Housing Trust Upgrades Sheltered Housing with Aico Radio Frequency Alarm System

The Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust (JRHT), a registered housing association and care provider in York and north-east England, has completed the first phase of an upgrade of the Fire Alarm systems in one of its retirement communities using Aico’s range of advanced alarms and accessories.

Hartrigg Oaks, on the outskirts of York, is a community of around 250 people aged 60 plus, consisting of 152 bungalows and a care home in a 21-acre site.  Built to national standard ‘Lifetime Homes’, Hartrigg Oaks empowers people to remain independent by enabling aids and adaptations to be easily fitted.  Aico’s RadioLINK+ based Fire Alarm systems fit well with this philosophy, being simple and cost-effective to adapt to meet the differing needs of residents.

The first ten bungalows completed at Hartrigg Oaks are home to hard of hearing residents meaning extra care needs to be taken in developing an appropriate alarm system.  Their Fire Alarm systems have been upgraded with Aico’s Multi-Sensor Fire Alarms in the hallway, landing and living room; Ei164e Heat Alarm in the kitchen; and Ei170RF Alarm for the Hard of Hearing in the bedroom (with an additional strobe light in the lounge).

Aico’s Multi-Sensor Fire Alarm is particularly beneficial in this setting due to its fast response time, which provides residents with more time to evacuate.  This is achieved through the use of two sensor types, optical and heat, to constantly monitor smoke and heat levels which are processed through intelligent detection software to provide the best response to all fire types, as well as reducing potential false alarms.  The Multi-Sensor also comes with data extraction technology which provides JRHT with invaluable information to help keep residents safer.

In addition to the alarms, a range of Aico accessories have also been installed, all interconnected wirelessly throughout the property using RadioLINK+ technology.  A wall mounted Ei450 Alarm Control Switch in each property allows residents not only to test all alarms on the system, but also silence them and locate the trigger alarm from a safe, accessible location.  Furthermore, Aico’s unique Ei414 Fire/CO Alarm Interface has been installed to provide a dedicated connection between the Aico Alarms and the on-site Warden Call system. 

JRHT Modernisation and Planned Maintenance Manager, Ross Tolmie-Loverseed, comments on the organisation’s choice of system: “The Aico detectors offered a fully compliant, whole house RF detection system and once installed and commissioned could be logged and downloaded onto a software package which JRHT could monitor. The RF detection system also provided a competitive, VFM solution, by removing the need for highly disruptive, hard-wiring between detectors in occupied properties. The system could also be linked in to the existing Tunstall warden call system at our sheltered accommodation where there was a need for an upgrade.”

JRHT has also benefitted from Aico’s CPD accredited Expert Installer training scheme.  Expert Installer is a free of charge modular training scheme designed to ensure everyone involved in domestic alarm specification and installation has all the information they need.  According to Ross “We have found our local Aico contact, Dan Little to be very accommodating and knowledgeable – the training and service offered we are very pleased with.  The DLO electricians have been provided with full install and maintenance training and the MODS Asset Surveyors have obtained additional CPD training through awareness training on the systems.

Aico Ltd, an Ei Company, is the market leader in residential fire and CO protection in the UK.  All alarms are designed and built in Ireland specifically to meet the UK standards and regulations.  For more information please go to www.aico.co.uk or contact Aico on 01691 664100 or enquiries@aico.co.uk.