Hochiki system upgrade completed at Admiral Lord Nelson School in Portsmouth

Hochiki system installed at Portsmouth school

Hochiki has been used by SFA Fire & Security to upgrade the fire detection system at Admiral Lord Nelson School in Portsmouth, using FIREbeam Xtra and ESP for an open protocol configuration.

The school chose SFA Fire & Security for the upgrade after its existing fire system needed replacement.

The installation was delivered across a site described as spanning three floors with specialist classrooms across an extensive area.

SFA Fire & Security provided design and installation as a single delivery partner, according to the company.

Staged work planned around holidays

SFA Fire & Security said the day-to-day routine of a live educational setting meant installation work had to be completed in stages.

It said work was scheduled during the summer holidays and the following half-term break to avoid interrupting students and to maintain progress against deadlines.

The company said it used pre-stage device addressing to support faster on-site delivery.

Detection and control approach across spaces

SFA Fire & Security said the school included spaces such as a laboratory kiln room, an atrium and a sports hall, and that each required a tailored approach.

It said the glass-fronted atrium’s large coverage made point detection impractical.

Hochiki’s FIREbeam Xtra was installed to provide detection coverage at height across the atrium, according to the company.

SFA Fire & Security said it also used heat and multi-sensors to reflect room conditions.

It said multi-sensors were used in science rooms due to gases and smoke generated during lessons.

It said heat sensors were used in food technology rooms and kitchens to avoid unwanted activations from normal cooking activity while still detecting meaningful temperature changes.

Alarm tones configured for different incidents

SFA Fire & Security said it worked with school management to determine bespoke EN54 approved tones and patterns for sounders.

It said the tones were programmed so that different alarm types were distinct, including class change, lockdown and fire incidents.

It said the aim was to support quicker recognition of the alarm type and reduce confusion during response.

Project Director comment on integration

Naomi Fell, Project Director at SFA, said: “We have worked with Hochiki products over many years in various projects and environments and their reliability is top-class.

“Despite the tight deadlines, Hochiki’s ESP open protocol and versatile product range made it easy to integrate into the existing fire system, and easy for the school to operate.

“It’s a system that they can trust and use for years to come.

“We’re very proud to have been able to future-proof the safety of the school in this way.”