Fire System Applications
Any building over 75 feet (23m) in height requires a voice evacuation fire system. However, most multiple tenant buildings with three or more stories now have a fire system that includes voice evacuation and emergency instruction capability approved by the local authority.
Voice System Advantages
Voice fire systems with speakers can generate any type of evacuation tone, making them suitable to match the existing buildings fire evacuation appliances. These systems can duplicate the existing evacuation horns, bells or chimes, giving you a cost savings from using the existing system when adding to the building's fire system. A trend of note is an increasing demand for voice intelligibility in voice systems. SimplexGrinnell is the recognized industry leader in design and testing systems for speech intelligibility.
Testing in an Occupied Building
As with any occupied building, it is important to understand the impacts associated with testing a fire system as required by local authorities and insurance underwriters. It's beneficial to have a system that enables appliances to be tested individually. This minimizes interruptions because it allows individual appliances to be tested locally, rather than doing the testing floor by floor. Service labor is reduced when testing can be conducted in this way, during normal working hours.
System Survivability
A fire system with the capability to "Stand Alone" during an emergency situation is more costly, but has the benefit of providing continued operation even if a panel is isolated from the main fire system. A networked Simplex 4100U system of fire panels with peer-to-peer Style 7 communications provides an extremely high level of fire system survivability.
Core Construction Benefits
If the building is new, floor spaces for unoccupied areas are most likely open areas. Walls will be installed based on the new tenant needs. A fire system that can be installed to meet the minimum requirements for the open areas but can be easily expanded with new tenants allows the landlord to bundle fire system additions with the tenant outfitting. Addressable detector technology provides the building management staff with pinpoint information, critical to directing emergency response crews to the location of an alarm.
System Integration
It is also important to select a fire system that can be interfaced to other critical systems in the building. Smoke management may be maximized when the fire system is integrated to the building controls air handling system. The fire system pinpoints the location of smoke, and the air handling system operates the flow of air to contain the smoke in the area. This protects the surrounding areas and floors from smoke. In the event of an alarm, the fire system can communicate with an access control system to automatically unlock exit doors for egress (required by codes). The access control system can determine whether a specific area is occupied. If unoccupied, the lighting control system could turn off the lights, saving energy. The fire alarm system can change the smoke sensitivity settings to the most sensitive setting, giving emergency response personnel the maximum amount of time to investigate an early warning smoke alarm condition before it is automatically reported to the fire department. This process helps avoids nuisance alarms.
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) developed a standard protocol for intercommunication between systems called BACnet. Selecting a fire system compatible with the BACnet communication standard allows owners to select "best-in-class" systems for their building needs.
Corporate Campus Applications
A networked fire alarm system that is capable of monitoring fire systems in multiple buildings provides significant benefits in campus environments. General announcements that warn occupants of situations such as foul weather emergencies are a common requirement . Systems with emergency paging to all or individual buildings help ensure that emergency warning requirements are met. The use of pre-programmed emergency messages is useful, because it provides assurance that the appropriate message will be communicated, regardless of who is on duty during the emergency situation.
Central Reporting
A system activity report covering the entire campus network is invaluable to facilities and safety personnel With combined reporting, the activities of several building fire systems are automatically brought together into one common reporting log. Test logs are located in one central location; alarm and trouble activity in one report. By exporting the information to computer spreadsheet and database programs, all activity is easily formatted into company standard reports. Fire and access control systems that provide the ability to email status changes over the existing LAN considerably extend the power of information management - an important feature for any campus network system.
Connectivity Choices
A network system that can provide modular drivers for wire, fiber, and modem connections eliminates connectivity concerns. With this type of system, you can select wire within a building, connect modems to satellite buildings thru the local telephone leased line service, and use fiber between buildings to protect from lightning damage
Security and Sound System Applications
Access Control Systems
- For Office/Corporate Environments
A base building security system typically controls ground floor doors, access to the loading dock, parking garage, and elevators. It's a rare base building system with more than 16 doors, but elevator control, CCTV integration, and ties to tenant sub-systems all increase the complexity of the access system. Tenants within a building may have hundreds of controlled doors, and typically want to issue access cards and control their employee privileges throughout the building common areas as well. Tying tenant and base building access system together means a partitionable database is required. If the tenant wants alarms to be monitored by base building staff after hours, or when otherwise unattended, a system that routes alarms and transactions is required. The Simplex iSecure Pro Security Management System features unparalleled routing capabilities and a fully partitionable database designed for multi-tenant applications, including partitioned photo badging.
