Cygnus SmartNet wireless system installed in Cambridge care home
Iain Hoey
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Fire protection system installed in three days at Home Meadow
Advanced Fire Protection SW has installed a SmartNet-Pro wireless fire detection and alarm system at Home Meadow, a retirement property in Cambridge.
According to Cygnus, the installation was completed in three days and required no cabling, due to the 100% wireless design of the SmartNet system.
The retirement home is operated by housing association LiveWest and comprises 50 individual flats.
Cygnus stated that the previous cabling infrastructure was considered too outdated to support modern fire detection systems.
The company explained that a full rewiring was ruled out as it would have caused major disruption to residents.
LiveWest required a certified fire system that could be fitted with minimal intrusion.
Cygnus said the SmartNet-Pro met this need by offering full EN 54 compliance and wireless installation.
Installers report system stability and reduced disruption
Advanced Fire Protection SW has used SmartNet for previous installations, but this was its largest to date.
Lee Wilkinson, Managing Director at Advanced Fire Protection SW, said: “This was our third time using Cygnus SmartNet and our largest installation using the solution to date! We highly recommend SmartNet, it was a suitable choice for Home Meadow due to the fact it’s 100% wireless and a stable, reliable solution, with no requirement for cabling or boosters which causes increased disruption to residents.
“Additionally, as an installer, it is important to us that our customers are happy and LiveWest have been so pleased with the outcome, it is not only our preferred solution, but it has become their preferred solution for other sites too.”
Cygnus stated that the project involved fitting 212 devices.
It added that the pre-configuration and programming of the equipment allowed for rapid on-site installation.
LiveWest expands use of SmartNet across other sites
LiveWest said that the results of the project met both its safety and installation goals.
Oliver Colenso, Property Delivery Team Manager at LiveWest, said: “We specified SmartNet as we wanted a solution that met the highest safety standards and caused minimal disruption – something its 100% wireless design made possible.
“Minimising disruption to residents and workers was paramount, and working alongside Advanced Fire Protection SW, as well as our on-site warden, the installation process was smooth and well-coordinated.
“We’re thoroughly impressed with the outcome, and SmartNet has now become our preferred solution.
“Since this project, we have now installed Cygnus SmartNet into over a dozen of our sites at LiveWest.”
Cygnus said the system is now being considered for other residential schemes operated by the housing association.
Training provided through Cygnus Academy
Cygnus confirmed that training is required for all SmartNet installers.
The company said its training courses are offered at either the Cygnus Academy in Hereford or the Technology and Training Centre in Birmingham.
According to the company, training is split into basic and advanced modules.
Wilkinson said: “All eight of our installers at Advanced Fire Protection SW are certified with the basic training programme. A couple of us have also completed the advanced training course.
“We found the Cygnus Academy informative and helpful for learning the system and software.
“The environment was relaxed and the tutors very knowledgeable, we highly recommend the training and are keen to send more of our installers to receive the advanced course training too.”
Technical specifications of SmartNet-Pro system
Cygnus stated that the SmartNet-Pro system uses its proprietary wireless mesh technology.
According to the company, the system can support 511 devices across 96 zones on a single network.
It also added that up to five control panels can be linked, allowing a total of more than 2,500 devices.
Cygnus said that the system operates on a self-forming, self-healing mesh with multipath redundancy and channel hopping for signal reliability.
The company claimed that SmartNet installations can be up to twenty times faster than wired systems.
SmartNet wireless system installed in Cambridge care home: Summary
Advanced Fire Protection SW installed the SmartNet-Pro fire detection and alarm system at Home Meadow, a retirement home in Cambridge.
Cygnus said the SmartNet-Pro is a 100% wireless system that meets EN 54 certification.
The installation was completed in three days.
Home Meadow is owned by housing association LiveWest and includes 50 flats.
Cygnus stated that the previous system was outdated and unsuitable for modern needs.
A full rewiring was avoided to minimise disruption.
Lee Wilkinson from Advanced Fire Protection SW said it was their largest SmartNet installation to date.
Oliver Colenso from LiveWest said the system has now been adopted at over a dozen other LiveWest sites.
Cygnus offers training for installers at the Cygnus Academy and in Birmingham.
SmartNet-Pro supports over 2,500 devices across a linked system.
Cygnus said the system uses mesh networking and is up to twenty times faster to install than wired alternatives.