Client - HG Construction
Overview:
HG Construction was the main contractor at this student accommodation project for Yara. Adexsi UK was appointed to offer a smoke control and cooling daily ventilation solution that would ensure the 84-occupancy building remains safe and comfortable for the students living there. This building, located within a five minute walk of Holland Park underground station, is a five story residential tower with a café at ground floor plus a plant room and basement storage below. The building could be considered at particular risk of fire – student accommodations feature relatively transient populations, high occupancy density and a reputation for parties, smoking and late-night cooking sessions. Smoke control in such buildings is not only common sense; it’s a legislative requirement.
Outcome:
Adexsi UK’s solution was something of a hybrid, combining a number of established technologies to create a bespoke system that works specifically for the Yara student accommodation. Our VeriFlow system was selected; it is designed to take advantage of the natural buoyancy of hot smoke by creating safe routes for smoke to leave a building – clearing means of escape for building occupants and making it easier for fire fighters to tackle the blaze. This natural ventilation system would, however, not be sufficient to provide comfort cooling to the building, so Adexsi UK supplemented the system with an added mechanical solution. This utilises fans to boost airflow, but saved on costs as the fans in question did not have to meet the higher technical standards demanded for life safety equipment.