Newflame is a keen advocate of Automist. “Building and housing regulations have traditionally encouraged the creation of fire resistant compartments in homes so as to limit the spread of fire. Our client found this solution highly frustrating as he wanted an open, light design for the flats in Baldock. We have no hesitation in recommending Automist as a much superior alternative to traditional fire safety measures.”

Reimagining the Fire Sprinkler for the Connected Smart Home

2017-02-02T05:50:00.000-08:00

There are few concerns for families that top the utter disastrous and devastating consequences that can result from the family home being fire damaged.

Fires not only leave shattered memories of fear and angst inside the very place homeowners should feel safe, but the damage left by fire and the means used to extinguish will last a lifetime.

Material objects can of course be replaced, but it’s rarely the same, is it?

More often than not, the only memories left are those of singed furniture and saturated belongings. Plumis want to change this.

The Automist Smartscan

There has been heavy public sector investment in fire awareness education over the years, but it still represents a deadly - and costly - menace to homes and businesses everywhere.

Mandatory legalisation has improved fire sprinkler adoption but traditional sprinklers can be very expensive to retrofit, particularly in areas where water supply is limited.

The vast majority of incidents still occur in the home - prompting Plumis, the award-winning manufacturer of high-tech fire safety devices, to review the technologies that exist to prevent them. Commercial properties throughout the world, are ahead of the fire suppression game and Plumis considered how this level of safety and insurance could be enjoyed by people and their families in every home setting.

In response, Plumis has devised Automist Smartscan. This revolutionary device is already leading the way in how fires, can be addressed more effectively, more efficiently and leaving less damage than was possible before.

How does the Automist Smartscan work?

Once activated in response to the onset of a growing blaze, its scanning technology seeks out the fire with Automist’s unique pivoting sensor and water-misting nozzle arrangement. Once the source of the fire is established, a powerful and targeted spray of water mist is directed, suppressing it rapidly.

A revolutionary concept in comparison to the too-often-used old-fashioned sprinkler systems which simply 'dump' water sprays into the entire room – which can sometimes cause more damage than the original fire itself.

The key features of the Automist Smartscan

Installed into any setting with ease.

The Automist Smartscan can easily be retrofitted into the home with minimal disruption. And although the system is discreet, it genuinely looks great. The attractive design is likely to catch a homeowner’s eye for all of the right reasons - prompting regular checks and the minimum in safety appliance maintenance.

Intelligently deployed watermist

The Automist Smartscan can be easily housed on most internal walls enabling its water mist jets to be directed straight on to the source of the fire, rather than flowing down indiscriminately from the ceiling.

The design of the spray pattern retains the blinding, toxic smoke within the upper layer of the room to aid and improve the chance of escape for any people inside. Its wall mount position also optimises the trajectory of the targeted water mist, ensuring that the water doesn't evaporate in the smoky hot layer that rises above a fire but instead is focused where it is needed most.

Unobtrusive

The technology may be smart but the design is just as clever! The fire sensing nozzle head tucks away discreetly into its wall-based housing, and the aesthetic is clean, slick and decidedly modern; designed to please interior-conscious homeowners while allowing for serious fire safety measures.

Tested to the highest standards

The Automist Smartscan is tested to some of the highest international domestic standards, so you can be sure that you are trusting your home to a reliable, quality product. Numerous units have been installed in and around the UK.

Digital integration

The device is also future-proofed to be linked up with a domestic smart home devices such as the Nest thermostat. It can even send alerts to the homeowner's smartphone to alert them if a fire occurs or if the system needs critical maintenance. A product like this can prove invaluable in any insurance claim.

The Automist Smartscan is already the go-to fire suppression technology on the market today!

Whether you are a homeowner, landlord, property developer or insurance company, Automist Smartscan is a product that must be considered for your property. In 2016, global technology research and advisory company Technavio identified water mist and smart systems in the residential setting as emerging trends that had the potential to significantly impact the fire suppression market. It singled out Automist Smartscan as being at the vanguard of that wave.

Fire (over)engineering my pad?

2017-01-19T14:02:00.002-08:00

Open plan layouts as an architectural trend is here, either in homes or flats, there is no denying that the increased feel of space and the ability to maximise the use of small footprint properties make it a win-win for architects and occupants.

The reason this was not a default setup in the past is because it went against the prescriptive guidance. So what has changed? The adoption of fire engineering principles in the guidance documents that are issued for the industry such as Approved Document B and BS 9991. These documents used to be compartmentation heavy, i.e. they would rely only on passive fire protection measures such as walls, fire doors and door closers to ensure a fire would develop only within a room, leaving the escape route free for occupants. This required a “protected corridor” to be designed through the property where escape could take place. And as a consequence your open plan dream went out of the window. The increased use of sprinklers, water mist, enhanced (linked) detection and alarm and automatic opening vents are all fire engineering tools that have been commonly applied to larger commercial building and are slowly finding their way to homes. This trend will only increase because technology is progressively getting cheaper; there is increased value to be added to a property by applying them and the emergence of “smart homes”, liking smart products. With increased demand comes an increase in innovation within the industry to help architects deliver contemporary, open plan solutions whilst complying with the requirements of the building regulations (safe escape from a fire) without necessarily using doors and walls (fake or real).

