Bournemouth & Poole College

Bournemouth and Poole College deliver a diverse range of multi-levelled courses for students aged 16 and above seeking practical experience in their chosen career path. With 4 storeys complete with classrooms simulating real-world environments, SFA Fire and Security adopted Hochiki’s addressable and hybrid wireless range to confidently safeguard the college’s extensive premises from the threat of a fire.

 

 

 

The college has a typical educational layout; large-scale, with complex applications and multiple room variations. It was clear from the outset that a tailored life safety system was needed to protect the various, unique facilities present across the school.

 

With such courses as IT and digital media relying on numerous pieces of electrical equipment such as computers and cameras, the threat of a fire through faulty or damaged wiring was a potential issue, requiring a solution designed to combat the risk of an extensive fire spreading throughout the college.

 

Similarly, subjects such as catering, automotive maintenance, construction and engineering, not only increase the risk of a fire, but also false alarms due to the levels of dust and fumes within these rooms. This highlighted the importance of a comprehensive fire solution to ensure valuable learning time wasn’t interrupted by nuisance alarms.

 

 

To combat all the challenges set by this application, SFA Fire & Security took full accountability for the project with the entire solution specified by Naomi Fell, their Projects Director. SFA were chosen for the installation because of their distinguished experience within the fire industry, evidenced by their extensive project portfolio, and their emphasis on quality and responsibility assured the college that they were in the right hands.

 

‘This project presented numerous challenges due to the complexity of each room and storey within the college. However, our extensive experience with Hochiki's products, combined with the consistently positive feedback from our end-users, made Hochiki the clear choice for this project.’

 

Said Naomi Fell, as she discussed why she chose Hochiki for this application.

 

Hochiki's ESP addressable range was used as the main technology deployed throughout the school college. ESP has specific benefits for this environment, including its common mounting base. With one common base used throughout, the installer only needed to hold stock of a single standard base for the majority of the installation, reducing stock-holding requirements. Combined with an easy twist-fit installation, this streamlined the fitting process and reduced installation times, ensuring deadlines were met within a busy school environment with virtually no disruption.

 

Hochiki's ESP protocol provides a unique textual identifier providing the accurate location of an activated alarm, ensuring appropriate evacuation procedures can be taken place quickly and efficiently; which, in complex environments with a high volume of occupants, is crucial.

 

Hochiki's EN54-23 wall-mounted VADs were installed to ensure audio and visual fire alarm alerts across the college, no matter the individual's location or impairment; especially within heavy-duty and loud engineering courses. Audio and visual alerts ensure a comprehensive and rapid response to any emergency throughout the site.

 

 

 

SFA integrated the hard-wired ESP addressable system with Hochiki’s Ekho hybrid wireless range, ensuring both systems operated as a single, unified open protocol system.

 

Ekho’s wireless technology was used to overcome the significant number of drop beams present within the college and the cabling difficulties they presented. The Ekho range seamlessly integrates onto an ESP hard-wired loop via its Translator module and then operates across a self-configuring cable-free mesh network of wireless field devices and Expander modules. This ensures a robust, always-on connection through the strongest signal path, providing round-the-clock protection without the issues associated with cabling.

 

 

 

"Thanks to the hybrid wireless range, we were able to preserve the original structure of the college by eliminating the need to drill extensively into the building to install a substantial amount of cabling. Ease of installation was one of the specific reasons we chose Hochiki’s Ekho."

 

Commented Naomi Fell, Project Director, on how the Ekho range was adaptable to combat the college’s challenging infrastructure.

 

This also preserved the aesthetics of the main entrance, where the Ekho devices were deployed, reducing the amount of prominent red fire cabling for a clean finish to the installation.

 

‘Overall, the project was highly successful. Every requirement was met, the installation was completed smoothly, and we met the stringent deadlines to minimise disruption to teaching and learning. With Hochiki’s proven reliability and quality, we can confidently say that every member of staff and student is comprehensively protected by Hochiki’s solutions.’

 

Ryan Baulcomb, Regional Sales Manager, commented on the project and the importance of relationships with customers.

 

'Hochiki and SFA have a strong, long-term partnership, built from trust and years of successful projects together. We are proud to see that our products provide the highest levels of quality, satisfaction and protection that our customers and end-users expect. We continue to pride ourselves on maintaining strong relationships to ensure every individual receives the highest levels of customer support and service from Hochiki.’

 

Bournemouth and Poole College now benefit from a life safety system tailored to the specific needs of each corridor, room and storey throughout the site. By combining two complementary product ranges, SFA have delivered a comprehensive solution that safeguards the college while minimising disruption to learning. As the college continues to grow, the system remains adaptable and expandable, ensuring long-term protection for every student and staff member who enters their doors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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