Royal Meadows is the conversion of Edinburgh’s former Royal Hospital for Sick Children into 83 homes: a mixture of apartments, penthouses and townhouses. It is the largest project to date by Edinburgh developer Square & Crescent, set on a four-acre site between Sciennes Road and Rillbank Crescent on the edge of The Meadows, one mile from Princes Street.
SmartMist Fire installed water mist fire suppression at Royal Meadows. On a project converting historic red sandstone buildings into homes starting from £520,000, the system had to protect residents while respecting the original fabric and the finish of each property.
Project overview
- Development: Royal Meadows, between Sciennes Road and Rillbank Crescent, Edinburgh
- Developer: Square & Crescent
- Project type: Conversion of the former Royal Hospital for Sick Children into 83 apartments, penthouses and townhouses
- SmartMist service: Water mist fire suppression installation
- Sector: Residential conversion, Edinburgh
The requirement
Royal Meadows includes apartments and penthouses within shared buildings, the building types for which Scottish building standards call for automatic fire suppression.
The applicable technical handbook depends on the building warrant date and project type, so each project should be checked against the version of Standard 2.15 that applied when the warrant was submitted or the work started.
- Working within the constraints of existing historic buildings
- Pipe routes through original structures rather than purpose-built service voids
- A finish appropriate for homes priced from £520,000 to over £1.5m
- Protecting the building fabric and finished interiors from water damage risk
- Clear handover information for each completed home
Why water mist suits a heritage conversion
Water mist systems suppress fire with fine water droplets that control flames and reduce heat. As the NFPA notes, they achieve this with less water and smaller pipework than standard sprinkler systems.
In a converted historic building, those two differences carry real weight. Smaller pipework is easier to route through an existing structure where ceiling voids and service runs were never designed for modern systems. And lower water flow reduces the damage to original fabric and finished interiors if the system ever activates. In homes at this level, with restored period buildings and high-specification interiors, water damage is a serious concern for the developer, the residents and their insurers.
The result
SmartMist Fire completed the water mist installation across the relevant homes at Royal Meadows. The completed installation gave the project team:
- Automatic fire suppression meeting Standard 2.15 for the shared residential buildings
- A discreet finish appropriate for premium homes in a restored historic setting
- Pipe routes planned around the existing structure
- Full handover documentation and aftercare support
What developers can take from Royal Meadows
Fire suppression in a conversion touches the original structure, service routes, interior finishes, approvals and handover, so it has to be planned early, when routes and constraints can still be worked through properly. At Royal Meadows, planning the suppression work into the programme gave the project team time to resolve those questions well before completion.
Royal Meadows also shows that water mist is a strong fit beyond volume housebuilding. The same qualities that suit a new build estate, small pipework, discreet nozzles and low water flow, matter even more in a historic building where the fabric and the finish are the product.
If you are converting a historic building or planning a development with flats or shared residential buildings, ask three questions early. What does Standard 2.15 require for this building type? Is water mist suitable for the structure and the design? How will installation fit around the programme?
Planning a development?
If you are planning a residential conversion, apartment block or new build development in Scotland, SmartMist Fire can advise on water mist systems, installation planning and the best route for your project.
Speak to SmartMist Fire early, before fire suppression becomes a late-stage problem.