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Updated Lux Intelligent Savings Calculator Demonstrates Retrofit Emergency Light Testing Savings

Advanced has recently updated the savings calculator on its Lux Intelligent website to demonstrate the savings customers can achieve by retrofitting its cloud-enabled emergency light testing system.

The original savings calculator was born out of Advanced’s confidence in the savings Lux Intelligent could deliver to end users, facilities managers and maintenance companies. Growing requests from the retrofit market prompted the change, as Lux Intelligent can replace old or discontinued systems and can usually be installed on existing wiring with installed lights easily converted.
When lights are tested manually, an engineer must physically walk the building and cut power to the emergency lights, forcing them to operate on their secondary supply. He or she then needs to reinstate the mains power and confirm that the batteries are charging properly. This this is a time-consuming and tedious task that is not always completed accurately or reliably.

Added to that, it is not practical to disable the power for whole areas of a building during normal operational hours, so the process must be staggered or done outside of office hours. Also, in case of a real emergency, no area of a building can be left without emergency lighting for the period after a test while the batteries are recharging.

Automatic testing using Lux Intelligent simplifies the entire process and is incredibly cost-effective, especially when using cloud-based monitoring via mobile or web app, which completely does away with the need for compiling manual reports and simplifies maintenance management.

Commenting on the new retrofit-focused feature Robin Kemp, Lux Intelligent’s National Sales Manager, said: “We developed the savings calculator to show how much people could save by installing Lux Intelligent. We’ve seen a significant growth in installations, driven by Lux’s cloud functionality and ability to cover all a site’s lighting testing needs, so users need only invest in one system. The ease of installation of the system, particularly in retrofit markets, has also grown quickly and the updates reflect this.”

Users can access the updated savings calculator here.
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World famous restaurants enjoy Advanced protection

Two of London’s most exclusive restaurants, including the world-renowned Ivy, are now protected by industry-leading fire panels from Advanced.

Both The Ivy and Sexy Fish in Berkeley Square, which are both owned by Caprice Holdings, have been fitted with MxPro 4 fire panels from Advanced. The Ivy has recently been subject to a full refurbishment, overseen by the Martin Brudnizki Design Studio. The work included a comprehensive overhaul of the building’s fire system by experts from Sussex-based ROC Solutions, who also installed the brand-new system at Sexy Fish, as well as the existing fire panels in The Club at The Ivy.

Dean O’Brien, Director at ROC Solutions, commented: “The Ivy project was not only high-profile, but also logistically challenging, working around the quick refit schedule and interfacing with the neighbouring The Ivy Club, which remained open. In comparison, installation of the new system at Sexy Fish was not quite so complex, but still just as vital.

“For both projects, Advanced panels were the obvious choice, offering the right mix of features, reliability and adaptability to safeguard customers, staff and the fabric of the restaurants. Careful planning was needed to ensure that the fire system components did not encroach on the luxurious finishes in each establishment, while the Sexy Fish system needed to be integrated with the existing network in Berkeley Square House, one of London’s most desirable addresses.”

MxPro is the fire industry’s leading multiprotocol fire solution, offering customers a choice of two panel ranges, four detector protocols and a completely open installer network that enjoys free training and support. MxPro panels can be used in single loop, single panel format or easily configured into multi-loop, high speed, 200 panel networks covering huge areas and controlling up to 254 individual devices per loop

The Ivy system which is integrated with the existing EMS radio system in Ivy Club, covers both the public and private areas of the West End restaurant, including the dining rooms, kitchens and other back of house areas, while the brand new fire system at Sexy Fish covers all areas of the Mayfair restaurant.

Neil Parkin, Sales Manager for the North at Advanced, said: “Advanced panels are already installed in several Caprice Holdings venues, so we were very pleased to supply MxPro-based systems for The Ivy and Sexy Fish. Our products bring with them an enviable reputation for performance and ease-of-use, which has led to their installation in buildings as diverse as The Shard and Iona Abbey. We have worked closely with Dean and his team for a number of years and MxPro is now Roc Solutions’ first choice of panel for all new installations and upgrade projects.”

MxPro 4 is fully compliant with EN54 Parts 2 and 4. The MxPro 5 is Advanced’s highest performance analogue panel. It is EN54 2, 4 & 13 approved and is backward compatible with MxPro 4, offering long-term security for MxPro customers.

