Southwark Council has a portfolio of nearly 38,000 properties, including six high-rise blocks on the Brandon estate in south London. Recognising that its current alarms had nearly reached the end of their operational life, the council embarked on a significant upgrade project.
Transforming the fire alarm infrastructure
The Brandon estate’s existing alarm system relied on a combination of hardwiring and radio frequency technology. After a meeting with Southwark Council, Aico’s regional specification manager and technical team tailored a new specification suitable for the estate. The specification was designed to Grade D1, Category LD1 standard, incorporating radio frequency connections for a smoother upgrade process and minimising the disruption for residents. Fitting to this standard will adhere to the specifications outlined in British Standard BS5839-6:2019.
The Brandon estate is now fully protected by a state-of-the-art Grade D1, Category LD1 fire alarm system, installed in May 2023. This radio frequency interconnected system guarantees the highest level of safety, ensuring complete peace of mind for all residents. This cutting-edge upgrade brings a multitude of benefits:
- Enhanced protection – Category LD1 covers all rooms that present a risk of fire in the property (except bathrooms and wet rooms), offering faster detection and enhanced safety.
- Effortless maintenance – Mains-powered with tamper-proof backups, residents never need to worry about replacing batteries or removing alarms.
- Preventative peace of mind – Keeping the estate compliant and up-to-date minimises the risk of disrepair and potential fire hazards.
This significant upgrade demonstrates Southwark Council’s unwavering commitment to resident safety. With the new system safeguarding every corner of the Brandon estate, residents can rest assured knowing their well-being is a top priority.
From expert installation to empowered residents
Aico’s FIA CPD-accredited ‘Expert Installer’ training, delivered by Aico’s regional specification manager Rachel Wright, gave the council’s repairs team (Southwark Repairs) and its contractors (Spokemead & BCS) the knowledge and skills to expertly install domestic fire and carbon-monoxide alarm systems. The free training programme was delivered on board Aico’s state-of-the-art mobile training units.
Rachel Wright, regional specification manager, Aico, said, “Working alongside Southwark Council has been fantastic as it is really setting high standards with fire and carbon-monoxide protection in its properties.
“Installing LD1 is over and above the British Standard – it is great to see that the council is ensuring its tenants are being kept as safe as possible. The standard of the council’s electrical contractors and their colleagues is very high and constantly being reviewed through CPD training and onsite visits and checks.”
Aico’s ‘resident engagement days’ encourage active engagement between housing providers and their tenants. Southwark residents took part in two resident engagement days, covering essential fire and carbon-monoxide safety education, and empowering knowledge and awareness across all demographics, from children to families.
Leveraging IoT for enhanced fire safety
Southwark Council’s new fire and carbon-monoxide alarm system boasts radio frequency connectivity throughout its properties. This not only allows for the future expansion of the system but will also allow for seamless integration with Aico’s HomeLink gateway. The gateway extracts data from the alarms and feeds it to the HomeLink portal, enabling remote monitoring and actionable insights into the alarm system’s performance.
Nigel Rice, compliance electrical manager, Southwark Council, said, “We’ve been installing Aico fire alarm systems in our housing stock since 2014. We initially worked with EI Electronics and Aico back in 2013 to design a system that could be linked between dwellings to give early warnings to residents living in these archetypes of properties.
“That working relationship continues today and although some of the Aico people may have changed, the quality of its products and the company’s personal service are still of the highest standard.”
