FIRE & ELECTRICAL SAFETY
SHOPPING FOR SAFETY
Retail complexes continue to attract millions of customers around the world, creating a pressing need for effective fire solutions, says Falk Ursinus, Country Manager Germany, Chubb Fire & Security.
Around 91% of retail sales last year were in physical stores and, despite the continued rapid growth of online shopping, more than 80% of retail sales will still take place in physical stores in 2025, says Forbes.
The shopping mall is still key for the traditional retailer and commercial building managers must therefore remain ahead of the curve from a health and fire safety perspective. There are heightened fire risks associated with crowds flowing through large-scale spaces, which underscores the need to implement effective fire systems to protect tenants, customers and staff.
The operational and cost efficiency of a mall is another key high priority for developers and investors on top of safety. There is, however, no one-size-fits-all approach to fire safety solutions, and older buildings present architectural challenges, requiring specialized solutions. Fire safety solutions must therefore be tailored and bespoke, as well as cost-effective, compliant and efficient.
This can be achieved through interfaced systems, which offer a cheaper solution for fire protection in buildings. By combining detection and fire suppression system capabilities, response times can be faster while ensuring the safety of shoppers. Chubb works with many retail chains, protecting customers and premises with essential systems, equipment and services. Its 20+ global monitoring centres provide 24/7 alarm monitoring services to ensure rapid response to any activation.
The changing face of urban architecture has created the need for even more creative and innovative solutions. The shopping mall CentrO in Oberhausen, Germany is a striking example of bold design that creates difficulty for fire and security protection. Its size, open spaces, and the value of the contents of the 250+ shops, required a tailored fire safety solution to protect tenants and customers alike. CentrO’s fire safety requirements vary with the architectural
18 features across the site, including the no-roof design.
CentrO needed rapid detection of any fire-related emergency that can quickly activate the fire suppression solution. So, Chubb developed a solution that combined traditional water sprinklers with a high-pressure water mist system to protect the mall’s open areas.
The use of side wall-mounted sprinkler nozzles to discharge high pressure water mist across the entire area is paramount to the protection of the open- top areas and cannot be found anywhere else in Europe. It’s ideal for both new and older buildings, complementing the beauty and structural constraints of buildings like CentrO.
As with many retrofit projects, daily customer flow could not be disturbed, so installation work happened outside opening hours. CentrO’s shape and size made this a difficult task, but with the use of scissor lifts and scaffolding, Chubb installed the fire systems whilst maintaining business continuity. Chubb continues to service CentrO today.
Clearly, the size and needs of retail centres can vary hugely. Chubb works with Tesco, the UK’s largest retail giant, with 2,600+ stores, to service and maintain fire extinguishers and security systems across its stores and head office, as well as extinguishers in the distribution centres. It ensures that service and maintenance of systems and equipment, as well as calls are responded to within specified periods of time.
The challenges facing the fire industry are multi- faceted and ever-changing. However, with new fire detection and suppression technology backed up by third party certifications and best practice guidelines for protecting old and new buildings, we have the tools to protect occupants from fire hazards while helping to maintain business continuity and keeping customers, employees, assets and daring architecture safe.
www.chubbfiresecurity.com/en/worldwide
www.tomorrowshs.com
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