Plumis’s Automist Smartscan is part of this wave of innovation, a discreet fire suppression appliance designed for use in homes. The system activates when fire temperatures are detected, using a fine water mist to restore survivable conditions while occupants escape. The innovation is in the placement of the spray head (at light switch height) and the targeting of mist (to only where the fire is) resulting in a very effective and efficient solution with only a tenth of the required flow of a sprinkler and much less installation effort.

With great power comes great responsibility

At Plumis we come across a large number of projects being proposed for building control approval which propose the use of suppression to compensate for the removal of walls in refurbishments and new build. However, one of the things that continues to surprise us is the poor interpretation of the intended use of suppression, whether a sprinkler or water mist.

To “protect the means of escape” simply means ensuring that even with removal of doors and walls, survivable conditions are kept between any room in the property and the escape route. If a kitchen is accessed from the stairs that leads to the first floor with no passive separation (door or wall), then the kitchen needs suppression. If there is a study with a non-fire rated door also accessed by that route then yes, it also needs suppression. To our surprise a frequent interpretation by architects and BCOs alike has been to put suppression on the stairs only. That will not only do nothing to suppress the fire raging in the kitchen from a failed flambé dessert, it will also make people slip down the stairs which has nothing to burn (and therefore to be suppressed) in the first place. The first image that comes to mind is a scene of “Three Stooges in flambé dessert in my open plan mansion” or a typical HSE poster showing everything that can go wrong in a construction site. Yet, it is a common and simple form of miss-interpreting “protecting the means of escape”.

The cause of this misinterpretation is the increased availability of fire engineering solutions but limited use of fire engineers. This is either because it is assumed one is not needed or not affordable. There is an incorrect perception that fire engineers will only work on large commercial buildings and because of that they are too expensive. They are the best suited to interpret the needs and to utilise suppression or any other solutions in the best way to meet building regulations.

Plumis does their role in explaining the fire engineering principles for the application of Automist in its training, specification manuals (download one free), our CPDs (book one free) and in this article so that a propped fire door is not replaced by a poorly specified system. Additionally, since architects have been given the freedom to service the demand for open plan designs by proposing creative solutions, some of the proposals we see do not result in an obvious suppression specification plan and as a consequence further measures may be required. This is clearly fire engineering territory and it is precisely what Plumis recommends to the leads of “creative” projects and on our website, where there are lists of fire engineers that are acquainted with our products’ performance and who will where appropriate include Automist as an active component in an overall fire strategy for specific projects. Have no fear, if you have a non-standard layout, contact a fire engineer for a “Best Value” solution, which is suitable and sufficient for your project. It’s likely to be less expensive than you think and will deliver excellent value, in terms of reassurance and life safety!

Portable Domestic Misting Sprinklers Extinguish the Fire

2017-01-05T12:32:00.000-08:00

Portable misting/sprinkler units offer a temporary or in some cases a permanent solution for the protection of high risk situations normally in one room of the premises, for example:

Used in the bedroom of an immobile person who smokes in bed
Used in the kitchen where there is a high risk of a kitchen fire
Used in the lounge where there is a high risk of an accidental fire
Used in the hallway where there is a high risk of arson

They are a stand alone unit that consists of a tank of water, a pump and misting nozzle and connects to a smoke or flame detector for early activation.

When smoke or heat activates the system the unit operates filling the room/area with an ultra fine mist of water designed to suppress the fire maintaining a breathable atmosphere. In some cases it will
put out the fire.

Due to its use of a fine mist of water, the water damage will be much less than if the Fire Service use hoses to put out the fire.

For more details contact visit Plumis - personal protection system (PPS)

RESIDENTIAL SPRINKLER REQUIREMENT WILL REMAIN IN 2018 IRC

2016-12-08T06:06:00.001-08:00

ICC just released their preliminary online voting results, and Proposal RB129-16, which attempted to remove the residential sprinkler requirement from the International Residential Code, is shown as DISAPPROVED. Therefore, the requirement to install fire sprinklers all newly constructed homes will remain in the 2018 edition of the IRC.

We were also successful in gaining approval of two changes that incentivize and support sprinkler requirements, Proposals RB89-16 and ADM36-16. However, we came up short of the required 2/3 majority to overturn committee recommendations on Proposals RB51-16 (dealing specifically with stacked duplexes), and RB69-16 (dealing with protection of lightweight floor assemblies).

