Case Study: Marriott Hotel’s Intuitive Fire Safety Solution

Case Study: Marriott Hotel’s Intuitive Fire Safety Solution
Fire Protection

Case Study: Marriott Hotel’s Intuitive Fire Safety Solution

Renovations of historical buildings can make things tricky for fire protection systems. After nearly 20 years as an Authorized Honeywell distributor, we can confirm that the installation of the Honeywell Gamewell-FCI E3 Series is completely straightforward with none to minimal major issues at install.

Reliability and survivability are key features built into all E3 Series® systems to ensure continuous operation, even when components have suffered damage due to fire or tampering.

Safe, Stylish, and Simple to Install

Honeywell Gamewell-FCI E3 Series®

Designed to impress, the Courtyard® Marriott®, Buffalo, New York is a stylish five-story hotel in a newly renovated historical building that was previously occupied by the CIA. Therefore, a fire alarm system complementing the hotel interior’s aesthetically-pleasing qualities was essential.

The Needs

  • Minimalistic design with low maintenance
  • A dependable system ensuring reliability and survivability
  • Ability to meet smoke alarm codes for multi-story buildings
  • Modern interface, intuitive for all staff to use, and quick to respond
  • Integrated fire/smoke/carbon monoxide (CO) detectors in each room

The Solution

The hotel’s fire alarm system consists of a Honeywell Gamewell-FCI E3® Series Network Voice Notification System with low frequency sounder bases. It includes a smoke control system and an Advanced Multi-Criteria Fire/CO Detector (MCS-COF), which is an addressable device that provides both fire and carbon monoxide (CO) detection.

Adhering to state code, the hotel has a fire command center, which houses the Honeywell solution components and includes a city master box that directly ties in to the Buffalo Fire Department. This solution allows for fast notification of the local fire department should an emergency arise.

Safety First

While the Honeywell Gamewell-FCI system met state smoke alarm codes for multi-story buildings, the Marriott also had its own stringent requirements. For added protection, the hotel equipped all guest rooms with detectors designed to sense both smoke and carbon monoxide.

In addition, the contractors carried out extensive safety tests, such as filling an entire hotel floor with smoke under controlled conditions to ensure that the smoke purge system functioned to the hotel’s exact requirements. And the E3 Series passed the test with built-in reliability and survivability features designed to ensure continuous operation, even when components have suffered damage due to fire or tampering.

Streamlined Design

The E3 Series offers a clean, minimalistic design, which was crucial for the hotel. After all, this was a flagship building in the newly renovated Canalside district of Buffalo, which would set the benchmark and entice other organizations in to revitalize the area.

“The system looks amazing,” explains McLaughlin . “Gamewell-FCI panels are available in red or black and we chose the latter because, of course, black goes with everything. In addition, a stylish network graphic annunciator with a touch-screen interface is more intuitive and a great deal easier for hotel staff to use compared to an LCD annunciator.”

Minimal Maintenance

Following the system installation and the initial bedding-in period, U&S have only ever carried out routine inspections. This makes life easier for everyone, while minimizing maintenance costs for the hotel.

Ease of Expansion

The hotel occupies the basement and first four floors of the nine-story building, which is shared with prestigious law firm. In theory, if the law firm moved out, the Gamewell-FCI fire alarm system’s expandable architecture would allow the Marriott to expand to the upper floors with ease.

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