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A clearer view of safety COMMENT


Among the functions performed by glass and glazing systems as part of the building envelope, fire safety and protecting lives are critical. Darren Wainwright of SE Controls explains systems’ roles in smoke control and compliance issues


in the event of a fire, escape routes can be kept free of smoke. For other building types, such as hospitals, office buildings, transport terminals and airports, smoke control solutions perform the same function. Even though each design may be unique, the buildings’ glazing systems are usually an integral and


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ithin residential buildings over three storeys high, smoke control systems need to be incorporated as a compulsory part of the building’s design, to ensure that


vital part of the smoke ventilation strategy, by opening automatically and allowing smoke to be vented. This critical life safety role means that smoke control is one of the most highly regulated aspects of a building’s design and construction, which, by necessity, also includes the glazing systems that are used as automatic opening vents (AOVs) within the solution. As a result, compliance is an absolute requirement, especially when designing, testing, fabricating and installing


ADF FEBRUARY 2020


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