For more details visit: http://ircfiresprinkler.org/

Independent Testing of Plumis' Award Winning Watermist System

2016-11-02T16:43:00.000-07:00

A common denominator linking manufacturers of reliable, trustworthy, quality-controlled construction products is independent third-party testing. Before taking their products to market, these manufacturers invest in the help of independent third party laboratories, such as fire protection testing specialist Exova Warringtonfire, to negotiate a complex labyrinth of research, development, assessments and testing.

One such manufacturer is Plumis, the James Dyson Award-winning inventors of the Automist active fire protection concept and manufacturers of a small range of innovative products that propelled them to be named Innovators of the Year by the CBI in 2014.

Their latest product, the Automist Smartscan, is an elegantly engineered, water-saving, efficient, affordable and highly effective watermist system (sprinkler replacement). It uses an under-researched technology – water mist – in a new way to provide active fire protection in the home. Such is the innovation of the product’s design, it has already gained international recognition with an award for the best “interior design elements” product in the renowned Red Dot Design Awards 2016.

The story of how Exova Warringtonfire collaborated to test the Smartscan to be accepted in the UK market is a parable of persistence, commitment and belief in marginal gains.

Scene Setting

Passionate about their product, Plumis understood their responsibility to ensure that it worked and met all the relevant product standards. And after all, compliance with recognised standards is what their market looks for, especially the approving bodies.

They rapidly discovered, however, that the Smartscan falls outside the prescriptive scope of the then draft but now published BS 8458:2015 Fixed fire protection systems. Residential and domestic watermist systems. Code of practice for design and installation.

Alarmingly, they had no standard to comply with. There are water mist standards that come close in other sectors and for other applications, and of course there are generic fire tests of various kinds, but no product standard for their particular specification. Although they could still test the Smartscan to BS 8458’s performance standards, they could never claim that it complied. Theirs was an orphan product.

While this in no way damped their commitment to safety, fitness for purpose, or quality, it did make life awkward.

The residential specifier market in the UK – the people they want to buy the product – is diverse. The volume housebuilders are more demanding than private domestic homeowners, but with appropriate marketing the lack of a standard to comply with is not an insurmountable obstacle.

On the other hand, the people who would allow the product to be used – building control officers, fire officers and local authority inspectors – are just as important to commercial success but trickier to persuade. They are the gatekeepers to wide-scale acceptance.

For them, approval is loaded with the deadweight of liability, particularly for life-critical products like the Smartscan. By whipping the safety net of compliance out from under their feet they are left with no convenient shortcut to unburdening this liability.

This was a concern for Plumis, and set them on a heroic, comprehensive programme of testing with Exova Warringtonfire that, with no irony intended, sets new standards for orphan products.

BS 8435:2015 Test 1 – Room corner (Spray head on opposite wall).

What Is It?

Their Automist Smartscan product is an active fire suppression system, a reliable replacement to a water sprinkler. The concept uses water mist – an increasingly popular, highly effective fire suppressant in many circumstances – to either extinguish fires or suppress them long enough to allow people to escape safely and firefighters to attend.

Water mist has a large surface area and so quells the heat produced in a fire more efficiently than sprinkled water. As it reaches the seat of the fire, it starves it of oxygen. By keeping the ambient temperature comparatively low, it prevents or delays flashovers.

Its USP and appeal

Powered by an isolated electrical circuit, the Smartscan comprises a natty high-pressure pump and, uniquely for a water mist system, a single wall-mounted, swivelling misting nozzle. This nozzle is fitted with an automatic infrared heat detector that targets the source of a fire reliably and very accurately, limiting water damage – a major attraction for owners, occupants and insurers alike.

Wall-mounting instead of ceiling-mounting is no fanciful whim either. Shooting water mist sideways avoids the super-hot evaporative upper layers under the ceiling, allowing mist to reach the seat of the fire sooner.

Unlike sprinklers or conventional water mist systems, it uses less water, requires less supporting infrastructure and is thus more easily retrofitted.

BS 8435:2015 Test 2 – Room corner (Spray head on same wall).

Its use

While suitable for all residential newbuild or refurbishment projects under ten storeys, the Smartscan comes into its own during domestic retrofit. In particular, it allows you to overcome the constraints imposed by the Building Regulations when converting a loft. The consequence of going into the loft above first floor level is that you need to preserve a protected escape route out of the house, compromising aspirations for open-plan layouts on the ground floor.

Before the Smartscan (and Plumis’s LABC-approved multi-nozzle product, also in the Automist range), design options in this common scenario were limited. You either had to retrofit a ceiling-mounted sprinkler system at vast expense and much disruption, devise a validated fire engineering solution (again at considerable expense), or build the protected escape route separating the stairs and corridor to the outside from the rest of the ground floor.