Advanced is a world leader in the development and manufacture of intelligent fire systems. The legendary performance, quality and ease-of-use of its products sees Advanced specified in locations all over the world, from single panel installations to large multi-site networks. Advanced’s products include complete fire detection systems, multi-protocol fire panels, extinguishing control, fire paging and false alarm management systems.

More details can be found on the website at www.advancedco.com.
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Advanced chosen for Atlantic Islands Centre

Even the smallest buildings can be of critical importance to their users, especially in relatively isolated communities. The performance and reliability of Advanced’s MxPro fire alarm panels has seen them installed in another remote coastal location, the Atlantic Islands Centre on Luing, off the west coast of Scotland.

Situated south of Oban in the Firth of Lorne, the largely unspoilt 5.5 square mile Isle of Luing is one of the Slate Islands. The Atlantic Visitor Centre, in the village of Cullipool, is set to revitalise the island’s economy, raising awareness of Luing as a tourist destination and offering a range of outdoor activities. The Centre will also provide a community hub for the island’s 200 residents, providing workshops and office space. It also has the capability to be used as an emergency refuge.

The contract for the installation was awarded to the team at Adam Fire, who specified the latest MxPro 5 panels from Advanced. MxPro 5 is the leading multiprotocol fire panel range, renowned for its world-beating quality, reliability and flexibility.

Graeme Bruce, spokesperson for Adam Fire, commented: “We had already installed MxPro panels in Iona Abbey, one of the oldest and most important religious centres in Western Europe and they were an obvious choice for this new development on Luing. In remote locations quality and reliability are paramount, which is why we felt that the reliability and longevity of the MxPro panels were crucial attributes when specifying this system.”

The centre is now being protected by the latest MxPro5 single loop panel from Advanced, offering high performance fire detection and alarm control across the entire site. MxPro 5 panels can be used in single loop, single panel format or easily configured into high speed, 200-panel networks covering huge areas. Advanced’s legendary ease of installation and configuration and wide peripheral range make it customisable to almost any application.

Neil Parkin, Advanced’s sales manager for Scotland, said: “Advanced fire systems are renowned for their quality and ease-of-use, which makes them ideal for a project such as this. Our panels do not only protect large buildings and networks but also small building such as the Visitor Centre which is an important part of the island community. With Luing being in such a remote location it is even more important to offer the reassurance of a high quality system and our MxPro panels offer all the key attributes required for this type of installation.

MxPro is Advanced’s flagship range of multiprotocol panels, offers customers a choice of two panel ranges, four detector protocols and a completely open installer network that enjoys free training and support.

Advanced’s MxPro fire systems support the TouchControl touchscreen repeater and AlarmCalm complete false alarm management system. TouchControl is a 10″ HD touchscreen that offers dynamic reporting and control via a unique interface that includes Active Maps and zone plans. AlarmCalm uses Advanced’s fast hardware, updated config software and optional loop verification devices to deliver a system that allows the false alarm strategy for any building to be quickly and easily programmed and managed, increasing safety and reducing false alarms.

Advanced is a world leader in the development and manufacture of intelligent fire systems. The legendary performance, quality and ease-of-use of its products sees them used in prestigious and challenging locations all over the world, from single panel installations to large multi-site networks. Advanced products include complete fire detection systems, multi-protocol fire panels, extinguishing control and fire paging systems.

More details can be found on the website at www.advancedco.com.
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Natural History Museum Protected by Advanced Systems

The world-famous Natural History Museum in London, and its more than five million annual visitors are being protected by intelligent fire panels from Advanced.

Often called the ‘Cathedral of Nature’ the Natural History Museum is renowned for its collections of dinosaurs and ornate architecture, and is widely recognised as the pre-eminent centre for natural history and related research. The Museum is the third most popular in the United Kingdom and its irreplaceable 80 million strong collection is of global importance and includes many collected by Charles Darwin.

Located in Kensington’s Museum Quarter it was established in 1881. Its Grade 1-listed building comprises seven blocks, including the original Waterhouse Building, the Earth Galleries, the Palaeontology block and the twin Darwin Centres.

At the heart of the active fire protection for the Museum is a network of 24 MxPro 5, intelligent, multiprotocol panels from Advanced, plus remote control terminals, BMS interface and a bespoke PC based graphical user interface. The network was designed, configured and commissioned by Pacific Security Systems, a long-time partner of Advanced.

