SE Controls Company Profile
SE Controls is a market leader in the provision of smoke and natural ventilation systems. The company has many years of experience in creating adaptive and tailored ventilation solutions for new-build and refurbishment projects on all types of buildings including educational facilities, apartments, offices, hospitals, leisure centres, government offices, theatres, commercial premises, retirement homes and retail centres.
SE Controls offers a complete solution covering the design, manufacture, installation and on-going maintenance. With a wealth of experience, many clients recognise the benefits of instructing SE Controls to install and maintain their sites, providing continuity of service. SE Controls is extensively involved with government sponsored working groups and can share this knowledge with clients. Products proposed by SE Controls are CE Certified and comply with the latest British and European standards.
Services
SE Controls has the capability to design a suitable ventilation system which is developed upon specific requirements and is compliant with building regulations. The teams of experienced designers will assist clients through every stage of the construction process. Installations are carried out by skilled and experienced fitters throughout the UK. With regular preventative maintenance agreements, the systems can be checked to ensure they are working correctly. A 24-hour emergency call-out facility is also available.
Smoke Ventilation
SE Controls provides an extensive range of natural and powered Smoke Heat and Exhaust Ventilation systems (SHEV) for all types of building regardless of its size. The systems have been developed to facilitate the safe escape of occupants in the event of a fire and to enable the fire to be fought in its initial stages. Depending upon the structure and building envelope, SE Controls can provide a code compliant solution or a fire engineered solution. Key product groups include end of wall corridor AOVs, escape stair AOVs, atria AOVs, mechanical smoke shafts, BRE natural smoke shafts and fire fighting stairs. Applications include:
- Residential: Within residential developments, fires are likely to start within an occupied apartment. During the occupant's escape, it is probable that smoke could enter the common corridor or lobby. The smoke control system is designed to ventilate this smoke and protect the communal stair, ensuring safe escape and clear access for the fire service. Smoke extraction can be achieved by natural ventilation in accordance with Approved Document B or through mechanical extract systems. Automatic opening vents on the external wall or a vertical smoke shaft can be used to ventilate smoke from common areas. In conjunction with both methods, an AOV at the top of the common escape stairs must be operated simultaneously with AOVs in the affected area.
- Health: Many modern healthcare buildings utilise central atria to introduce natural light; the atrium can also be used to provide additional safety benefits of smoke ventilation and health benefits of natural ventilation. Fire fighting cores are used in tall buildings with deep basements and buildings with large floor areas to provide safe access for the fire service. The systems can be either natural or powered smoke extraction systems which are fitted in the atria or fire fighting cores. Depending upon the layout of the building, natural ventilation systems in atria would use high level openings in the roof or up-stand by utilising the smoke's natural buoyancy. Mechanical ventilation systems use powered fans to aid the extraction of the smoke.
- Commercial: Commercial buildings are often designed with an atrium and can provide a challenge to the fire protection teams due to the typical heights being more than 20m and due to the openness and ability for fire to spread. The safe containment or extraction of smoke can be achieved using natural or powered extraction systems within the atrium or fire fighting cores. Depending upon the layout of the building, natural ventilation systems in atria would use high level openings in the roof or up-stand by utilising the smoke's natural buoyancy. Powered extract systems use temperature rated fans to aid the extraction of the smoke.
- Education: Educational buildings can often provide a challenge to the fire protection design teams due to the typical openness and height of a building and the ability of smoke being able to spread from floor to floor. Evacuation routes for students and pupils in these areas provide a significant concern unless an appropriate and effective smoke control system is implemented. The smoke control strategy is to create a smoke free layer above the floor by removing smoke from the building. This can be achieved by using the natural buoyancy of the hot gases to rise and exhaust through high level automatic opening vents.
Natural Ventilation
Natural ventilation greatly improves indoor environments and reduces CO2 emissions. Adaptive natural ventilation systems are a cost effective alternative to HVAC systems as they are cheaper to install, operate and maintain. Adaptive natural ventilation is leading the way for a sustainable future. SE Controls is dedicated to delivering energy efficient buildings with productive and healthy indoor environments where productivity is improved when thermal comfort and indoor quality are optimised. Product groups include atria ventilation, external façade openings for single sided or cross ventilation and internal glazing systems. Applications include:
- Health: Heath sector buildings do not often require large circulation spaces; instead smaller areas with steady low volume traffic streams are needed which feed many smaller consulting rooms or wards. Adaptive natural ventilation systems can be standalone or integrated with Building Management Systems. Both ensure that natural ventilation strategies remain flexible and can be adjusted as required. Automated windows can be programmed to open proportionally in specific zones when CO2 or temperature levels reach an agreed level. Local override switches allow for manual operation.
- Commercial: Commercial buildings are one of the biggest sources of CO2 emissions and therefore sustainable energy efficient buildings are being designed to be naturally ventilated. Commercial buildings are associated with high internal heat gain due to high occupancy levels and ICT equipment. A carefully designed natural ventilation system can ensure a required performance. Typical solutions for commercial buildings guide fresh air around buildings through the intelligent use of natural forces to maintain humidity levels, temperature and comfort. An effective option is night-time cooling. This relies upon external night-time temperatures being lower than internal temperatures. Adaptive natural ventilation systems introduce cool night air, cooling both the internal fabric and spaces of the building.
- Education: Natural ventilation solutions greatly lower energy usage and improve the learning environment within educational facilities. Occupancy levels and the use of ICT equipment significantly increase internal temperatures which can have a detrimental effect on pupils and teaching staff. Adaptive natural ventilation systems can be standalone or integrated into the Building Management System. Windows can be programmed to open at different levels in separate zones when CO2 or temperature levels reach a set level. Local override switches enable manual operation.
Window Automation
An actuator is a device which allows a window to be controlled automatically or by a rotary handle. The hardware fits onto a window and pushes and pulls the window open and closed instead of operating the window manually. Window automation is generally used for the purpose of natural ventilation and smoke ventilation. SE Controls has the ability to design and install tailored solutions to meet the remote manual control requirements for natural ventilation in offices, educational facilities, public buildings and shopping centres.
Product Catalogue
SE Controls offers a comprehensive range of products which can be viewed on the company website. The main categories of products include:
- Actuators
- Application products
- Control systems
- Sensors and switches
- Manual window control
SE Controls is committed to providing a wide and varied range of cost effective and energy efficient solutions for a wide range of commercial and multi-occupancy buildings. The company can provide in-depth guidance, information and technical specifications across the whole product range. As part of SE Controls total solution for smoke and ventilation control systems, the company can offer CPD seminars to develop and educate professional’s knowledge and understanding of the application and principles of smoke and natural ventilation systems. SE Controls products are now listed within NBS Plus, part of the NBS industry standard specification software.