Now, though, the Smartscan offers a fourth way. Orders of magnitude more affordable in certain situations, installing it into an existing house or other residential settings is straightforward. Better still, it stops people being tempted by the dummy wall solution, improving fire safety generally.

The challenge

The benefits of the Smartscan are apparently numerous and self-evident. At least, that was Plumis’s hope. Like all responsible manufacturers facing a stiff regulatory landscape in their target market geographies, to be taken seriously Plumis needed independent verification of their claims and third-party testing. Only then could they hope to evolve to wide-spread acceptance from the approving authorities and specifiers.

The route to market

They naturally turned to Exova Warringtonfire as the reputable partner in their product development, and the two companies worked together to create a dedicated water mist testing facility in an existing concrete block-lined spray-room. This is now a permanent facility open to all manufacturers.

From an initial programme of eight test sessions, it quickly became apparent that more was needed to plug the confidence gap. Much more. Indeed, Plumis are now into their 80th round and counting. What’s more, Exova Warrintonfire is now very experienced at testing to BS 8458.

BS 8435:2015 Test 3 – Centre (Spray head on opposite wall).

Testing, testing

The development of the Smartscan was no ordinary road. It received seed money worth £160K from the Technology Strategy Board (now called InnovateUK) to type-approve it with the objective of making it as good as or better than a sprinkler system.

Early fixed-head prototypes were developed with the help of computational fluid dynamics modelling by the University of Greenwich’s Fire Safety Engineering Group. It became apparent that to maximize its reach, the water mist would have to be sprayed in an axehead blade.

The most obvious orientation, a fixed wall-mounted horizontal blade, wasn’t working well enough in standard tests conducted by Exova Warringtonfire. Although it was good at avoiding evaporative losses and thus reaching the seat of the fire more quickly, it was still outperformed by sprinklers. Plumis were advised that the problem was that not enough water mist was reaching the target.

With countless trial-and-error iterations under their belt, the penny finally dropped. To deluge the fire appropriately, the axehead blade should be vertically oriented. This was a eureka moment, proving that it was possible to match the performance of water sprinklers – but only up to a point. (See pic 2 and graph 1 below)

A vertical blade would work on fires that happened to be in the path of the spray, sure, but what about fires slightly to one side?

Although this was another challenge for Plumis, the vertical orientation breakthrough held enough promise to push them on to further testing at Exova Warringtonfire. A smart move, as it turned out.

The solution was staring them in the face. The misting nozzle would have to be able to detect the source of the heat and then swivel accurately and reliably to target the fire before activation. (See Pic 3 below) This is harder than it sounds. Early prototypes of the infrared sensor were confused by hotspots away from the seat of the fire.

A good many months and many tests on and with countless prototypes consigned to the scrapheap, the Automist Smartscan was born. Thanks to Exova Warringtonfire’s third-party testing regime, the infrared heat detector mounted on the nozzle head proved a suitable sprinkler replacement, more than matching the performance standards set out in BS 8458. (See results graphs 2- 4 below)

Aware of the need for evidence, Plumis have pushed the Smartscan’s limits beyond the bare minimum, challenging it in many additional tests to suppress or extinguish fires in any position (even difficult fires obscured or hidden by furniture) and in a variety of draught conditions.

Demonstration tests have convincingly proved its worth time and time again. It has even travelled to the USA, where the UL 1926/2167 listing process is being kicked off and where it favourably impressed fire risk authorities in initial testing.

Conclusion

Active fire safety systems are and will always be a ‘reluctance purchase’ for specifiers. Approving authorities will rightly regard innovative systems, i.e. ones that cannot comply with a product standard, with suspicion, too, preferring to err on the side of caution where life safety is at stake.

In spite of that, Plumis collaborated triumphantly with Exova Warringtonfire to overcome these barriers. With measured belief in their concept, enormous persistence, and, critically, the wisdom, knowledge and help of independent third-party testing, they have amassed an undeniable independent weight of evidence that it works. It proves that great ideas will win through. The Smartscan was launched in February 2016, and Exova Warringtonfire is now one of the most experienced water mist testers in the UK.

For more information, go to www.exovabmtrada.com/en-gb/testing

Automist Smartscan steals the show at the 16th Annual International Water Mist Conference

2016-10-14T08:38:00.000-07:00

William Makant of Plumis presented the company's new Automist Smartscan technology to a packed and captivated audience at the 16th Annual International Water Mist Conference, held in Vienna September 21-22, 2016, organized by the International Water Mist Association (IWMA).

He presented the story behind the evolution of the James Dyson award-winning Automist®, Automist Smartscan which relocates the traditional spray heads from the ceiling to a wall mounted nozzle, and uses a rotating head that directly targets fires with a powerful jet of water mist. It has been proven to achieve the same performance as residential sprinkler systems and typically uses 90% less water, minimising the potential for water damage to the living space.

