Safecility: automated sensor solutions for statutory building compliance testing

Challenge

Every year European businesses and public bodies spend €1bn on inspection of Life Safety Systems in public buildings. Emergency lighting testing is a segment of legally required fire safety testing that at present is conducted manually by technicians who inspect, test and affirm the lighting at a minimum four times per year. This is expensive and time consuming with huge potential for human error and thus non compliance. Smart sensor solutions which automate this testing can free up resources while streaming vital compliance data. This allows building owners to make informed compliance decisions resulting in smarter and safer buildings.

Solution

Safecility digitises the antiquated emergency lighting testing process seen within industry. In Europe emergency lighting testing is carried out in person with results recorded using paper in 90% of cases. Safecility replaces human input with wireless sensors which automate scheduled testing and stream the data to asset managers via a software platform. Building owners can be assured of their compliance status in real time through a simple visual dashboard and audit trail.

FED4SAE Support

Safecility Application Experiment has been implemented using the ST Microcontroller BL072Z and has been validated on the Digital Catapult LoRa testbed infrastructure in London, UK.

Impact

Safecility has automated and digitally recorded legally required emergency lighting testing while minimising the cost and time involved in maintaining compliance. By developing and validating this type of sensor technology using LoRa, Safecility was able to prove the future potential of a wide range of applications which would tackle additional statutory building compliance testing in smart cities.

Safecility has and continues to take strides towards a more transparent and accountable system for fire safety testing in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy. Human error or failures will be drastically reduced resulting in safer buildings and safer residents.

Achievements

Successful trial with Vivid Homes and Limerick Council.

Received Competitive Start Fund Grant from Enterprise Ireland in 2019.

Shortlisted by Lighting Industry Association for the Lux Awards 2020 Emergency Lighting Product of the Year.

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