Bilco hatches up access and smoke ventilation solutions for sixth-form college
Smoke ventilators and roof-access hatches that can also double up as smoke ventilators have been supplied by Bilco for a new sixth-form college in the university area of Stoke on Trent. The project includes three motorised hatches to provide access to the roof and two smoke ventilators.
The two smoke ventilators measure 1250 x 1500 mm and open to 140°, as required by EN 12101, to ensure the rapid dispersal of smoke and noxious fumes and reduce the risk of them being blown back into the building.
The access hatches were specially modified to include 24 V d.c. motors to enable them to be operated remotely and for two of them to be part of the smoke-clearance strategy.
The hatches have overlapping covers with synchronising equipment to open the leading cover before the trailing cover. With both covers open, there is an unobstructed opening of 1930 x 5280 mm.
The air leakage of the hatches, their acoustic and thermal performance and their resistance to load and impact have been independently tested at Taylor Woodrow’s technology centre in Bedfordshire.