Automist Smartscan has risen in popularity among architects and builders for being super easy to retrofit—without requiring a tank or network of pipes. It offers more than a reliable safety device for fighting fires; it’s an intelligent modern design feature offering greater flexibility for projects with challenging building regulations, from loft conversions to more open-plan homes and flats.

The UK has published its first standard for residential water-mist systems BS 8458:2015 which has similarities to UL 2167 and FM 5560 tests, like using a 8m x 4m x 2.5m room and 2.5MW peak HRR 2-foam, crib, heptane pool and plywood wall fire load. However, the standard has additional testing scenarios such as forced ventilation (to simulate a wind draught) and an “open room” arrangement. A total of 82 full scale fire tests were carried out at Exova Warringtonfire against this standard test to validate a series of design proposals intended to meet the performance requirements of this standard.

These included:

- Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and the use of a horizontal planar water-mist blade in an attempt to maximise water density at the base of the fire and away from the ceiling hot layer.

- the use of passive dosing of a surfactant additive to maximise the suppression performance of the deployed water-mist

- the use of alternative detection sensors to reduce time for activation of suppression system

- directional targeting of water-mist to the fire location using a moving spray head and an infra-red sensor to maximise water density where the fire is located.

The key findings were that with small residential fires (the suppression system was activated with fires HRR between 100kW and 600kW), water mist does not operate according to its traditional principle of being drawn into the fire because the small heat release causes less evaporation and creates smaller gas flow velocities in the room. Additionally, it was noted that some of the BS 8458 objectives, of testing droplet drift through forced ventilation, for example, impacts negatively the performance of traditional sprinklers as much as water mist. It was concluded that an alternative suppression technique, of creating a turbulent, localised, mist saturated environment was necessary in order to successfully suppress such small fires.

The event organizer, the International Water Mist Association, is a global association dedicated to water mist firefighting and related technologies, and the Conference drew a crowd of 100 fire safety and water mist industry leaders.

The Automist Smartscan presentation was given a special mention by the Chairman Ragnar Wighus who confirmed the admission of Automist to the exclusive "Archimedes Club" for wise use of watermist technology. Plumis were honoured with the mention.

For more information, visit plumis.com

Watermist enabling open plan design

2016-10-13T16:36:00.003-07:00

Watermist systems installed in buildings can reduce the fire risk to life. It can also significantly reduce the degree of damage caused by fire and provide property protection.

Watermist fire suppression systems have demonstrated their value in assisting the protection of life and property in industrial and commercial applications for many years. A mist system operates at an earlier stage in the development of a fire when compared to sprinklers and in many cases are more practical to install, especially in small buildings. Sprinklers can also cause significant water damage when activated, which is minimised when compared to mist.

In my opinion, with the recognition that the largest number of fire related deaths occur in the home, the introduction of a standardised domestic watermist fire suppression systems marks a significant move in the right direction for the fire safety industry.

British Standard (BSI standard “BS 8458:201) compliant watermist systems protection can be used in order to reduce the fire risk, and as a compensatory feature where the provisions of fire safety guidance are deviated from in some way.

Automist Smartscan in a open plan kitchen

For example, where a new habitable storey is to be added by converting the loft, and/or creating “open plan” at ground floor, the provisions for escape need to be considered throughout the full extent of the escape route. In many cases, to be compliant with the guidance, a stairway needs to be fire protected to provide safe escape route for occupants from upper floors. Alternatively, it may be possible to provide mist protection to the open-plan area, in conjunction with fire-resisting partition; fire curtain, fire doors or additional ventilation equipment. This will allow the occupants of the loft room to access an escape window at first floor level in the event of a fire in the open-plan area. There may also be cases where this partition can be avoided and a bespoke fire engineered solution can be developed negating this requirement. This is subject to a case by case assessment of the project by a qualified fire engineer and the associated risk assessment followed by building control approval of the strategy.

Therefore, as part of the overall fire strategy for a project, a mist system can be a valuable asset with benefits of reduced risk to life safety, design flexibility and non-invasive installation. From a fire engineering standpoint, I believe the move towards mist systems to be a highly positive one. While sprinklers may still be appropriate for larger buildings and property protection applications, mist systems appear to be a better fit for small or domestic developments.

Content provided by Paul Yeomans of Fire-Q

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Search a database of suppliers that includes architects, builders, installers, surveyors, loft conversion specialists, approved building inspectors and many more involved in the making of open spaces:

MCFP – Fire Suppression Installers – enable Open Plan Homes

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AUTOMIST AWARDED BEST HOME TECHNOLOGY PRODUCT 2016

2016-10-11T02:13:00.000-07:00

Automist Smartscan has been awarded the Build It Awards 2016 - Best Home Technology Product, in association with BuildStore.

