Dive Brief:
- Johnson Controls has enhanced its Simplex ES Net Life Safety Network to improve intra-building connectivity and cost savings, according to a release.
- The building systems and automation firm said the upgrade gives facilities managers visibility and control across distant buildings and campuses by transmitting fire alarm system data over existing network infrastructure.
- The product aims to simplify life safety operations for large commercial facilities management experts and teams, helping them comply with codes across distributed coverage areas, the company said in the release.
Dive Insight:
Updates to National Fire Protection Agency 72, the National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code, seek to improve fire safety, emergency evacuation procedures, disaster management plans and contingency planning.
The code was last updated in 2022, with one change allowing remote access to fire alarm and signaling systems for resetting, silencing or operation of emergency control functions. The 2022 updates also allow remote access for performing diagnostics and updating software; make numerous changes to detector technologies and methods; and create a green, yellow and red color-coded tagging program for monitoring the condition of fire alarm and signal systems.
Johnson Controls’ ES Net Network Bridge device creates a secure VPN tunnel through existing network infrastructure that helps facility managers more efficiently manage safety and security protocols through an often widely-dispersed group of buildings, the company says.
The device gives operations centralized, multi-building visibility from a single workstation via a singular, shared pathway for secure and encrypted data transfer. Johnson Controls noted that this pathway simplifies system configurations and improves the effectiveness of response, and that by using existing infrastructure, it eliminates the need to run new or dedicated wiring, reducing overall costs.
“This total, integrated fire and life safety solution is ideal for large facilities, campuses and enterprise operators looking for a network with better safety and response, lower installation and expansion cost, and increased quality and reliability,” Anna Khanova, vice president, global product management at Johnson Controls, said in the release.
Johnson Controls also noted that the product meets the NFPA 72 Class N pathway specification, which addresses the use of IP network infrastructure for fire alarm and emergency communication systems.
In addition, the ES Net Network Bridge device facilitates the digital transmission of in-building emergency alert audio and firefighter telephone communication across the life safety network, providing crucial communication capabilities for first responders, the company said. The system implements audio messaging throughout the connected facilities, meeting mandated codes such as Life Safety 101 and NFPA 72, in a more cost-effective way than existing methods, it said.
“You are literally legally required to have a list of everybody in [a building] by law. And if you don't, and the fire marshal shows up, and [you] can’t name or you don't know who's in your building, that's really dangerous for a lot of businesses,” Larry Gadea, founder and CEO of integrated workplace firm Envoy, said in an interview, highlighting the importance of occupant information and safety protocols in workplaces.
