The single loop Nano panel from Gent by Honeywell is part of the next generation of panels created to complement building aesthetics, says the company.
Developed after consultation with over 60 systems integrators who regularly work with Honeywell equipment, the Nano is designed to incorporate a high level of technological improvement without compromising on looks. Rather than being hidden away to maintain a building’s design integrity, it is claimed the panel can be proudly displayed in any office reception or hotel lobby.
Gent expects that the new standard of design which the Nano spearheads will allow more sophisticated fire technology to be used in smaller buildings. The panel is designed for small building applications, capable of powering a loop with up to 127 devices. It has a cause and effect which can be configured by a PC commissioning tool. It operates all Vigilon loop devices from Gent by Honeywell, including the S-Quad and S-Cubed ranges, allowing a small system to benefit from the latest advanced fire alarm management technology with combined sensor, sounder, speech and strobe functions in one device.
Gent by Honeywell’s product manager, Martin Phillips described the process behind the radical design overhaul. “Following initial development work we put four different looks to the vote. Two options were similar to existing products, largely based on our Vigilon and Vigilon Compact panels. The fact that this was not selected as the preferred option demonstrates that there is an appetite for change. The chosen design was a happy compromise, with a sleek black exterior and silver edges. A set of simple buttons control the options explained on a clear display screen, sitting above the three mandatory indicators, fire, fault and power.”
One of the earliest Nano installations has been a 126 bedroom hotel in Birmingham, where the installer, Lyrico, reported that the client selected the panel mainly because of its managed protocol route.
“False fire alarms can be very expensive for hotels, so being able to give the Apollo Hotel a cost effective solution using intelligent sensors was particularly satisfying, added Mr Phillips. It meant Lyrico could meet the owner’s objective of achieving Level 1 coverage when he wasn’t compliant beforehand. I am confident that better designed fire products – both aesthetically and technically – will quickly become a more common sight in many offices, hotels and schools.” www.gent.co.uk