The Build It Awards, in association with BuildStore, celebrate all aspects of self build and renovation, including completed projects, services and suppliers. The awards bring together architects, manufacturers and key industry figures in recognition of innovation and excellence in the custom home sector.

http://builditawards.co.uk/build-it-awards-2016-winners/

Essential facts you need to know about open plan layouts & their building regulations

2016-08-05T07:44:00.007-07:00

Open plan living is fast becoming increasingly popular thanks to its ability to offer a greater sense of space and light; both of which have seen a healthy effect to the value of redesigned residential developments in recent years.

Whether you’re looking to create an open plan kitchen/diner, a loft conversion or split-level ground floor, it’s essential you check what building regulations your project will need to pass as these could put a considerable constraint on your much-anticipated designs.

You may require planning permission, particularly if load-bearing walls need to be removed and, if you’re planning a loft conversion, or opening up an enclosed staircasecreating an essential fire escape route, you’ll require specialist fire suppression advice from a qualified Fire Engineer.

So, whether you’re a homeowner, landlord, architect or interior designer, we’ve put together a guide to everything you might need to know about making your home open plan.

Types of open plan layouts:

An open plan layout combines one or more rooms into a single, open space, resulting in your project featuring larger rooms with few or no internal dividing walls.

There are three types of open plan layouts:

o Type 1 – Combining your kitchen with another habitable room, such as a living or dining room. This type of open plan design does not allow for a fire escape route, and there are no bedrooms leading off from the open planned design area.

o Type 2 – The staircase or fire escape route has been combined with a habitable room, such as a living or dining area. This type of open planned design allows for the kitchen to remain separate. This type of open planned living often features inside flats where bedrooms are accessed via the living room.

o Type 3 – A kitchen and possibly other rooms have been designed open plan to incorporate the main escape route from the property. An example of this open planned living is when a main staircase passes through a kitchen/diner.

All open plan layouts must comply with stringent building regulations, even if planning permission isn’t required. It’s always worth remembering that the more open plan the layout, and the higher the property from the ground floor, the greater volume of restrictions there will be.

Types of open plan layout that are permitted:

Building regulations are written in very general terms, but assuming your property has the correct number of fire doors and escape windows at the first floor and below, the following open planned layouts are permitted:

o Type 1 open plan layouts will normally always be allowed.

o In open planned two story houses (or two stories plus a basement) you’ll also be allowed type 2 and 3 layouts. However, on the Isle of Man, you’ll need a fire suppression system.

o In three story open planned designed houses(or three stories plus basement), a type 2 open planned layout is allowed in England and Wales, providing you fit a fire suppression system in the open area. You don’t normally require this technology on upper stories, but you will require a fire door between the ground and first floor. You may be permitted a type 3 open planned layout, but you’d need a report from a Fire Engineer and, in most cases, an alarm system and other fire safety measures.

o For open planned designed houses of four stories and above, you’re likely to need a fire suppression system throughout most of your property, or a second fire escape staircase from the upper floors. A type 1 open planned layout will typically be permitted but, as with most three story houses, you’ll require specialist advice from a Fire Engineer.

o In open planned designed flats, no higher than the first floor, you should be permitted to create type 2 or 3 layouts, though you may have some constraints put on kitchen location.

o In open planned designed flats above the first floor, you’re permitted to create open plan layouts if you install a fire suppression system, but this guidance is ongoing in development. You may be required to consult a Fire Engineer or a Building Inspector for further advice.

o In some buildings, it is essential that open plan flats have a lobby or hallway between the front door and the open plan area. This is a key safety feature therefore it’s best to assume it has to stay, though it’s always worth discussing with a Fire Engineer.

If you’re ever unsure whether your project complies with the regulations, a quick call to your local council’s building control team or a private approved inspector, will clarify.

Award-winning design, premium products and a touch of Hollywood in Essen: Red Dot Gala 2016

2016-07-05T12:43:00.000-07:00

On 4 July, everyone who was anyone in international design came to Essen, Germany. In spring, a 41-strong jury had awarded the coveted Red Dot label for good design to the most outstanding products of the year. Now it was time to pay tribute to the winning creations and the people who made them. The Red Dot: Best of the Best winners were ceremoniously presented with their trophies on the imposing stage of the Aalto-Theater. Following the presentations, the 1,800 guests enjoyed an evening of dancing and networking at the Designers’ Night in the Red Dot Design Museum in the midst of award-winning innovations.

The award winners of the Red Dot: Best of the Best were honoured on 4 July 2016 in the course of the Red Dot Gala, hosted by Professor Dr. Peter Zec in the Aalto-Theater in Essen. The founder and CEO of Red Dot welcomed distinguished guests on stage, among them Red Dot jury member Kristiina Lassus, automotive design legend Ken Okuyama and Transrapid designer Alexander Neumeister. Dressed in a traditional white tuxedo, the Red Dot president also welcomed the Lord Mayor of Essen, Thomas Kufen, on stage, who immediately invited the award-winners – all international top designers and high-ranking company representatives – to the Essen town hall the next day.

