This is what smoke extraction looks like in a complete system
Complex buildings such as high-rise buildings, shopping centres, industrial halls or underground car parks are not only architecturally demanding – their fire protection and smoke extraction concepts also demand the highest level of expertise from specialist planners, engineers and building operators. If a fire breaks out, as in any other building, people and property must be protected, rescued and an escape made possible. The more multi-part, angled and multifunctional a building is and the more people there are in it, the more complicated smoke extraction becomes. It is therefore necessary that all fire protection systems are interlinked and function without exception. This is what LAMILUX, the expert for integral smoke extraction for buildings, calls: smoke extraction in a complete system. But: What is integral smoke extraction for buildings? All components are coordinated and automated. Nothing is left to chance or even has to be triggered manually. The following buildings will show you how LAMILUX has planned, manufactured, installed and commissioned such special smoke extraction solutions for its customers. We also address the topic of maintenance and servicing – because this is just as important as the correct design of the fire protection systems themselves. This is what smoke extraction looks like in a complete system.
New construction of a university campus – smoke extraction for canteen, staircases and lecture halls
Leibnitz University Hannover opened the Mechanical Engineering Campus in Garbsen in 2019, which offers space for around 5300 students on 20,000 square metres. Accordingly, many and complex buildings were erected on this site, including a canteen, several lecture halls and staircases. If there is a fire, many people have to escape from these areas. LAMILUX was therefore consulted by the electrical planner and was asked to design smoke and heat exhaust ventilation systems (SHEV systems) using rooflight domes, control panels and their components. LAMILUX also took care of delivery, installation, coordination and programming of all modules and their commissioning and acceptance. Through this integral implementation of the smoke extraction for the buildings, many interfaces were omitted and synergy effects were used, which resulted from the holistic approach – for example, the minimisation of cabling material and costs, through the special arrangement and linking of the individual elements.
Twelve-storey high-rise residential building with smoke protection pressure system in staircase and elevator area
When planning a new high-rise building, architects must leave enough room for safety technology and fire protection devices. But what if that is not possible? Nevertheless, the requirements of the fire protection concept must be met. This is where complex smoke extraction solutions for integral smoke extraction for buildings come into play – not standard modules, but made-to-order system solutions that have to fit into the existing building structure. Important consideration in this regard: Without functional compromises in smoke extraction and, at the same time, without visually impairing the building architecture. In the case of a new high-rise building in Erfurt, the Johannesturm, the responsible building services planner Ulf Klawonn brought LAMILUX on board to plan the safety concept for the rare space in the staircase and elevator area. In collaboration with the architects, this resulted in a smoke protection pressure system that was compatible with the building's statics despite all the necessary openings in the building envelope and interior walls. A LAMILUX project manager was in Erfurt several times a week for the entire planning and construction phase and took full charge of organising all the work: cable laying, channel construction, supply and installation of control cabinets, ventilators and smoke extraction flaps. Most recently, the acceptance of the made-to-order integral smoke extraction system for the building succeeded at the first attempt. In the event of a fire, a LAMILUX Rooflight on the roof of the staircase now opens, serving as a smoke and heat exhaust vent. Ventilators pump fresh air into the cellar from the front garden. This is directed into the stairwell, whereby a controlled overpressure in the stairwell keeps it smoke-free and usable for evacuation. The overpressure must be precisely regulated in the narrow spectrum between maximum permissible door opening force and sufficient overpressure for smoke control. Additional flaps between the stairwell and the elevator lobby keep the fire brigade access elevator lobby smoke-free via the smoke protection pressure system of the stairwell. This arrangement was the solution for the limited space in the smoke protection pressure system room.
Smoke protection pressure systems for residential and commercial buildings in Magdeburg
The three new buildings in Magdeburg's cathedral quarter are home to apartments, businesses and shops. LAMILUX was involved here in two ways: For the planning and design of integral smoke extraction for the buildings as well as for the dimensioning of the smoke protection pressure systems in the stairwells that offer only little space for this purpose. This required LAMILUX to work across interfaces with all other trades and coordinate them in terms of preventive fire protection. Only in this way could each individual module, such as the fire alarm system, control components, ventilation flaps or control panels, be coordinated with each other and optimally programmed for if a fire should occur. LAMILUX provides a mandatory project manager for such projects, who coordinated both the construction of all required parts at the LAMILUX plant in Rehau and the assembly and commissioning on site in Magdeburg. The project lasted around 18 months and now safeguards the life and limb of the residents and shop operators in the new properties on Breite Weg in Magdeburg.
Luxury high-rise apartment building with integral smoke extraction for the building in the staircase
The SOLID Home in Frankfurt's Europaviertel is over 60 metres high and offers space for almost 200 luxury condominiums. The fire protection concept for the new building is correspondingly demanding. LAMILUX proactively approached the responsible general contractor and developed the holistic smoke extraction for the stairwells by means of a smoke protection pressure system purely on the basis of existing plans and the specifications of the fire protection concept. The concept was convincing and LAMILUX also took care of all manufacturing and implementation activities for the smoke extraction system.
Why holistic smoke extraction for buildings belongs in expert hands
Andreas Grimm works in technical sales at LAMILUX smoke extraction solutions for buildings. He describes the range of services offered by the specialist for complex smoke extraction systems and integral smoke extraction solutions as follows:
“Today, more than ever, construction is caught between architectural requirements, technical necessities, costs and the ever shorter construction time from groundbreaking to opening. This demands interdisciplinary thinking and action from those involved in construction. The decisive decisions for linking architecture and technology are made in the planning phases in particular, even if it is only a matter of providing sufficient space for the technical installations. In this regard, specialist planners require general knowledge of technical interdependencies as well as detailed knowledge of the individual systems and components. In addition, the requirements of the building codes of the individual countries and other regulations must be taken into account.
This is where LAMILUX comes into play as a specialist company. Because we are specialised in our service area of smoke extraction for buildings. We are fully committed to the topic of smoke extraction. Ideally, we already come into contact with the parties involved in the above-mentioned planning phases and can actively participate in the design and optimisation of the systems in close cooperation between technology and architecture. In this way, we develop solutions that meet the requirements and are economical and state of the art. The technical implementation of the systems is then carried out smoothly and purposefully by our specialist staff under the guidance of our experienced project managers.
It is just as frequent that we enter into projects with already planned systems only in the course of requesting offers. Here, our solutions can often convince as a deviating make through economic offers within the framework of the already far advanced planning.
As LAMILUX is not merely a system provider but a full installer of these systems, the interfaces are reduced to a minimum. This is because all service areas can be covered if necessary. The remaining interfaces are neatly coordinated so that even such projects are handled to the complete satisfaction of our customers.
Over the course of more than two decades, the LAMILUX approach to smoke extraction has developed into a real success model. Planners, clients, investors and building operators all benefit from our expertise.”
