Have you ever heard of The Scalpel? This is the nickname for the new sky scraper that is being built in the capital. It will stand amongst the other glassy giants such as the Leaden Hall Building, The Gherkin and The Walkie Talkie, but has a very unique design with a pointed top which pierces the sky, hence the nickname The Scalpel.
The main contractor for this project is Skanska AB, who are the world’s 5th largest construction company, according to the Global Construction magazine. The project is probably best known as 52 Lime Street which commenced in April 2015, with demolition of old buildings and is scheduled for completion in December 2017. There are at least 35 usable storeys which are connected with the latest in lifting technology occupying 11 lift shafts, each operating with twin lifts.
Main contractor Skanska have specified Cygnus temporary fire alarms to provide fire protection throughout the duration of the project. There are over 90 Cygnus units that have been installed which includes over 40 of the fire call point alarms, 40 of the combined Fire and first aid call point alarms, and 3 of the first aid alert units. Some of the Cygnus alarm units are mounted to Bull Products’ First Responder Stations which are strategically positioned around the site, with at least 1 located on each storey, some with 2. All of the Cygnus alarm units that have been installed so far are connected to a main control panel that is situated in the site office on ground floor; the entire system is fully compliant with JCOP edition 9.
One of the key features of the Cygnus wireless fire alarm system is its ability to function as normal amidst masses of concrete, and large steel and glass structures. This is due to the clever design of communication between the alarm units. It is based on a mesh protocol which enables access from both point-to-point and multipoint and each alarm unit acts as a booster unit. The addressing system minimises the likelihood of clashes within the connections ensuring maximum performance; for this reason accurate unit addressing is vital and requires implementation before the alarm units are installed. The alarm system connects on a category 1 radio frequency which ensures maximum range, even when other strong local signals are present.
We have also installed the Hi-fire alarm system which is EN 54 compliant and integrates with the Cygnus system via an interface panel. This system has been installed where there is temporary accommodation within the floors of the building.
The Cygnus System has been specified for past and present projects similar to 52 Lime Street, this is because of its renowned reliability, flexibility and technical assistance that is readily available from the friendly team at Bull Products.