Automist Smartscan by Plumis was awarded in the Product Design Category. The jury said of the fire sprinkler alternative, "An innovative design concept that elevates the principle of fire sprinklers to a new level. The system is defined as an integrated part of the interior and equipped with highly advanced functionality. The topic of fire safety is thus expanded by a pathbreaking novel interpretation. This fire sprinkler system emerged as a design element within a living space, unifying safety with elegance".

Illustrious guests from 39 countries followed the proceedings on stage as the laureates received their trophies. Tremendous applause went, amongst others, to Flavio Manzoni, chief designer at Ferrari, and Sean Carney, chief designer at Philips. Only 79 products were awarded the greatest single distinction, the Red Dot: Best of the Best. The gala was rounded off with a cultural fringe programme that included an appearance by violinist Beatrix Löw-Beer and the Aalto Ballett Essen.

Cost effective sprinkler alternative used to protect Edinburgh apartment

2016-06-08T02:57:00.002-07:00

Plumis Automist was used in a loft conversion on the fourth floor of a 19^th Century building in a prime, residential area of Edinburgh to comply with building regulations and to provide unobtrusive fire protection. Paulo Gaggero, an Italian Outsource Manager for the contact centre industry who has lived in the city for over 20 years wanted extra space but was disinclined to move. The alternative was to convert his loft but, because there was no fire escape Edinburgh City Council’s Planning Department insisted that he install fire protection measures. Paolo was extremely reluctant to install sprinklers because of the expense and because space was at a premium. Furthermore, the fact that his apartment is on the upper floors of the block means that water damage caused by the discharge of copious amounts of water could cause considerable harm to the lower floors of the building.

He researched fire suppression on the internet and discovered Automist from Plumis, a simple, retrofit, alternative to sprinklers for full room active fire protection. Automist works by using a high pressure pump to generate a fine water mist. The device automatically and reliably detects and suppresses incipient fires before they can take hold and cause devastating damage and potential injury or loss of life. The system is activated utilising a heat detector as recommended in Approved Document B, effectively eliminating nuisance alarms. It fits seamlessly into any décor. Paolo identified Blue Light Safety Ltd, an independent fire safety company offering a total solutions service for every aspect of fire safety and called in Daniel Smith MIFSM MIFPO, Commercial Director who founded Blue Light in early 2012 to advise. Daniel recommended the installation of 2 Automist pumps and 3 heads covering the hallway upstairs, the stairs leading to the hallway downstairs and the original hallway leading to the landing meaning that there was coverage of all the escape routes. Other rooms were protected by fire doors.

Paulo Gaggerro was delighted with Automist. “Automist looks like a piece of art and I am thrilled with my discovery. My property has increased considerably in value thanks in part to this innovative piece of equipment.”

London interior designers use Plumis Automist to enable modern design

2016-06-08T02:29:00.000-07:00

Plumis Automist was used at a north London property to provide a cost effective and appropriate fire protection solution, which was acceptable to the clients of Living-in Space, an interior design company based in Belsize Park, London. The clients did not want a door separating the kitchen on the lower ground floor from the open plan staircase. Q&A Builders added an additional floor to the terraced house with a loft conversion and due to the height of the proposed building, Building Regulations stipulated that there should be separation or that a sprinkler system should be installed. Angelique Tracey, Senior Interior Designer who was overseeing the project was very reluctant to compromise the design and layout of the conversion by installing a protected escape route or risk the drenching of high quality fixtures and fittings in the event of a discharge by sprinklers. She spoke to Steve Moore from Salus, the private building inspectors who suggested they investigate Plumis Automist, a water mist system which is a very cost-effective alternative to sprinklers. Automist has the added advantage of eliminating the need for a water storage tank. The client had coincidentally studied at the Royal Academy of Arts with the inventors of the innovative system, so was very keen to explore this option and utilise the technology.

Elegant broken plan kitchen dinner

Automist works by using a high pressure pump to generate a fine water mist from nozzles mounted under a standard tap, stand alone on a work top or even a wall and provides residential fire life protection. It integrates seamlessly into high-specification designs and opens up opportunities offering significant design flexibility.

Open plan kitchen diner in London

Vapourmist, the local accredited installer fitted Automist in the ceiling of the open plan area on the lower ground floor in a matter of a couple of hours meaning that there was no delay in the building project.

Angelique was delighted with her discovery. “The system enabled us to achieve the desired open plan design at a reasonable cost and without compromising fire safety. I would definitely use Automist in future design projects where ease of installation and aesthetic considerations are paramount.”

