‘Lights, Camera, Action’ for Advanced as MxPro protects Riverside Studios

Two MxPro 5 fire alarm control panels, four repeater panels and a bespoke damper control panel have been installed as part of a five-year refurbishment project which saw the venue close its doors for refit from 2014 to 2019.

First converted into film studio facilities in the 1930s, the building now offers flexible performance and work spaces that include a state-of-the-art TV studio, a cinema and screening room, event and rehearsal spaces, bars and restaurants as well as a gallery and a display of Riverside’s archive that spans its remarkable history.

Hertfordshire-based Cornerstone Fire Systems Ltd was responsible for the design, installation and commissioning of the fire system. The business integrated the Advanced MxPro 5 fire panels covering five stories of the building with the AdSpecials customised damper control panel covering the basement areas. The bespoke panel has been designed to monitor the status of around 250 dampers, visible to the end user via a graphical touch screen interface.

Neil Thurgood, project manager at Cornerstone Fire Systems Ltd, informed Fire Safety Matters: “Ensuring a high standard of protection throughout the Riverside Studios was our main focus. We spent a lot of time considering how best to integrate the damper control system with the fire system. Advanced is our preferred open protocol fire alarm control panel supplier and was specified for this project thanks to the networking capabilities of the MxPro 5 panels and the company’s ability to fulfil the criteria set out by the damper contractor.”

Having effective false alarm management and reduction measures in place for the building was also a critical requirement given its use as a studio. Verification and investigation delays have been programmed, while the ‘cause and effect’ has been designed in conjunction with the damper control contractor such that the damper control panel applies power to the dampers while monitoring their open/closed state via the graphics display.

Ken Bullock, regional sales manager at Advanced, explained: “We’re thrilled to have been able to support Cornerstone with the equipment required to fulfil the specification for this project at what is a busy hub for performing arts, television and media. Our AdSpecials department is skilled at working closely with customers to meet very specific briefs. This projects is another example of their experience and eye for detail, ensuring that a highly effective solution could be created to meet the studio’s unique fire protection challenges.”

Advanced, which is owned by FTSE 100 company Halma plc, protects a wide range of prestigious and high-profile sites across the globe, from London’s Shard to Abu Dhabi International Airport and on to Las Vegas’ Golden Nugget Casino.