A well-engineered smoke control system is an essential part of any building because this system makes sure that in a fire emergency, smoke is led up and out of the building quickly, allowing the occupants to evacuate with minimum risk of harm as well as facilitating the work of fire service personnel.

There are a number of different applications of smoke control systems as it can be used in a wide range of structures. Different buildings have different requirements and needs when it comes to the system installed because the construction features of each building are different. Hence, they rely on mechanical ventilation, smoke control, natural ventilation, or a blend of all three in its design.

Following are 3 major applications of smoke control systems:

1. Residential Buildings

Residential buildings are the first notable application of an engineered smoke control system. Residential buildings have three or more stories in many cases, so they require a smoke control system to be installed in order to adhere to building controls. Although you have many options when it comes to a smoke control system for a residential building, Automatic Opening Vents (AOVs) is the most common type that is being used nowadays. You can place AOVs in smoke shafts, corridors, as well as at the head of stairwells. All of these combine to make an effective smoke control system that is capable of handling fire emergencies.

2. Public Premises

Public premises and buildings such as shopping centres and retail outlets are other places where smoke control systems have proven to be highly effective. Just like residential buildings, the smoke control system in public premises is essential in preventing major loss of life in a fire emergency. In addition to corridor and stairwells ventilation that is present in residential buildings, many retail buildings and shopping centres tend to have wide open atria capable of housing most of the occupants of the building in the case of a fire. Because of this reason, a well-engineered smoke control system is crucial in public premises and buildings in order to provide life-saving functions.

3. Commercial Buildings

For those who work in large offices and commercial buildings, a right type of smoke control system is essential in order to deal with an emergency scenario such as a fire. The structure of large offices and commercial buildings may vary, but in some sense it resembles residential buildings and therefore benefits from smoke control system including AOVs placed in smoke shaft facilities, head of stairwells, as well as corridors.

These are some of the many applications of well-engineered smoke control systems in different buildings. Apart from these, there are many other types of premises and buildings where properly installed smoke control systems have proven to be effective. Such premises include hospitals, industrial facilities, warehouses, car parks, and much more that have very specific needs. No matter what type of building it may be, the end result is the same; to protect the lives of the building’s occupants who find themselves in an emergency situation such as a fire break out.