A new fire detection system from Hochiki Europe has been installed in a luxury retail store in Edinburgh’s St James’ Quarter. The retail centre recently extended one of their luxury stores, with a critical element of the new infrastructure being a fire detection system from Hochiki Europe.

Luxury in-store experience

High-end retailers often feature meticulously designed interiors with clean lines and minimal distractions, meaning any visible fire detection devices can disrupt the desired ambiance and detract from the overall shopping experience. They may therefore chooses to prioritise discreet fire detection systems to maintain their brand’s aesthetic appeal.

By opting for discreet systems, these retailers ensure that fire safety remains a top priority without compromising the store’s intended atmosphere.

GB Integrated Systems (GBIS), specialise in providing fire detection and security system solutions for commercial properties. Having worked with Hochiki products for several years, trusting their reliability in retail environments, they knew the global fire manufacturer’s ESP range would provide the perfect answer.

Technical Director, GBIS, Mike Gray’s statement

Mike Gray, Technical Director of the GBIS spoke on the collaboration: “We chose Hochiki as it offered a comprehensive solution for this project with a broad selection of devices, including smoke detectors, heat detectors, manual call points, base sounders and air sampling system.”

Features of the fire system

The project comprised over 40 analogue addressable devices and an air sampling system, ensuring the highest standards in fire safety design. The air sampling system, integrated into the fire detection loop, was a crucial component of the installation, according to Hochiki.

Air sampling enables precise detection in hard-to-reach areas like ceiling voids, ensuring comprehensive coverage throughout a retail environment. The Hochiki devices respond accurately to real fire conditions while minimising false alarms through multi-sensor technology, environmental adjustments, and filtering mechanisms.

With these features the fire alarm system is designed to effectively differentiate between non-threatening signals and actual fire hazards, thereby improving safety, reducing false alarms, and enhancing operational efficiency within the store.

One of the reported challenges during the installation was interfacing the fire alarm system with the shopping centre’s security control centre. This complex integration required careful planning and execution to ensure that the system would respond appropriately to different fire scenarios.

In the event of a fire within the store, the system is designed to trigger specific alarms and notifications, while a fire in the shopping centre would activate different alerts, minimising disruption to the store’s operations.

Luxury retail store in Multrees Walk reopens with upgraded fire system: Summary

A luxury retailer based in St James’ Quarter, Edinburgh, have installed a fire system upgrade. By combining innovation, reliability, and aesthetic appeal, Hochiki Europe has helped to create a safe and secure space for customers to obtain a luxury shopping experience.