PLUMIS PICKED FOR INNOVATION AWARDS SHORTLIST
DECEMBER 9th, 2022
Fire suppression specialist, Plumis, has been shortlisted in the Housing Digital Innovation Awards for the best fire safety innovation category.
The manufacturer has been recognised for its collaborative work with the Disruptive Innovators Network (DIN), which facilitated a 12 week DINLab discovery programme earlier this year.
The DINLab enabled four social housing providers to install Automist, Plumis’ watermist suppression system, at a reduced cost in order to provide feedback that will influence the company’s future life-saving solutions as well as sharing learnings from across the sector.
Plumis installed the updated Automist system with Internet of Things (IoT) capability, in eight homes – a mixture of vulnerable residents’ flats, properties in high-rise blocks, private and sheltered housing – to be tested over a six-month period.
For the trial, the technology was enhanced and connected to the internet, enabling data to be downloaded and monitored remotely.
Yusuf Muhammad, co-founder and chief design officer at Plumis, said: “We’re really thrilled to be shortlisted for the Innovation Awards. Automist was developed following consultations with firefighters who highlighted the need for more effective ways to protect people from fire – particularly those considered vulnerable.
“The system can be easily retrofitted and protection can be targeted to the most vulnerable, which is increasingly important as a quarter of people in the UK will be aged 65 and over by 2037.”
Automist is already installed in thousands of homes across the world, including numerous sheltered and social housing schemes in the UK.
The system uses electronic activation technology, which is able to detect fires earlier and activate faster, meaning fires are tackled before they can grow and produce lethal volumes of toxic smoke.
Yusuf added: “We know that traditional sprinkler systems undoubtedly save lives, they are not the most effective at tackling some types of fires. Our mission is to improve our technology to further reduce fire related deaths and injuries.”
The Housing Digital Innovation Awards celebrates some of the most advanced and transformative projects across the housing sector and the winner will be announced on February 9, 2023.