Project Overview

Langdon House, a commercial building in Swansea’s Marina managed by the prestigious Glanmor Chartered Surveyors, required a significant upgrade to its fire safety system. The H3 Fire and Security Brand was commissioned to undertake this critical project, which involved enhancing the existing fire alarm system, relocating it to a more secure location, and replacing and installing additional detectors throughout the building’s communal areas and office spaces.

Challenges

The primary challenge was the fact that the fire alarm panel was located by the entrance, which is exposed to the elements, and as such, was always getting damaged, mostly by the rain and cold temperatures in winter. Secondly, the entire fire alarm system in all the communal areas and offices was significantly old and in desperate need of an upgrade. The main issue that arose was to locate an area within the building that was both reachable and safe to install the new fire alarm panel, upgrade the smoke and heat detection system in all areas of the building without disrupting the day-to-day operations of the tenants at Langdon House, who all specialize in different and important sectors such as solicitors, among others. 

All the work needed to be undertaken in 13 different offices, all the communal areas and the basement car park and plant rooms within the site.

Solutions

The H3 Group approached the project with a two-fold strategy:

Fire Alarm System Upgrade and Relocation to a Secure Area: The existing fire alarm system was upgraded with a Advanced Mx Pro 5 Loop Fire Control Panel and to ensure faster and more reliable detection of fire incidents the panel was also interfaced with various other management systems throughout the building. To protect the fire alarm panel from exposure to the elements and environmental damage, the decision was made to move it to a secure location within the building, safeguarded against the elements but still easy to access whenever required.

Installation of New Trunking and Detectors: Over 120 new Hochiki smoke and heat detectors were installed in the communal areas, office premises, and plant rooms, significantly increasing the coverage and responsiveness of the fire detection system.

Results

Led by Head Fire and Security Engineer Simon Hardman, the H3 Group was able to complete the relevant works with no significant hitch in the plan. Approached for comment, Simon stated, “The project at Langdon House was one of the most intensive we’ve undertaken. The installation of over 120 detectors required a significant amount of time and concentration, especially considering the tight timeframe we were working with and the pressure not to disrupt the day-to-day operations of the tenants. Each detector had to be strategically placed and thoroughly tested to ensure complete coverage and functionality. It was a demanding task, but our team’s dedication and meticulous attention to detail were key in successfully completing the project without compromising on quality or safety.