Student accommodation is housing provided by Universities for their students. There are a number of different types of student accommodation, the most common being halls of residence. Halls of residence are typically buildings similar to apartment blocks and are usually owned by the University.
Hall of residence accommodation is typically offered to first-year students as a way to get students settled and adjusted to living away from home while meeting new people. Some floors will contain a shared bathroom, kitchen and living space, while others will have ensuite bathrooms.
Whatever the case may be, reliable and effective fire detection systems must be installed.
What are the Risks Associated with Student Accommodation?
There are many risks associated with student accommodation, including:
- Kitchens
There are many kitchens located in student accommodation, all of which hold a number of fire risks such as:- Over Usage
- Grease build up
- Electrical equipment
- Open flames
- Clutter
- Hundreds of Residents
As there is most likely a large number of residents living in student accomodation, the risk of fire increases if safety procedures are not adhered to. Some of the risks of student accommodation include:- Electrical appliances that are faulty or may not of been properly maintained.
- Overloaded sockets that have caused electrical faults.
- Cigarettes which may not have been extinguished properly.
- Drink spills onto electrical cables.
- Parties and social events which may include lighting, sound equipment and smoke machines.
What are the Challenges?
Universities and landlords must make sure that they keep up-to-date with regulations and ensure their tenants have a good understanding and knowledge of fire protocol. Some of the challenges that may take place in halls of residence, for example, include:
- Interconnectivity issues.
- The installation process of Installing fire detectors and cabling throughout the property is somewhat time-consuming and can cause a lot of disruption to tenants residing in the property.
- Limited access to rooms.
What is the Solution?
Buildings as large and complex as this require the installation of a range of detection types to cover all areas of the premises. The solution must be flexible and cost-effective. Therefore, a hybrid fire detection systems that combines hardwired and wireless detection technology offers the perfect solution for student accommodation.
Wi-Fyre
Wi-Fyre allows hardwired and wireless technology to operate side-by-side to form a hybrid fire detection solution. This means that wireless detection can be used in areas where access is limited or disruption needs to be kept to a minimum, and wired devices can be used to save cost where possible.
This hybrid solutions is available with six, user-selectable modes of operation to provide increased compatibility with a range of different detection types:
- Conventional
- Addressable (Collective)
- ProFyre 2-Wire Addressable
- ProFyre Addressable
- Standalone
- Reflective
Wi-Fyre can be used as part of a new fire detection system or to extend or upgrade an existing system by installing a Wi-Fyre Transponder into the fire alarm wiring via a compatible interface module. Each transponder has the ability to communicate with up to thirty field devices, including; sounders, detectors, manual call points, and input/outputs modules.
For more information about Wi-Fyre, please feel free to give us a call on +44 (0)1329 835024 or email [email protected] where we would be happy to answer any questions.
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