Aspire Housing chooses Automist

Automist was chosen to give an extra layer of protection for older people at new homes developed as part of the wider regeneration of Chesterton, near Newcastle-under-Lyme.

The challenge

Aspire Housing is working with contractor Keon Homes on the £20 million Cross Street regeneration project to breathe new life into the centre of this former mining village. Having demolished outdated maisonettes on the site, they are building 123 flats and bungalows for affordable rent.

The first phase – nine two-bedroom bungalows specifically designed for people aged over 55 – was completed in 2023.

Recognising that some of the residents in these homes may have specific needs, including limited mobility, Aspire decided to install Automist in the homes as a suppression system offering a high level of protection in the event of fire.

The system has been shown to activate quickly and tackle fires fast, whilst helping to maintain survivable conditions in the room where the fire originates. This makes it an ideal fire safety solution for protecting residents who may find it more difficult to escape their home in an emergency.

Approach

Approved Automist installer Fire Mist liaised closely with Aspire and Keon Homes on this project, from the initial design phase through construction to handover, to ensure the system worked in harmony with these homes’ various features.

The Fire Mist team coordinated with other trades working on site to seamlessly install the Automist systems during construction of the properties.

This included fitting the pumps so they were discreetly hidden inside cupboards and mounting them on plinths, so that flooring could be laid around them at a later stage without interfering with the installations.

Having installed the systems, Fire Mist provided training on Automist for Aspire colleagues along with full details (and a demonstration video) to be included in the homes’ user guides.

Outcome

Aspire was excited to work on this project, the first time it has used watermist fire suppression in its homes and has been delighted with the results.

Kristel Young, Programme and Compliance Manager at Aspire Housing, said: “We made the decision to install misting systems in the bungalows to provide additional safety reassurances for our residents.

“The Fire Mist team were a pleasure to work with; they installed a very robust user-friendly product and provided advice and training on site. We have had no activations since customers have moved in, and we hope this continues to be the case, but it is reassuring to have that added piece of mind from Automist being in place.”

If you are interested in knowing more about how Plumis’ Automist technology can provide enhanced protection for older people, get in touch on 020 7871 3899.