Kirk Short, spokesperson for Pacific, said: “Advanced systems are well known for their performance, quality and ease of use. From our point of view, the MxPro 5 panel stands alone in the market for ease of installation and maintenance and for network stability and speed. We needed a system that is simple to operate, with the features the end user requires on a daily basis, while also offering backwards compatibility with some of the loop devices that are already installed at the site.”

MxPro offers the market more choice and flexibility than any other system. It includes two panel ranges, the EN54 2,4 & 13 approved MxPro 5 and EN54-2&4 approved MxPro 4. It offers four protocols (Apollo, Argus, Hochiki and Nittan) and a completely open installer network, backed up by free training and technical support. MxPro 5 panels are backward compatible with existing MxPro 4 networks and include a host of features including TouchControl touchscreen remote control terminals with Active Maps and AlarmCalm false alarm management.

MxPro 5 panels can be used in single loop, single panel format or easily configured into high speed, 200 panel networks covering huge areas. Advanced’s legendary ease of installation and configuration and wide peripheral range make it customisable to almost any application and it is found in challenging and prestigious sites around the world including western Europe’s tallest building, The Shard.

Rob Kemp, Advanced Sales Manager for the South of England, commented: “We are proud to have our British-made products installed in such a venerable institution. Advanced is renowned for making cutting edge products and this is the type of building where the quality, ease of use and flexibility offered by MxPro 5 panels offer tangible benefits.”

Advanced is a world leader in the development and manufacture of intelligent fire systems. Its legendary performance, quality and ease-of-use sees its products used in prestigious and challenging locations all over the world, from single panel installations to large multi-site networks. Advanced products include complete fire detection systems, multiprotocol fire panels, extinguishing control and fire paging systems.

More details can be found on the website at www.advancedco.com.
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Advanced protects vital data and computing assets at Cambridge University

ExGo suppression control panels from Advanced have been installed in a £20m, state-of-the-art data and high performance computing centre at the University of Cambridge that is working on some of the globe’s greatest challenges.

Situated on the West Cambridge site of the University of Cambridge, the building is the new home for high performance computing, centralised data storage and also business operations, teaching, learning and research. The High Performance Computing Centre is working on data from two of mankind’s greatest and data heavy science projects, the Large Hadron Collider and BRIDGE Genome Project.

ExGo, Advanced’s ultra-dependable extinguishant release system, was configured and installed by Advanced customer Advanced Fire Solutions Ltd. The suppression control system installed in the building comprises four ExGo panels with mode select key switch assemblies.

Jonathan Bacon, Managing Director of Advanced Fire Solutions Ltd, said: “We selected ExGo because the installation required a suppression system that could deliver reassurance and long-term reliability for this crucial building. We have an established partnership with Advanced and we knew that the equipment would be of the highest quality. The system also offers the flexibility and expandability to meet all future requirements.”

ExGo has been developed specifically for sensitive and strategic assets such as server rooms, historic and cultural attractions and control rooms. It has been installed in high-profile buildings across the globe, including the Magna Carta vault at Lincoln Castle, Romanian National Library and strategic oil pipelines in Sudan.

Ian Tasker, Manager of the West Cambridge Data Centre, added “The West Cambridge Data Centre reflects the University’s commitment to excellence in the provision of information services to research, students and staff”

ExGo is suitable for almost all single-flooding area applications and includes a range of control options and devices. It is approved to EN54 parts 2, 4 and 13 and EN12094-1 and is among the first systems to combine these with EN12094 Part 3 in a single solution. EN12094-3 relates to the integrated manual release on the front of the panel. ExGo can be integrated into Advanced’s Axis and MxPro fire panels, or any third party fire system.

Robin Kemp, Advanced sales manager for the South East region, commented: “The West Cambridge Data Centre is a strategically vital part of the University of Cambridge’s infrastructure and essential to its operations and those of its many international stakeholders. We are delighted to be part of it.”

Advanced is a world leader in the development and manufacture of intelligent fire systems. The legendary performance, quality and ease-of-use of its products sees Advanced specified in locations all over the world, from single panel installations to large multi-site networks. Advanced’s products include complete fire detection systems, multi-protocol fire panels, extinguishing control, fire paging and false alarm management systems. More details can be found on the website at www.advancedco.com.

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