- Vertical Access Control
Even after gaining access to the building, controlling movement between floors is paramount. This means access readers in elevators, and controlling stairwell doors. Stairwells must be designed to provide free egress (usually through timed egress crashbars), but only need to let you back into crossover floors. A well-designed system includes controlled access crossover corridors to ensure the protection of tenants on these floors. The Simplex, Software House, Andover Controls and InfoGraphic Systems access systems carried by SimplexGrinnell all have comprehensive elevator and vertical control capabilities.
- Parking area Applications
Anti-passback is required to prevent multiple parkers from using the same access card to gain entry to the lot. Area count capabilities are ideal for managing parking areas, illuminating "Lot Full" signs, restricting access until there are available spaces. A group anti-passback feature allows carpools a single parking space, regardless of which driver uses the access card. The first two features are available on both the Software House C-Cure 800 and Simplex iSecure Pro, group anti-passback only on the iSecure Pro.
- Building Controls
Where the access control system needs to integrate with assorted building controls for lighting and HVAC control, the Andover Controls Infinity has the best overall building control capabilities, and a huge library of available interfaces. Where integration to the Simplex fire system is called for, the iSecure Pro includes full-scope data communications to allow a single point of graphic monitoring for both systems, and the ability to interrogate fire devices.
- Management Reports
Property managers want comprehensive reporting capabilities. Infographic Systems and iSecure Pro both have excellent and robust reporting packages featuring customizable report templates. These systems also have partitioned reports - visible only to specific tenants or departments. The iSecure Pro also allows web access to reports to enable property managers to run reports from wherever they have web access.
- For Corporate Campuses
Partitionable databases are again a must, with various departments and buildings having control of their own premises, as well as from a central location. The ability to use an existing fiber optic or Ethernet backbone is key to reducing installation costs between buildings. The iSecure Pro with fiber and Ethernet-ready ISC controllers fits the bill admirably here. The Software House iStar controllers offer a redundant communications path, and distributed intelligence to the door modules for added system survivability.
Where the corporate office needs to share database information to an enterprise-wide network of campuses across the country, the Infographic Systems Diamond II has superb distributed database capabilities.
Video Systems
CCTV systems in both Office/Corporate Environments and corporate campuses share a couple of characteristics: they are extensive systems requiring matrix switcher control; and they make liberal use of dome cameras.
- Matrix Switchers
The rationale behind these is based on the system size - with many video cameras, operators need a comprehensive way to send the video images they need to the correct monitors - frequently in several locations. Because operators have too many images to view at any given time, what's required is "view-free" video - the ability to know what's important, and watch only that. This requires integration with the security system. All of our main access control systems integrate well with our major CCTV partner's matrix switchers - American Dynamics, Panasonic, Pelco and Philips.
- Dome Cameras
The use of fixed cameras has declined dramatically in the past couple of years, as dome cameras grow more robust and smaller. They have a sleek architectural look popular with building managers, and their pan/tilt/zoom capability allows them to do the work of multiple fixed cameras. All of our major CCTV partners feature extensive dome offerings.
- Digital Video Recorders
VCRs have long been the weak link in video - lower quality images than the cameras can capture and the monitors can display, maintenance intensive with a limited lifespan, and the hassle of videotape. DVRs have taken off in the past two years, becoming the recorder of choice in mid-size to large video systems. For the office/corporate campus market we have two excellent solutions. Where all the video needs to come to a single point for storage, yet be available in a network configuration, we have partnered with NICE in the US, and Loronix in Canada. These are both large-scale, networkable solutions with high-end feature sets. For systems that don't need this scope, the American Dynamics Intellex allows easy expansion from a single recorder of up to 16 cameras, through a chain of DVRs. This also allows different tenants or departments to store the video for cameras in their area. The Software House C-Cure has a built-in interface to the Intellex that links alarm events to stored video. The Andover Controls access system features a similar interface to the Integral DVR.
Visitor Management Systems
Office buildings have a large transient population - couriers, contractors, scheduled deliveries and visitors. None of these people would normally be issued an access card - this would be cost prohibitive. This means that access control systems are generally not designed to deal with visitors in an effective manner. We've partnered with STOPware for their industry leading PassagePoint software, which enables rapid enrollment and badging of visitors. Information may be entered by the visitor, security personnel, or scanned from business cards and/or drivers licenses. Visitors can be tracked, and alarms registered if they do not sign out in a pre-determined time. PassagePoint is available as either stand-alone software, or integrated with the C-Cure access system.
