A number of SE Controls’ natural ventilation and smoke control solutions have been specified to improve safety at the new, sustainable Agrivaal building in Pretoria.
Standing at 10 storeys high, the new office block integrates with Pretoria’s original Agrivaal building, which is a site of national heritage importance at 75 years old.
The final structure, which has been designed by PKA Architects for the National Department of Public Works (DPW), offers over 21,000 square metres of rentable space, alongside a restaurant, several coffee shops and more than 500 underground car parking spaces.
Located in Pretoria’s Tshwane Central Business District, the new establishment incorporates energy saving technologies, such as water harvesting and recycled materials; it also makes use of natural ventilation.
Natural ventilation and smoke control
The natural ventilation was developed by SE Controls Africa. Based in Durban, the company worked alongside the project’s ventilation contractors and fire and engineering consultants to produce a smoke and natural ventilation solution for the establishment.
The system incorporates an NVLogiQ carbon dioxide sensor, which works to monitor the temperature, carbon dioxide levels and relative humidity. It signals the system’s 10 SECO N 24 40 chain actuators to open and close.
The system also features a SHEVTEC smoke control panel, which takes a signal from the building’s fire and smoke alarm system in the event of a fire. This overrides the natural ventilation system and triggers the actuators to fully open, allowing smoke to be vented safely from the building.
