About
EVACSTAC™ is our innovative prefabricated, retrofitted escape tower that allows the safe evacuation of all residents from high-risk or high-rise buildings with a single staircase. It not only provides a much needed, additional evacuation route, but also access for emergency responders, firefighting equipment, water and communication systems on every level.
EVACSTAC™ is a collaboration between construction and fire-industry experts to solve a nationwide problem, providing a wide reaching, evacuation solution that meets the needs of the diversity of residents in high-risk buildings across the UK. It allows safe evacuation for residents, and a safe refuge area for those less able, until they can be rescued by emergency personnel. A lift can be incorporated into the design as required, powered by an independent electrical supply, in the event of a fire.
It can be manufactured and delivered throughout the UK. Providing employment opportunities in many of our cities and towns.
Following a comprehensive fire-safety evaluation by one of our experts, the EVACSTAC™ escape tower would be tailored to the customer (responsible person) needs. The fire-safety evaluation would determine whether the main purpose of the escape tower was for evacuation, or firefighting, or both (initially for evacuation, but once the building evacuated, for firefighting). Our escape towers can be fitted with a range of solutions from communication systems, to equipment that aids firefighting, and access to water at every level. Our towers can even introduce an affordable retrofit sprinkler system into every floor of the existing building.
112K
There are 12,000 high and 100,000 medium-rise buildings across the UK, many of which have a single staircase
‘High-rise residential buildings in the UK, such as Grenfell have only one staircase...This creates a serious problem during a fire – firefighters will have to use the same staircase to tackle the blaze as the residents that are escaping it.”
-- Paul Bussey member of the RIBA Expert advisory group on Fire and F1 FireE, FASFP.
The Problem
Regarding fire-safety in high-risk buildings, industry and fire experts have come together to make 5 key recommendations, to improve the safety of such buildings
- Removal of combustible cladding (including combustible insulation).
- Development of evacuation plans, including procedures for persons who are unable to use the stairs in an emergency, or who may require assistance.
- Requirement that all buildings need at least 2 staircases, offering an alternate means of escape.
- The greater use of sprinklers.
- Protection of fire exit routes.
The Solution
An EVACSTAC™ tower is an affordable, prefabricated, retrofitted escape tower. It is manufactured as made to measure stackable steel modules (pods), with a customisable exterior in 9mm or 11mm A2 fireproof cladding, or fireproof glass options, to complement the existing building.
The steel pods, including their smoke extracting access tunnels, are transported to site and fitted into position, up to 5 storeys at a time, with minimal disruption to residents, and without the need for temporary rehousing during its construction.
An EVACSTAC™ tower addresses 4 of the 5 recommendations above: It allows the development of an evacuation plan, including procedures for those persons who need assistance; It provides a much-needed 2nd staircase for those buildings with a single staircase; It provides an affordable means for introducing a retrofitted sprinkler system into high-rise buildings; and it protects fire exit routes.
In Summary
EVACSTAC™ is a game-changing innovation that addresses 4 of the 5 key recommendations made by leading experts in their field. It provides affordable fire-safety for all building owners and leaseholders. It is a product with the sole purpose of saving lives.
The Innovation
EVACSTAC™ is a prefabricated, retrofitted, free-standing, modular steel escape tower built to ensure the safe evacuation of all, regardless of their level of mobility. It can be built with the sole purpose of evacuation, or as a firefighting tower, or both, depending on the comprehensive risk assessment by fire-safety experts. It can be fitted with fire-equipment, and up to 50.000 litres of immediately available water, via a dry or wet riser and fire service compatible couplings.
Key Features:
It provides a 2nd staircase for buildings with a single staircase, providing a safe evacuation route for all.
- It provides a safe refuge area and communication system for those that require assistance, allowing rescue by emergency responders.
- It can provide firefighting equipment and additional access to water at every level via a wet or dry riser.
- A cheaper alternative for introducing a retrofitted sprinkler system into every floor of the building.
- Accessible from every floor of the existing building via smoke extracting tunnels, protected by 2 fire-doors.
- Emergency lighting illuminating the interior ensuring safe evacuation of all.
- If appropriate a lift can be incorporated into the design, powered by an independent electrical supply to aid evacuation and access.
An EVACSTAC™ tower provides a 2nd staircase for those buildings with a single staircase, allowing evacuation plans to be drawn up for all residents. The safe refuge area provides space and communications for those less mobile, while they wait in safety for assistance from emergency responders. A lift can be incorporated into the design, powered by an independent electrical supply, to further help the evacuation of those less-mobile individuals.
A stackable modular tower allowing safe access for fire-fighters to every level of the building, housing firefighting equipment, immediate access to water via a dry or wet rise and fire service compatible couplings, and essential fire-service communication systems.
An evacuation solution for all, including those that are less able. A solution for residents, leaseholders, and building owners.
Retrofitting solutions are a much more environmental approach than demolition and rebuilding. The pods are manufactured from structural steel, the most recycled and reused material. 98% of structural steel from a building site gets reused. Our EVACSTAC™ tower is manufactured off-site. The structural steel pods are transported to site and fitted into position, up to 5 storeys at a time with minimal disruption, and without the need for rehousing of residents. Our retrofit sprinkler systems, can be introduced from our EVACSTAC™ tower, and can be installed with minimal inconvenience, and at an affordable price.
EVACSTAC™ provides immediate safety, is environmentally sustainable, creates minimal disruption, and does not require rehousing of residents
Support Letter's
February 17, 2022
Bernie Higgins – Director of the FIA
Evacstac presents a highly innovative and flexible solution to these challenges in single staircase high-rise buildings. This solution allows the Responsible Person for the building to develop a…
February 17, 2022
Tony How – Davis Brown (Member of Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors)
In my opinion, your product could be an excellent way of dealing with a number of current issues both from the fire brigade and from residents in blocks of flats whether they are 4 storeys or more.…
