The Government is investing in a series of hubs to better deliver public services as part of its levelling up strategy, and drive to improve resilience, productivity and efficiency. One of the first to become operational is Fletton Quays in Peterborough, where 1000+ staff will be kept safe by advanced smoke evacuation technology from Gilberts Blackpool.
The seven-storey office development Sand Martin House provides 8000m² of flexible workspace to address emerging working practice. Energy efficiency has been a key design feature, to the extent that even the smoke evacuation system uses minimal energy to function.
A 1.5m² BRE natural ventilation smoke shaft rises the full height of the building, to provide effective ventilation of smoke in the event of a fire. The approach optimises natural buoyancy principles where the hot smoke rises and fresh air inlets drive the smoke upwards for extraction/exhaust.
Gilberts’ innovative Series 60 smoke evacuations dampers have been chosen and installed by smoke ventilation specialist Orion Contract Services to channel smoke into the riser. With low air leakage when closed, a motorised actuator opens the dampers to drive the smoke into the shaft in the event of a fire.
A combination of Series 60 dampers achieve the 0.75m² geometric free area opening to allow fresh air into the shaft. UKCA and CE marked with classification to EN13501-4, Series 60 is certified to provide up to 120 minutes’ fire integrity with low air leakage. It delivers full fire safety conformity, including certification for Fire Safety 12101 part 8.
Orion Contract Services managing director Craig Edwards explains,
“Fire safety is ever more critical, with new Regulations coming into force in 2023. Gilberts dampers are my product of choice. They are fully certified, easy to install and well priced. They tick all the boxes for me.”
The S60 and S61 range of smoke evacuation dampers builds on Gilberts’ 60+ years’ heritage of bringing to market advanced technology that enhances the design, installation, energy efficiency and occupier comfort of non- domestic buildings.
All Gilberts’ products – standard lines and bespoke solutions – are designed, developed, manufactured and tested in accordance with BS EN ISO 9001:2015 quality standard in the company’s state of the art 140,000 ft² facility in Blackpool.