The Smart Approach

WAY BACK in the mists of time, the first buildings fashioned were somewhat basic shelters made from sticks and various stones as well as other natural materials. They were nothing like the concrete, steel and glass behemoths that adorn the skylines of today’s major cityscapes. That said, their basic purpose – to create a safe and comfortable space for those residing within – was exactly the same.

Wind forward to today and modern buildings are a complex mix of structures, systems and technology. Through time, individual internal elements have changed and been enhanced. Owners can now cherry-pick what they believe to be the best fire safety, security and HVAC systems, etc and create a space that’s high-tech in not just form, but also function.

What does the term ‘Smart Building’ actually mean, though, and what constitutes a ‘Smart Building’? 

For the last few years, we’ve seen the growth of building services and systems where modern technology has been employed to provide a better, safer or greener environment, coupled with the use of the Internet to offer information and alerts. We’ve all come to expect this. In our personal lives, instant updates are seen as an everyday requirement. Even social media posts are pushed the second they’re published.

Safety and protection

So, when we look at ‘Smart Buildings’, what can we add? Technology to realise greater safety and protection, along with more information on what’s happening in real-time.

When it comes to fire safety this is even more crucial as we’re talking about life safety, along with the entire business lifecycle and business continuity. In these challenging times this is even more important. Some businesses are desperately clinging on as society tries to return to some form of normality.

Fire safety technology has long been behind other technologies. Often, it’s a solutions market wherein change isn’t easily embraced. If we think of wireless fire safety systems, which have been with us for many years, it’s only in recent times that we’ve witnessed mainstream adoption, while in the security sector wireless is almost the de facto choice. 

Even when EN54-25 was published, which itself outlines explicit guidance on how wireless must be more secure, installers and specifiers seemed only to use wireless as a final option, other than in those sectors such as heritage where its use has been almost universal. This demonstrates how technology can lag behind in the fire detection world.

Wireless has certainly come of age, with many systems now employing 100% wireless or a hybrid approach. This includes some very large and complex buildings. Now, it’s possible to use wire-free networking. Indeed, we see buildings with thousands of wireless fire devices, while growth in the adoption of wireless technology is accelerating fast due to all the advantages it provides.

We know it offers rapid installation and less disruption for both end users and to the building fabric, along with reducing Health and Safety risks. Working at height, for example, can be drastically reduced in terms of timescales. It now takes ten minutes to install a detector. In terms of cost, there’s almost parity when looking at system installation and equipment. It’s now a choice of wired, wireless or hybrid, irrespective of cost, as this is no longer a defining factor. Wireless technology is currently being introduced by many manufacturers.

Meeting the demand

Returning to the concept of ‘Smart Buildings’, let’s examine how to deploy technology into a fire system in order to meet the demands of building users. Consider the subject of communications and what happens when a fire alarm activates. During the working day, localised evacuation plans ensure users exit in a timely manner and the Fire and Rescue Service is alerted to deal with any incident. Outside of normal working hours, there are connected systems, but is that really the case? 

It’s fair to suggest that the majority of fire systems are still not monitored and rely on someone at or otherwise near to the scene to issue an alert and confirm that a fire has occurred. At this point, it’s likely going to be too late and the fire has probably taken a firm grip of the premises.

Looking at ‘Smart Buildings’, we can probably see lots of connections to lots of equipment, but it’s likely that the fire system isn’t connected. Communications need to be built into fire control panels as a default because information from such a crucial part of a building’s protection is vital. After all, if we can observe temperature alarms from the heating and cooling system, should we not expect detailed information from a fire safety system as well? 

There are a limited number of such control panels providing this feature along with ‘Smart Services’ affording users and service providers alike a gateway into the fire system. It’s also safe to say that many are usually aimed at large or complex buildings. More on that anon.

The introduction of these ‘Smart Services’ is almost a prerequisite as we move into the new era of ‘Smart Buildings’. Put simply, comprehensive data and information needs to be available for detailed analysis of what is such an integral part of the building and its protection.

Remote inspections

What should we expect? As a minimum, how about the same information that’s available from standing in front of the fire panel? This would allow remote inspections as well as daily checks on the status of the panel and the system. Service providers could start to offer support that’s pretty much on a 24-7 basis and realised at a competitive cost, too.

In this scenario, if there was an issue, a text or an e-mail sent to the relevant individual(s) to advise of any activity the minute it happens would be very welcome. A problem with a detector would generate an event and a message directly to the service provider advising that there’s an issue. They then connect to the fire panel for more details and a remote diagnosis, identify the exact issue and then liaise with their building contact to arrange a visit to rectify or simply determine to act, depending on the contractual agreement. 

Imagine that. No more second call-backs to return with parts that then lead to inflated call-out costs and possible customer displeasure. In addition, the service company saves time and becomes more efficient, as well as greener (thanks to reduced mileage for that second visit). It’s a win-win situation.

Then there’s the cloud storage of all data, details of the servicing and weekly tests (no more logbooks being completed just prior to a service visit). There’s a full and ‘actual’ audit trail, which is ideal for facilities managers looking to review their building (or portfolio of buildings). This may well be essential for service providers as a remote ‘pre-inspection’ of this data could identify any local issues and ensure parts are taken on the service visit. 

For example, a detector could be approaching a point in its lifecycle where it needs to be replaced or has to be changed due to a dirty resident environment. Although not yet presenting itself as a problem, having a replacement detector on board could save time and expense for both customer and engineer. A quick and remote pre-inspection process could reveal this detail and then action may be taken in preparation.

Ensuring compliance

Obviously, encryption and security access levels would be paramount to ensure compliance with privacy requirements as well as legal issues. Of course, there would also be a need to meet industry requirements as dictated by current standards.

We can then start to consider how we might use this communications path and ‘Smart Services’ to benefit the site user and add value to their investment in safety. Thinking about smaller buildings where ‘smart’ may be something about which they can only dream, what about the ability to connect non-fire devices? These would be secondary to the fire system. Any activity relating to fire would always have primacy. This could be a simple signal from any number of third party products: CO gas detection, mains failure, flood or moisture alarms and even an air conditioning unit in a small server room, for example.

All are crucial to a building’s everyday use, albeit not life safety, but imagine if the same communications path was available for these services in terms of generating a text or an e-mail alert to the owner, the key holder or the plumbing company in circumstances where the flood alarm has activated. Not life safety, but crucial for any SME as not all businesses are fortunate enough to be resident in those aforementioned large glass buildings towering above the ground.

In today’s world, it’s not enough for a building to merely contain those systems and solutions that afford safety. Now, buildings must connect the various elements within to realise dynamism and functionality. Intelligence must be brought into the equation from the beginning of the design phase through to the end of the building’s life. The true ‘Smart Building’ employs IT to connect a variety of sub-systems such that they can share key information and optimise overall building performance.

The good news is that much of the technology does exist today. It’s perfectly possible to have ‘Smart Services’ in smaller buildings at much lower cost, which is somewhat contrary to current thinking and the belief among many who deem this not to be possible. Tomorrow’s technology is very much here today. It’s just a question of knowing where to look.

Ray Puttock is Marketing Director (EMEA) at EMS (www.emsgroup.co.uk)