Smoke Pressurisation Systems

What are Smoke Pressurisation Systems (SPS)?

A smoke pressurisation system (SPS) is designed to stop smoke circulating by introducing clean air into the stairwells. This increases the air pressure in the stairwell and reduces air pressure in other areas to create safe & clear escape route for building occupants as well as a rescue route for firefighters.

We create smoke pressurisation systems, also known as an overpressure ventilation system, to meet the specific requirements of a building, minimising the risk of owners and operators being held liable in the event of a fire. This holds especially true in high rise office and residential complexes where thousands of people live and work.

Our Approach to Smoke Pressurisation Systems

Our Smoke Pressurisation System is a complete “turnkey” solution for escape stairwells, corridors and lobbies. We provide a complete system design, all hardware, such as fans, controls, dampers, actuators and ductwork and could then provide a service contract to fully support and maintain the system throughout the life of the building.

We Service Smoke Pressurisation Systems

We also service and maintain Smoke Pressurisation Systems (SPS) from other manufacturers and our team provide a full maintenance plan for all equipment. We also perform full systems tests, checking and adjusting for correct pressures and flow rates to ensure that the system will operate as intended in the event of a fire scenario.

Smoke Ventilation Regulations

Our technical team understand the various regulations relating to smoke ventilation and extraction, and our smoke pressurisation systems are designed to meet those requirements including ADB (Approved Document B - Fire Safety), BS 9999 and/or BS 9991, which mandate that buildings with multiple floors above ground require a smoke ventilation system.

Smoke Pressurisations FAQs

How does a Smoke Pressurisation System work?

In the event of fire, an SPS is responsible for creating controlled overpressure to ensure that the escape and rescue routes that are mandatory and must be protected under building legislation are free of smoke or that smoke levels are minimised. Depending on the building type and utilisation, such routes may include staircases, fire service lift shafts and escape tunnels – including the area’s leading to them.

The overpressure in escape and rescue areas are constantly compared to atmospheric pressure and adjusted if necessary. In the process, care must be taken to ensure that emergency exit doors to staircases can still be opened and closed by hand without using excessive force. If the emergency exit doors are open, the air must flows efficiently fast from the staircase to the utilisation unit on the floor where the fire has broken out to reliably keep fumes out of the staircase. When the doors are opened and closed, the overpressure must be reinstated within just a few seconds. Generally, only Smoke Pressurisation Systems that are actively controlled can meet these requirements.

What is staircase pressurisation?

Stairwells are pressurised via pressurisation systems in the event of a fire to prevent smoke seeping through closed doors into the stairwell through the injection of clean air into the stairwell. The primary objective is to ensure the highest pressure is in the stairwell to create a safe, smoke free escape route for building occupants, and also access for firefighters.

Why are stairwells pressurised?

Stairwells are pressurised to prevent smoke leakage into the staircase, so building occupants have a clear, smoke free escape route to evacuate the building safely, and so firefighters can gain access.

What is BS 9999?

Published in 2008, the BS 9999 is the UK code of practice for fire safety in the design, management and use of buildings, and provides a best practice framework for fire safety for architects, designers and surveyors but also facilities managers, fire safety professionals and building control officers.

It provides recommendations and guidance on the design, management and use of buildings to achieve acceptable levels of fire safety for people in and around buildings.

What is BS 9991?

Published in 2015, BS 9991 is a code of practise which complements BS 9999 but focuses on fire safety in the design, management and use of residential buildings. It is designed to assist architects, fire safety engineers, building control officers and installers when selecting, installing, inspecting or servicing fire safety systems in residential buildings, such as fire detection and alarm systems, fixed fire-fighting systems and more.

BS 9991 also provides guidance on the design, management and use of residential buildings so they achieve reasonable standards of fire safety for people who are in and around the building(s) and firefighters.