Who is the Client & What was the Project?
Mercia School is a brand new, state of the art Academy, based in South West Sheffield. The EDSB Group of Companies were awarded the Installation of their Fire Detection System, EVCS, WC Alarms and Door Holders via BAM Construction. It is the first time EDSB have provided a direct Installation of this calibre for BAM, although it is likely to be the first of many more as we investigate why this project was such a huge success for all parties.
The EDSB Group of companies have become the leading Fire & Security providers in the Facilities Management & Mechanical / Electrical industry with a total service portfolio for all Building works. Installation, Maintenance & Remedial services for upto 36 different disciplines, Industry accredited with a 24/7 response service.
Head of EDSB Integrated, Andy Louden explains why:
EDSB has developed a unique business model by providing a true total solution from Initial Design Consultancy through to Installation & Commissioning of Fire & Security Systems. Our attention to detail throughout a project ensures we not only deliver as specified but we are also prepared for flexibility as and when changes occur.
We are delighted with the recent Mercia School project and the feedback we have received since the site went live in August. At the beginning of the project we provided full Design responsibility of an open protocol fire safety system to BS5839:1 2017. It was crucial at this stage to demonstrate our ability to install at a high standard and deliver on expectations. Our trust was gained through relationship building with an innovative, modern design.
Design
The design offering by EDSB still underwent many changes throughout the pre-installation stage and this required a number of onsite meetings to communicate those implications, constantly safeguarding the integrity of the site. Unforeseen issues such as huge steel beams in classrooms and hidden void areas were not totally available within the design drawings, meaning EDSB had to show flexibility during the implementation. Nathan Best, Fire Designer at EDSB was key to this stage ‘We had several meetings with the sites Quantity Surveyors & Project Managers. We regularly offered Design Engineering Solutions which appeased any concerns regarding the project. Designing a solution with the client in mind is vital, for example we decided to install the Fire Control Panel in the School Plant Room and use a Repeater Panel in Reception. Not only will this eliminate Vandalism issues but it also dramatically reduces the cable runs around the school, saving money and unnecessary disruption. Even after this, during the Installation and Commissioning stages, I was heavily involved in the project to guarantee nothing was lost in our final meticulous design.’
Installation
The Installation Team Leader for this site was Nathan Moulds. With over 25 years installation experience and a 100% record of hitting his deliveries, he is a hugely valuable cog in the EDSB machine. However it is with no coincidence of his ability, he applies excellent communication and a thorough understanding of every task before commencing, we asked him how this job differed:
‘Before we started at Mercia School, I walked the site with the design drawings, checking that it corresponds with the type of system offered, relaying any queries back to the design team. Calculations are made at this stage to confirm the volume of Cable, Clips and other Sundries required and an assessment is produced of the correct Access Equipment needed to ensure a safe job.
I then conducted a meeting with Site Foreman, Dave Brack, to understand his priorities and what site information we needed to be aware of before any work was done. We followed this up with weekly site meetings to avoid any issues occurring with our installation. We also worked closely with site Electricians during the installation of containment, which made our involvement even more seamless.
Mercia School is a C shaped building, of which we applied each side as a phase to the project. In total 3 phases were carried out as part of an 8 Loop Fire Detection system.
One of the most valuable contributions made by EDSB was to simply install a Cabin onsite with all Fire Detection equipment. It allowed my team to have full visibility of the volume levels, avoided multiple deliveries to site and the equipment was safe under our control. As the site was undergoing major building works at the time, the cabin was not affected by any attempts of site intrusion out of hours.’
Commissioning
Once the Installation was complete, Richard Scarff Commissioning Engineer at EDSB was responsible for the final system testing before the client handover. However, Richards contribution came far earlier in the process as he was also heavily involved from the design stages. ‘As soon as the initial meetings took place onsite, my involvement was to understand the clients input and interpret that within the Programming requirements of the system. Once the installation has been concluded, it is crucial to deliver the end product to the client with that specific operational appreciation. At this stage, the system is functional but needs to be adopted by the end user to maintain its integrity.’
Dave Brack, Building Services Manager at BAM Construction Ltd offered his thoughts upon the completion of the project; ‘From start to finish EDSB have delivered a meticulous service and have communicated excellently throughout. I am very happy with the quality of the Installation and the delivery on deadlines, they have worked hard and the results show’. 