Open-plan kitchen flat design enabled by fire engineering

2016-06-02T11:11:00.002-07:00

In the latest BS 9991:2015 guidance on open plan flats, requires the provision of a suppression system within the flat. However, the overall maximum size of an open plan flat before the kitchen also needs to be enclosed is 8m by 4m. The implication of this reduction in flat size is any open plan flats larger than this size, would now need the kitchen to be separated from the rest of the flat with 30 minutes construction and an FD30S fire door.

This recommendation seems to go against the desire of flat owners who want an open plan arrangement for the communal areas within their flats. A significant number of the open plan flats that will be built in the future will exceed 8m x 4m. Therefore, this new guidance will affect a large number of open plan flats by forcing the kitchen to be enclosed in fire rated construction. However, there is an alternative.

The Alternative!

BS 9991 is a guidance document showing only one way of achieving the functional requirements of the Building Regulations. An alternative fire engineered approach can be developed which allows the kitchen to be completely open whilst still meeting the functional requirements of the Building Regulations.

The acceptability of having the kitchen area open in a flat with dimensions over 8m x 4m can be demonstrated through using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling.

This is one example of were a fire engineered approach can be used to meet the functional requirements of the Building Regulations. This is an acceptable alternative to following prescriptive guidance which would constrain the design.

Content provided by James Brady of Innovation Fire

Plumis Automist used to safeguard ‘Britain’s finest 20th Century folly’

2016-05-18T12:26:00.000-07:00

Plumis Automist, the innovative water mist fire suppression system, was used to protect a unique 100 foot tower known as Faringdon Folly Tower, in a circular woodland in rural Oxfordshire. Faringdon Folly, built in 1935 by an eccentric nobleman was the last major folly to be built in England and is hailed as ‘Britain’s finest 20th Century folly’ and as ‘one of the most important follies in Britain’.

"There are many single points of view, which equal, or perhaps surpass, that to be seen from this place, but when a circuit is made of its summit, and new beauties are found at every step, it cannot fail to be pronounced the finest circular view in the kingdom," Extract from Pigot & Co's Directory of 1824 on Faringdon’s Folly

There are 154 steps which lead to the 2 rooms at the top from where the roof is reached and there is no other access or exit and certainly no fire escape. As it is used for private functions like parties and naming ceremonies and is open to the public twice a month, Oxfordshire Fire Service recommended that fire suppression measures were taken and suggested it be installed in the entrance hall where the electrics are housed in a cupboard under the staircase. The Trustee, Eddie Williams believed that sprinklers were unattractive due to the need for pipes to be installed across the ceiling. He searched the internet for an alternative and was impressed by Plumis Automist which is a simple, retrofit, alternative to sprinklers for full room active fire protection. It works by using a high pressure pump to generate a fine water mist and is activated utilising a heat detector as recommended in Approved Document B, effectively eliminating nuisance alarms. The device automatically and reliably detects and suppresses incipient fires before they can take hold and cause devastating damage and potential injury or loss of life. This was particularly crucial for a building which is open to the public and where access is so restricted. Automist is designed to limit fire growth and minimise exposure to toxic gases and heat making evacuation easier in an emergency and providing precious extra time for the unconscious and immobile, as well as sounding an alarm.

Automist was installed in a matter of hours with no disruption to the day to day running of the Folly and Eddie Williams would recommend Automist to others. “We take the safety of our public very seriously but, at the same time, didn’t want to compromise the historic nature or aesthetic value of the Folly so when we discovered Automist it solved many problems. We would definitely recommend it to others in the tourism businesses where visitor safety is paramount.”

Plumis Automist adds considerable value to Windsor apartments

2016-05-17T08:13:00.001-07:00

Plumis Automist has been used to provide an innovative fire safety solution for the conversion of offices to residential use. Bentley Apartments are in a stunning location next to Windsor Castle on Victoria Street. The 2 apartments both have an open staircase with glass balustrade leading down to an open plan basement living room/dining room/study and kitchen. There was no separate lobby to protect the escape route.

ABA Group Ltd were aware that Twickenham Borough Building Control officers would object to the layout unless a means could be found to provide fire protection but they were very anxious that the solution did not compromise the high-specification design of the apartments. They discovered Automist whilst searching for a solution online and called in Bracknell-based Vapourmist, the accredited installers for the system who readily specified an Automist unit to provide complete protection from the risk of fire throughout the apartments.

Automist gave ABA Group a number of active fire protection options to protect the escape routes and aid evacuation for a fraction of the cost of a traditional sprinkler system. Patrick Amos, ABA’s Director was pleased with Vapourmist’s recommendation. “Automist gave us complete design flexibility and was simple to install as it could be connected to the domestic water supply. Because it requires much less water than traditional sprinklers, there are great practical advantages in the event of a fire because run off would be minimised and the high-specification fixtures and fittings would not be in danger of being drenched as would be the case with sprinklers. We will definitely consider the use of Automist in similar designs in the future.”