Cambridge Research Park gets remote fire system upgrade

Chesterford Research Park, a hi-tech campus on the outskirts of Saffron Walden near Cambridge, has installed six remote fire alarm management units by Nimbus for easier fire system management and maintenance.

A hub of hi-tech research, Chesterford Research Park is home to a diverse array of companies specialising in Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology and other advanced scientific disciplines, providing an environment to foster creativity, collaboration, and discoveries.

The building managers, Cushman & Wakefield (C&W), commissioned Smart Managed Solutions to replace fire systems across the park, whilst also improving the systems’ remote communications.

Through collaborative working, C&W and Smart appointed Gem Fire Solutions, under Smart’s project management team, to install Nimbus Fixed Gateway units as the remote communications system. The goal, they said, was to simplify fire system monitoring, testing and maintenance.

Richard Weinling, Projects Director of Smart Managed Solutions, added: “The Nimbus gateways met a clear requirement for real-time remote monitoring of the diverse fire systems installed in various buildings at Chesterford Research Park. The units were straightforward to install, and each system is connected using a wired internet connection with integrated failover to cellular data, ensuring uninterrupted safety surveillance. This marks a significant step forward in fire safety management for the site, and also showcases our commitment to employing cutting-edge technology for our clients.”

“Commitment to building safety”

Jamie Dyer, Managing Director of Gem Fire Solutions, said: “The synchronised monitoring, swift data communication, and flawless fusion of Nimbus with the current fire systems is genuinely impressive. These attributes empower the on-site teams to act promptly and adeptly to any fire risks or malfunctions. In a Research Park setting, where innovative developments and cutting-edge experiments are a norm, this is more than just an advancement in technology; it’s a commitment to the building safety and assurance of researchers, staff, and the broader scientific community and its developments.”

The remote fire alarm management platform is designed for easier use for fire installers, maintenance engineers and end users while helping to ensure that all compliance obligations are met. Replacing multiple channels, such as spreadsheets, whiteboards, calendars and job sheets, with an automated solution. Nimbus can be installed alongside new systems or retrofitted to existing ones.

Steve Nichols, Technical Services Manager for Cushman & Wakefield at Chesterford Research Park, said: “The Nimbus units have completely transformed our fire system testing procedures, eliminating the need for paperwork when testing manual call points. This is invaluable for audit and compliance reporting. Moreover, our site Security Team greatly benefits from the Nimbus Control Room Monitor system, which offers real-time monitoring of each building’s fire system status. This ensures 24/7 visibility and also delivers significant time savings for potential incident seek & search activities.”

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