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New Street Square, a 65,000 ft 2 mixed-use development recently completed in east London, features variable speed drives from Alldales Drive Systems as part of its smoke detection package.
The main feature of the drives, which were developed by Alldales in conjunction with consulting engineer Cundall, is the inclusion of a smoke ventilation management system for basement areas called fire mode. When operating in fire mode, the drives’ normal safety features are automatically overridden, allowing them to ‘run to destruction’ while retaining the ability to vary the speed of the smoke extract fans which are controlled by the smoke control panel. This feature was essential for managing the multi-zone basement layout of New Street, and is designed to increase the window for evacuation while preserving access for firefighters.
Cundall’s Malcolm Howe commented on what the system offered in practical terms. “Fire officers are now able to activate and control settings for the fire mode from the main systems boards, effectively reprogramming the drives to ignore safety settings, while also selecting the appropriate speed for designated zones.”
Replacing a number of 1960s office buildings, New Street Square comprises office and retail space and is topped by an 18-storey prow-shaped tower.
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