Visitor Entry Systems
These are directory/telephone systems that allow after-hours visitors to communicate directly with building tenants. Tenants may then enter a code on their phone, which unlocks the building door. When connected to an access control system, this act may also release the elevator to the tenants' floor only, and record the transaction in the system audit trail. Handset models are recommended for high ambient noise conditions, handsfree models for ease of use and ADA compliance. The directory may be as simple as a typed insert, or as encompassing as a scrolling multi-line color display. SimplexGrinnell's partners for visitor entry systems are Trigon and SES.
Emergency Communications System
ADA compliance and the need to provide enhanced life safety to reduce litigation has produced a burgeoning demand for emergency communications systems. These are usually located in parking areas, remote locations, connecting corridors between buildings, Area of Refuge (for ADA) and elevators. With a simple push of the button on the front of the unit, the call station automatically dials a pre-programmed emergency number. If for some reason that number is busy or goes unanswered, the call station automatically dials alternate numbers.
Several varieties of these emergency communications systems are available, from wall mounted units, freestanding pole (usually with a beacon & possibly CCTV camera), mini-tower, and elevator telephone units. Most are highly vandal resistant, with ADA compliance, raised letters and/or Braille, area lighting and highly visible blue strobes for easy location of activated units. Most locations using these systems have telephone lines and power available, but we have also sourced models using cellular communications and with solar/night light charging of batteries. Trigon is our partner with the widest variety of emergency communications options, all of which share a core interchangeable module for easy serviceability.
For large integrated systems or campus environments that require a significant number of call stations, enhanced functionality and networking capability, the Simplex 5195 ADIX (Advanced Digital Information Exchange) is well positioned. This allows an emergency call station to ring up to 32 internal locations simultaneously. If the initial call for assistance goes unanswered, the emergency station dials a remote location via an outside telephone line, and the ADIX architecture also provides the capability to communicate with other ADIX systems. The Simplex 5115 System is a low-cost alternative for indoor applications only.
Sound Reinforcement, Music Background and Media Distribution Systems
Several of the product lines initially adopted for the school market are applicable in boardrooms and large auditorium-style meeting rooms. (Check out the previously posted school applications for these for fuller details.) Large meeting rooms frequently need the same sound reinforcement required in school auditoriums. Most of these systems require customized configuration due to the many different acoustical variables and seating arrangements. Background music systems are often incorporated in common areas and lobbies of prestigious properties. In many public lobbies of Office/Corporate Environments, it's very typical to see very high ceilings and a lot of marble and glass. This is an acoustic nightmare (highly reverberant). In order to get intelligible paging or voice evacuation messages in these spaces, you need more than simple audibility. Bose modeling software and directional speakers can be used to design intelligible paging/evac systems for these difficult spaces (also in areas of high or variable ambient noise e.g., cafeterias, manufacturing spaces, etc.) SimplexGrinnell also has strategic partnerships with over a dozen key amplifier, speaker, microphone, mixer, rack hardware, and accessory manufacturers, which provide both products and application expertise.
There's been an increasing demand for media distribution systems to allow multiple video sources to supply a feed to a network of meeting and boardrooms, especially where feeds of stock quotes or news from a satellite dish are required. Safari and Teradon are two suppliers offering full-featured media management solutions along with sales assistance, engineering, system initialization, and customer training.
Master Time Systems
Master Time and Control Systems are typically composed of a master clock that controls and synchronizes the time on clocks located throughout the premises. The Simplex 6351 Master Time System offers all required operations and the widest selection of options to provide interconnectivity to any time-related system (including competitive). There is a wide variety of both analog and digital clocks, along with many wall or pendant mounting options. A cost-saving alternative master clock is actually a plug-in module used with the 5115 Area of Rescue Communications System. As an integral component, this master clock can be remotely programmed via the LAN connectivity option.
Application-Specific Expertise
These are just a few of the unique solutions SimplexGrinnell offers to the office and corporate campus markets. We've delivered a wide variety of building system and life-safety solutions to North American offices for well over a century, so we understand what they need. And, we keep working at expanding our capabilities for this important market. That's why SimplexGrinnell is the leading life-safety systems expert for office and corporate campus applications.
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