Gulf Construction Online - Eaton points to need for smart, safe evacuation

Security & Safety

Eaton points to need for smart, safe evacuation

01 August 2016

Eaton has highlighted the need for technology to make buildings smarter and ensure that the range of new challenges faced by building owners can be met with the right solutions. Among such challenges is the need to safely evacuate people particularly in high-density commercial buildings in the event of a crisis.

Investment into commercial property is growing all around the world, says the power management company in a white paper that it has just released. On a basic level, more commercial property means more inhabitants that need to be evacuated safely in the event of an emergency.

The structure of commercial property is also becoming complex, dictated by urbanisation and rapid population growth.

In 2015, urbanisation in Europe was 73 per cent and 81 per cent in North America. The Middle East has now reached similar levels, with more than 70 per cent of inhabitants living in urban areas, says the report, adding that there is a need to adapt to this changing landscape, and with this shift in social and economic environments, come challenges and risks.

“The good news is that there are new technologies available that facilitate safe evacuation in increasingly complex scenarios,” comments Frank Ackland, general manager, Eaton Middle East.

“A key trend for future buildings is that they will become smarter. As part of a wider move towards integrated smart city networks that monitor and optimise energy supply and demand across a city, buildings will use sensors and control systems to adapt to changing weather conditions and occupancy levels in real-time,” he says.

Another technological trend is dynamic sign technology and routing control, which address the limitation of static exit lighting. He points out that practical dynamic signage system is more responsive to a given hazard and takes into account the actual nature of the risk.

In the event of an incident, this system will be able to indicate the best evacuation route, as well as block access to dangerous zones.

“Building owners today have a plethora of new products available to safeguard their occupants. In a world that is constantly changing and evolving, the key to safeguarding occupants is proactivity,” Ackland says.

“From updating the right evacuation product to suit the profile of a building to ensuring proper maintenance of that bespoke product, it’s vital that building owners act rather than react,” he adds.

Founded in 1900 in the US, Eaton has evolved through acquisition and intelligent market decisions to become the power management expert it is today. The company has been operating in the Middle East for more than four decades, contributing to the development of the region’s infrastructure with power management solutions that include legacy brands Westinghouse, Bill, MEM, Cutler-Hammer, Powerware and Moeller. In November 2013, Eaton opened its regional headquarters at Techno Park in Dubai, UAE.