Fire protection products from Bilco of the US are ensuring safety at major airports, skyscrapers and industrial plants across the Middle East.

These include landmark projects such as the Al Faisaliah Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and the new terminal at Dubai International Airport in the UAE.

"Protecting lives and property from the destructive forces of fire is a major challenge for owners of commercial, industrial, and municipal property around the world," says a spokesman for the US manufacturer. "Bilco's automatic fire vents and fire-rated floor doors are designed to help specifiers meet established fire protection standards."

He continues: "Automatic fire vents are installed on the roof and are activated in the event of a fire, releasing heat, smoke and toxic gases from the building. As a result, exit routes are kept free of smoke longer, allowing ample time for occupants to exit to safety.

"At the same time, firefighters can enter the building and extinguish the fire at its origin before it grows out of control. Fire vents provide these same benefits in both sprinklered and non-sprinklered buildings.

"Fire vent requirements are unique to each individual building and are based on several variables, including type and size of the structure and the combustibility of its contents.

"During the concept stage of a project, architects consult applicable building codes such as the International Building Code, and work with local authorities to determine the basic requirements for fire protection. As specifications begin to take shape, designers refer to published guidelines such as NFPA 204 Guide for Smoke and Heat Venting, to finalise the design of the fire venting system.

"Standard Bilco fire vents are completely self-contained and are activated by fusible link or manual pull cable release. They can function independently or can be equipped with an electric interface and integrated into a building's central security system. To add to their emergency fire venting function, models are available with translucent panels to allow natural light, and storm-rated louvres for day-to-day ventilation.

"Bilco fire vents are manufactured under ISO 9001 quality standards and are certified for reliability by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and Factory Mutual Corporation (FMC). They are commonly installed on factories, warehouses, power plants, aircraft service facilities, shopping malls and convention centres. When considering their low maintenance costs, fire vents offer a sound investment for owners of commercial, industrial and municipal properties."

"Fire-rated floor and ceiling assemblies are an essential part of fire protection in many buildings," the spokesman says. "In a high-rise tower, for example, they shield the main floors from a fire originating in a plant room or parking garage below.

"The performance requirements for fire-rated floor and ceiling assemblies are established in national standards such as ASTM E119 and NFPA 251 (American) and BS 476 (British). It is important to note that penetrations through fire-rated floors - such as pipe chases and access ports - present a unique challenge because the integrity of the entire floor/ceiling assembly must be preserved in accordance with the chosen standard.

"Bilco pioneered the fire-rated floor door to provide specifiers with a solution for locating access hatches in fire-rated floor and ceiling assemblies. Bilco's fire-rated floor door is UL-listed in full compliance with ASTM E119, NFPA 251, and NFPA 80. More specifically, the door protects against flame penetration from the underside, and limits heat transmission for two hours when installed in a floor.

"In addition to providing the necessary level of fire protection, the floor door offers compression spring lift assist for ease of operation, and a pan-type cover that can be in-filled with flooring materials such as marble, granite, or ceramic tile to match the surrounding floor surface. This makes them suitable for use in industrial facilities as well as upscale public settings including hotels, museums, theatres and shopping malls."

In the Middle East, Bilco products have recently been used on several major projects.

In Saudi Arabia, they have been specified and used for Sabic's (Saudi Basic Industries Corporation) headquarters, by the Ministry of Defence, at the Al Faisaliah Center, the Dhahran Academy, for the expansion of the Yanpet (Yanbu Petrochemical Company) plant, and at the Umm Al Qura University.

In the UAE, Bilco has been used at Dubai's new airport terminal, on an Emirates Telecommunication Corporation (Etisalat) project and at the Emirates Towers, while in Kuwait it has been used at the country's international airport.

And in Egypt, Bilco has been used at the famous Biblioteca Alexandria library.

The Bilco Company was founded in 1926. An ISO 9001-certified firm, Bilco manufactures commercial and residential safety products such as roof scuttles, automatic fire vents, floor vault and sidewalk doors, ladder safety posts, basement doors, window well systems and basement entrances.

Mohammed Assad Aldrees and Sons Company's AICS division markets Bilco's range of products in the Kingdom, and will be displaying them at SaudiBuild 2001.