History
The existing Building was constructed in the 1970’s and was occupied by Jacob Douwe Egberts (JDE) – coffee manufacturers as part of a wider site development. The building has since been separated from JDE and is a standalone site. The building was refurbished in 2019 into an industrial unit.
Containment system:
- Installation of 100mm² cable basket for 11Kv future data wiring
- Installation of heavy-duty cable ladder for future installation of 11KV ring main unit supplies
- Installation of 300mm² cable basket for the installation of LV/ data and controls wiring
- Installation of 300mm² heavy duty cable tray for general power/ lighting supplies
- Installation of 300mm² heavy duty cable tray for future sub main cabling for P1 Phase of works
Fire Alarm
Existing System:
The existing fire alarm control panel is in the main entrance to the building. This required interfacing with the new fire alarm systems. The fireman’s override switch is be located adjacent to the main entrance.
New system:
The system has been designed and is generally in accordance with the British Standard 5839 Part 1: 2019 category “L1” and incorporates:
- Manually actuated call points
- Automatic detection
- Audible and visual means of evacuation
The new system is a Gent Vigilon 1-4 Loop Addressable Fire Alarm complete with integral battery backup. This is installed in the main Warehouse adjacent to the door to the Hub office. There is also a repeater panel located within the Guard house.
All devices are loop powered, including all beam detectors.
- Loop 1 – Warehouse adjacent office
- Loop 2 – Warehouse far side
Internal lighting
The Internal lighting system is mounted on a 40amp Bus bar system. The lighting is controlled with built in PIR detection within each fitting. The lighting is set to activate for 3 minutes and then 10% for 1 minute and then will turn off. The light fitting are set up into groups so when one light fitting is activated all fittings within this group will be illuminated. The emergency lighting form an integral part of the high-level lighting with emergency bulkhead to each escape door.
External Lighting
The external lighting consists of building mounted lighting and column mounted lighting The lights are controlled via a time clock located adjacent to the relevant distribution boards and also via a local photocell. The cabling to the external lighting column is installed in an underground cable ducting system. The power supplies to the building mounted fitting are installed within containment within the existing building.
Power supplies
The existing building is supplied by a 1600 Amp LV switch board with an 800 Amp incomer (NS800N). This supplies the current installation which consists of the office block, office hub, warehouse, the external lighting and the fire alarm. Installation of a new sub main cabling is installed from existing LV switch panel to the new ATS. Additionally, a new sub main was installed to the distribution board from the ATS. This distribution board will be purely for the power supplies that are required for the smoke system, as listed below:
- Power to fire alarm 1x13amp
- Power to existing fire alarm x1 13amp
- Power to BMS panel 1 x13amp
- Power to sprinkler address panel x1 13amp
- Power to nitrogen generator x1 13amp
- Power to air compressor x1 400v
- Power to Low-Level fan 12 no.
- Power to High-Level fan 15 no.
- Power to doors 5 no.
- Power to Pre action potter PFC 4410RC Panel 6x13amp
- Power to Pump House 1x 100amp 400v distribution board with 15no breakers for the sprinkler system
- Power to trace heating
- Sprinkler Repeater panel (Guardhouse) 1x13amp
It should be noted that all new cabling will be BS7846 standard as minimum. The specific requirements for armoured fire-resistant cables with thermosetting insulation – 600/1000V- with low emission of smoke and corrosive gases when affected by fire. The following options was selected:
- FP600 is the ultimate fire-resistant armoured cable suitable for use in essential emergency systems to retain circuit integrity in the event of a fire.
Switch Gear
The existing building is supplied by a 1600 Amp LV switch board with an 800 Amp incomer (NS800N). This supplies the current installation which consists of the office block, office hub, warehouse, the external lighting and the fire alarm.
An extension panel has been added onto the existing panel to provide a new power supply to the new smoke vent switch panel. As part of these works, load monitoring has been added to allow for load shedding of power supplies when the demand for power for the smoke vent system is getting close to the maximum limit.
