Cruise liner passengers, crew and staff at Hong Kong’s HK$ 7.2 billion Kai Tak cruise terminal are being protected in the event of a fire by a failsafe smoke ventilation system from international smoke and environmental ventilation specialist, SE Controls.
Located in Victoria Harbour on the site of Hong Kong’s old international airport, the terminal was originally opened in 2013 as the main hub for cruise liner traffic in the region and is capable of berthing two 350 metre liners simultaneously with the capacity to disembark 8,400 passengers and 1,200 crew.
With such a high volume of people using the terminal, fire safety was a critical consideration for the design team and contractors to ensure that the highest standards are maintained, and escape times are minimised should a fire occur.
To help achieve this specification and provide maximum protection, SE Controls developed and installed an advanced static smoke ventilation system that not only vented smoke effectively when actuated by the system’s smoke sensors, but also incorporated failsafe operation, enabling it to operate effectively even in the event of a total power failure.
SE Controls’ extensive automatic smoke ventilation system incorporates 600 bottom hung and top hung windows which allow make up air to enter the building and replace the smoke, which is vented through more than 700 skylight exhaust vents.
To ensure the system functions correctly and provides protection if a power failure should occur, SE Controls installed more than 2000 SEPO ‘failsafe’ pneumatic actuators and ‘failsafe’ vent and window latches. Should power fail, the latches and integral springs within the SEPO actuators automatically default to the open position, ensuring that smoke can still be vented from the cruise terminal building and enable smoke free escape routes to be maintained.
Alex Luk, SE Controls Asia Pacific Director, explained: “Kai Tak is one of a number of major developments in Hong Kong and Asia where our smoke control solutions have been installed, such as Hong Kong Zhuhai Macao Bridge and the new West Kowloon rail terminus.”
He added: “Actually, our involvement with Kai Tak was partly influenced by the fact that we have installed a similar failsafe system at Hong Kong’s new international airport terminal, which provides the same high level of smoke ventilation protection and passenger safety. Every component we installed not only complies with the various international manufacturing, performance and testing regulations, but also with the specific requirements of the Hong Kong Fire Service Department’s standard for static smoke extraction systems.”
The three-level terminal building incorporates a 50,000m2 commercial area and is designed to include a range of sustainable technologies, including power generation from renewable sources, as well as making use of recycled rainwater for cooling, to help save energy and minimise any environmental impact.
In addition, the building’s spacious 70m wide interior is also designed to be multi functional, as the concourse areas can be converted into a venue for performances, events and exhibitions, supported by the terminal’s wide variety of restaurants and shops, which ensures that the building will be used all year round.
SE Controls specialises in the design, project management and installation of advanced smoke ventilation and environmental ventilation solutions to meet the needs of architects, contractors, building services engineers and facilities managers worldwide. Further information on SE Controls’ products, solutions and projects can be obtained by visiting www.secontrols.com or calling
+44 (0)1543 443060.