Shurgard collaborates with Promat for enhanced passive fire protection in London

European self-storage operator, Shurgard, has partnered with passive fire protection specialists Promat to secure its new facilities in Chiswick and Chadwell Heath, London.

This collaboration aims to provide the highest standards of fire safety and durability in Shurgard’s construction projects.

Shurgard prioritises the safety of its customers’ property, making the implementation of passive fire protection systems a key aspect of their new constructions.

Both projects faced tight build schedules, requiring the passive fire protection work to be efficient and compliant with the highest standards.

The role of partners in the project

The main contractor Appian, along with Three Sixty Architecture, played a significant role in supporting Shurgard.

They focused on maximising lettable space while ensuring effective passive fire protection strategies, all backed by rigorous fire testing and certification.

Significant adjustments were made to the mezzanine floor system design at both sites, adapting to updated EN testing standards for steelwork.

This included revising the passive fire protection (PFP) specifications to accommodate electrical charging points in the car parks without compromising lettable space.

Innovative solutions and benefits

Promat’s involvement from the early stages of design provided specialised PFP detailing with their Promatect 250 system.

This approach ensured compliance and facilitated easy installation, maximising lettable space.

The introduction of electric vehicle charging points necessitated a fire protection solution that aligned with the project’s lean construction methodology.

Promat’s Supalux product was chosen for its lightweight and space-efficient properties, allowing installation before making the building weathertight and supporting the project’s swift progress.

Douglas Allan, Project Architect at Threesixty, commented on the collaboration: “The objectives for Shurgard projects are very clear, and being able to rely on the knowledge the Promat team offers is a big help in making sure the PFP scope is not only safe and compliant but that it also helps us to keep the schedule to a minimum and maximise the amount of lettable space Shurgard can benefit from.”

Comprehensive technical support

Promat provided a detailed specification pack for the installation of 15,000m2 of Promatect 250 and 850m2 of Supalux across the two sites.

This package included all necessary technical information and performance testing data to ensure efficient installation.

Joshua Slack, National Specification Manager at Promat, said: “Our products and technical support offering are designed to benefit projects just like those Threesixty undertake for Shurgard.

“They help to make sure that the PFP scope is backed by fire testing and certification but importantly also keeps build schedules lean and maximises available operational areas for businesses where more space means more revenue.”

“It’s a pleasure to work with Threesixty and Appian, and it’s great to see that we have a proven but flexible solution that Shurgard can rely on across any new facilities they build.”