South Cambridgeshire District Council is upgrading its 1400 sheltered housing properties with new warden call products, connected to Aico mains powered multi-sensor, heat and Carbon Monoxide (CO) alarms.
As the council was already planning to replace the hard wired warden call systems, it took the chance to upgrade the smoke and CO alarms at the same time. Aico reports that it was able to offer a bespoke solution to wirelessly connect its alarms to the new warden call systems using its Ei414 Fire/CO Alarm Interface. Eddie Spicer, M & E Surveyor for South Cambridgeshire, says: “The integration ensures that there is one system in each property, reducing costs and maintenance visits. We have two providers of call systems and one of them has expressed great interest in the system we are using as they have not seen it used on their equipment previously.” The Ei414 Interface can also be used to interconnect Aico alarms to sprinkler and Part 1 fire detection systems.
The new smoke alarms are being installed by the council to Category LD2, with a heat alarm in the kitchen, a multi-sensor in all circulation spaces and entrance halls and CO Alarms in properties that are not fully electric. Properties and tenants that need extended protection from risk will see their alarms extended to include other rooms.
As for Aico’s AudioLINK data extraction, built into the multi-sensor and CO alarms, Eddie said that the recording of details from AudioLINK is invaluable as it holds the history of activations and testing details. “This can provide us with the added value of knowing the units are tested regularly and if an incident of a CO leak is detected but subsequently clears we have a record of the leak and can investigate it properly rather than the possibility of false activations of malicious acts.”
The product manufacturer adds that AudioLINK enables real time data to be extracted from each alarm using its sounder to a smartphone or tablet via a free app to create an alarm status report. That also displays number of times tested and removed and any alarm activations.
Eddie adds: “The service provided by Aico is impeccable. The stock provision and minimal failure rate has ensured that this project is running smoothly and to time. We have also integrated an online monitoring trial into the project and the ongoing support from Aico has been really useful and has made the system work for us.”
South Cambridgeshire is a long standing Aico customer and uses the company’s alarms across its 5700 housing stock. Eddie says: “This latest project not only allows us to meet the latest regulations and safeguard our most vulnerable tenants and leaseholders alike; it will also enable us to standardise Smoke Alarms across our properties. I have used and specified Aico products for a number of years. I am continually monitoring the market place for new technologies and products from both Aico and the wider market and, so far, the products offered by Aico have suited our requirements above others. It is imperative to specify the right product for the right situation. Obviously cost is a major factor and with the introduction of the latest technologies in the Multi-Sensor, the lack of false alarms has paid dividends with lower call out rates and nuisance alarm activations.”
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