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32 | DECEMBER 2017 Fire Protection Systems pre-lockup stage of construction, so we put together a package consisting of off-the-shelf products, with pre-mounted smoke and heat detectors along with a supervised wireless product with repeaters that go beyond the 6,000 foot range – all connected to our monitoring service," says Dean Stennes, Houle's tech- nical support manager. The coverage this package provides is comprehen- sive, with the alarm devices monitored 24/7 and fully supervised for communication integrity. "And if one device gets damaged, we can remotely shut it down, send in a new device and remotely program it," says Stennes, adding that even though this particular ser- vice is less than a year old, it has already saved the developer of a Nanaimo commercial project $10,000 in guard services savings alone. In the technological realm, mass notification con- tinues to be highly sought by developers of large facili- ties. However, to be truly effective, mass notification requires a full 360-degree view during any emergency and through integration, this is what the EST3 mass notification and event management solutions from Chubb Edwards provides. Through the integration capabilities of the EST3 system from Edwards, a sys- tem operator can broadcast audio instructions, view live CCTV, and disarm security partitions in order to provide building occupants with unencumbered egress – all without taking his or her eyes off the sys- tem display. In addition, the EST3 system has eight multiplexed audio channels, which provide the bandwidth to han- dle mass notification and still have plenty of capacity for firefighters, Hazmat responders and other emer- gency personnel. In fact, in an emergency, the EST3 system can broadcast eight different messages to eight different zones or locations simultaneously, meaning different programmable recorded messages can play to evacuation and alert zones, while response per- sonnel talk over handsets – and the system operator broadcasts instructions to people in stairwells or ele- vators – all without the interruption and priority queu- ing that plague other mass notification systems with fewer audio channels. Meanwhile, Aluflam continues to be sought as a fire protection provider due to having mastered what was once considered impossible: using frames of aluminum (a material normally not known for its fire resistant properties) for fire rated glazing applications. This was achieved in part by the company using true extruded aluminum, not aluminum-clad steel, and combining insulated aluminum framing with fire rated glass. Aluflam's vision doors, windows and glazed wall systems are corrosion resistant and easy to install, and from an architectural standpoint they do away with the necessity of architects having to comprise their design visions in order to satisfy safety regulations. As exciting as fire protection technology and sys- tems are in 2017, the future holds even more potential. For example, although it's no longer a new technol- ogy, the use of building information modelling (BIM) is expanding and offers considerable benefits to the development of fire protection, due to the potential future integration of fire modelling software with a 3D model. Several models currently offer 3D evalua- tions and corresponding interfaces as a means of dis- playing model output. Experts also point to dynamic electronic wayfind- ing as further evolving to better serve fire protection systems. Specifically, fire detection and alarm systems will provide input into electronic wayfinding, which will then identify exit paths that do not lead people towards the fire area. It is also predicted that this may ultimately become a prescriptive based code require- ment for buildings of a certain size, with information automatically being sent to building occupants' smart phones during a blaze. A PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY HOULE ELECTRIC RBQ 3050-7412-83. Tyco and the product names are marks and/or registered marks of Johnson Controls. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited worldwide. All other marks are property of their respective owners. The combined strengths of two great companies are now under one great name. Johnson Controls. The world leader in fi re protection, security, HVAC, building controls and energy storage. Count on us for innovative solutions that lead to safer building environments and better outcomes for customers. Exactly what you'd expect from a leader. Tyco is now Johnson Controls. Learn more at Tycoifs.ca. 77123 • JCI •Tyco AD • 9.25 x 5.875 •4c • rlf • 11/2/17

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