Glen Dimplex

Glen Dimplex are a leading manufacturer of electrical heating and domestic appliances. Eric Wright Construction entered in to an £8M contract to design and build their new distribution warehouse at Network 65 in Burnley. Steven Hunt & Associates were appointed to carry out the design of the M&E services.

The building which boasts 22250m2 floor area measures 178m x 125m and as such would not comply with the standard building regulation requirements for means of escape. To obtain approval a detailed Fire Engineering strategy was prepared by Steven Hunt to demonstrate consideration and compliance with Approved Document B of the Building Regulations.

The report defined potential fire scenarios, resulting consequences and detailed how smoke would be controlled, relating this to an acceptable escape time to demonstrate that occupants can withdraw from the building to a place of safety and to allow fire fighters the maximum opportunity to deal with a fire as appropriate.

The report described the various means of fire protection measures that were incorporated in to the design of the building, the parameters on which these were based and their interaction in operation. The report described the precautionary measures required to prevent fires and the procedures to be implemented by the owner upon occupation.

The building is equipped with high level ventilation controlling smoke within a number of smoke zones isolated from each other via smoke curtains. Automatic louvres open upon fire alarm or sprinkler activation.

The building has a comprehensive sprinkler installation served from an external plantroom with adjacent storage tanks. Sprinkler pipes drop vertically down through the racking and careful coordination with the end user was essential to place the sprinkler heads at heights which would not interfere with the warehouse operation but remained within an effective operational zone.

Lighting was designed to illuminate the aisles and this required planning in advance of the racking arriving on site. The vast quantity of light fittings are controlled in banks and allow ease of operation at the start and end of the working day.

Heating is installed at either side of the warehouse in bays at high level using Reznor indirect gas fired units. These are supplemented with high level economisers to ensure the heat is distributed evenly throughout the space.