The University of Ulster project was part of the most significant regeneration project in Belfast since 1988. The sheer size and scale of this project alone is something to be amazed at, enhancing the existing Belfast campus by 75,000m2. It is a building built to last for at least 300 years - and we have been responsible for ensuring the safety of the staff and students within this immense building. 

We were tasked with the installation of 76No fire curtains, 3No natural atriums, 4No mechanical smoke ventilation systems, 4No stand-alone natural AOV’s and a basement mechanical smoke extraction system. 

In a building such as this is it is not uncommon to have atrias as a design feature to create a light well or to incorporate lifts or stairs into the design in a visually aesthetic way. However, they also provide a passage whereby smoke and fumes resulting from a fire could spread through the entire building and affect multiple floors. 

We overcame the challenges posed by the atriums by designing a smoke control system that maintains natural smoke free escape conditions on all occupied levels to allow evacuation with the minimum risk of smoke inhalation, injury or death. 

When fire fighters arrive at a multi-storey building, they are going to need clear access to the fire, meaning that the staircase needs to be fully protected, both so that the fire fighters can use the staircase to access the fire and, if things go wrong, to allow them to retreat safely using the stairs. Our design ensures prevention, as far as possible, of smoke spreading to the staircase and improves conditions in the fire-fighting lobby.

Basements require an extract system for clearing smoke and fumes.