Lighting Protection
A Lightning protection survey was carried out on the existing building. Following this survey, our team installed a new lighting protection system. There are various lighting protection points around the building. There are also 4 number lighting and protection points installed around the backup generator for the smoke vent system with a recorded reading of less than 1 ohm. This is connected directly to the backup generator.
Electrical installation work for Smoke/vent system
Mealey Electrical designed a smoke system strategy for Amazon Logistics- Southam Road, Banbury, OX16 2DJ. DOX2 is an existing building which was redeveloped in 2019. The building has a footprint of approximately 18,300m2. The building comprises of a single storey warehouse (van storage) with ancillary office facilities. The primary office is located on the eastern side of the warehouse and is located on the first floor only. A smaller two storey (ground plus one) hub office is located on the southern side of the site.
System descriptions:
- New control panel BMS
- Fire alarms system (New)
- Fire alarm system (Existing)
- Warehouse sprinkler system – Tyco
- Electrical installation
- Backup generator
Fire Alarms System (New)
Specifications:
The system has been designed and is generally in accordance with the British Standard 5839 Part 1: 2019 category “L1” and incorporates:
- Manually actuated call points
- Automatic detection
- Audible and visual means of evacuation
A Gent Vigilon 1-4 Loop Addressable Fire Alarm was installed, complete with integral battery backup, full qwerty keyboard, printer, and RS232 output for connection to the BMS. This is within the main entrance of the building.
All devices are loop powered, including all beam detectors.
Fire Alarm System – Interfacing:
In the event of a fire condition the system may be required to operate/shutdown various items of equipment. This is achieved by volt free contacts, using loop powered interfaces and relays, as follows:
- 2nr Vent systems
- Door access control
- 1nr HVAC
- Welfare unit
- Guard House
- Sprinkler Pump House
- Guard house repeater Panel
- 1nr Multi channel (4 inputs) sprinkler monitoring
- 2nr Multi channel interfaces – link to offices panel
- 4nr Multi channel pre-action sprinkler outputs
Cause and Effects:
The beam detection and call points are all to action a full evacuation of the fire alarm system.
Special programming multi-detectors in the warehouse area were installed as part of the pre-action sprinkler system.
Warehouse multi-detectors are programmed into zones to match that of the sprinkler system, splitting the warehouse in to 3 zones.
- 1st Detector – sound alert tone fire alarm – send pre-action alert to sprinkler system for relative zone
- 2nd Detector in the same sprinkler zone – sound full evacuation – send action to sprinkler system for relative zone to action
- If two single detectors from different sprinkler zones activate this will not action the sprinkler system until such time as two detectors in the same zone are activated
Fire alarm system (Existing):
The existing fire alarm control panel is located in the main entrance to the building. The existing system was interfaced with the new system. The fireman’s override switch is located adjacent to the main panel.
Under normal conditions mains power is supplied from DNO to power the LV switch panel through the ATS to the essential systems connected to the distribution board.
In the event of a mains power loss the backup generator will energise and power the essential LV distribution panel. The ATS will move from normal power supply conditions to loss of mains condition.
A 600KVA prime rated generator complete with 1250 Amp ATS was installed. The generator is located to the external of the building. The generator has a sound and weatherproofing canopy constructed from high quality steel plate, fitted with a residential exhaust muffler and base fuel tank.
The cabling from the generator into the building was installed in underground ducting and is terminated into the 1250 Amp ATS located inside the building adjacent to the main panel board. A control cable was installed in the ducting from the generator to the ATS control panel. This will energise the generator on mains failure. In turn, the ATS will switch from mains to generator backup. The generator will then power the smoke system when the normal power supply is lost.
A section has been added to the existing panel. This is a MCCB which was added to supply the Smoke vent switch panel. Due to the size of the existing power supply a load monitoring system was added in an event of the maximum damage being exceeded. Before this happens, power supplies will be shut down, so the available power is used for the smoke vent system in the event of a fire.
See below pictures of the completed works.
