Demolishing a site as vast and historically significant as Earls Court presented unique challenges, particularly in maintaining rigorous fire safety standards across the ever-changing landscape of the project. The sheer size of the demolition area required a fire safety system that could be rapidly deployed, easily repositioned, and capable of maintaining continuous coverage. Traditional wired alarm systems were not viable due to the constantly shifting nature of the demolition work, where structures were being removed in phases.

Additionally, the presence of flammable materials, heavy machinery, and ongoing construction activities heightened the risk of fire hazards, making real-time monitoring and instant alerts crucial. Keltbray needed a solution that was both flexible and compliant with stringent safety regulations while ensuring minimal disruption to the fast-paced demolition schedule.

The exhibition halls of Earls Court in London are currently being demolished to make way for the construction of 7,500 homes, a park, and an investment of over £450 million (approximately €631 million) by Capital & Counties. Keltbray began the demolition by specifying the WES+ emergency protection system, which was then installed on mobile fire safety units.

A total of 64 fire alarm units and 64 heat and smoke detectors from Ramtech Electronics were mounted on the mobile fire safety units, which were distributed across the construction site. All alarm units are wirelessly connected to the central monitoring base station. The fire safety system is quick and easy to install, and its mobile deployment on the “fire safety units” was only possible because the system is fully battery-operated and self-sufficient.

“We are aware that WES+ offers some unique features, but what was particularly important to us is that Ramtech Electronics specializes in a wireless system that allows us to move the alarm units around the site with minimal effort, without requiring a specialist,” said Nizelda Pretorius, Project Manager at Keltbray. “We mounted the fire alarms and heat and smoke detectors on our existing fire safety units. Now, we only need to move them to the appropriate positions as the demolition progresses, without worrying about any cables.”

Another key reason Keltbray specified WES+ is that it is the only wireless fire safety system specifically developed—and independently tested and certified—to comply with EN54 standards and the Construction Products Regulation (CPR). EN54 is the unified standard for fire safety and early warning systems.

The three-year battery life of the alarm units will make Keltbray’s work easier and contribute to meeting the schedule of this massive project. The extended three-year battery life saves costs and maintenance efforts, reduces electronic waste, and helps comply with the WEEE Directive.

Nizelda added: “The risk of fire is an ever-present danger in both demolition and construction projects. However, with this system, we are on the safe side, as all units are connected to the base station at all times, no matter where we place them on the site.”

The latest version of WES+ also includes dual sabotage protection, minimising false alarms and misuse, and a silent test feature allows for effective system testing without disrupting the construction site. Once this project is completed, Keltbray can simply transport the units to the next project, making the technology highly cost-effective due to its reusability.

“For a project like Earls Court, we needed a fire safety system that could fully cover the large construction site,” said Bobby Gannon, Site Manager for Earls Court. “The wirelessly interconnected alarm units made WES+ a highly scalable system. For us as a company, the safety of our employees is the top priority, and we have full confidence in WES+.” WES+ is the latest innovative wireless fire safety system developed by Ramtech Electronics, leveraging over 25 years of experience in wireless technologies specifically for the construction industry.

“The demolition of Earls Court in London is a very large and complex project, demonstrating that our WES+ wireless fire safety system is particularly suitable for both demolition and construction projects,” said Paul Henson, Sales and Marketing Director at Ramtech Electronics. “By investing in our wireless fire safety system, Keltbray is protecting its employees, visitors, and neighboring buildings from potential fires.”