Fire safety in the heart of Chester

Nullifire, a brand of CPG UK, successfully secured and specified project for Vinci Construction to support and protect from fire the new multi-use retail complex in the heart of Chester.

The project

The Chester Northgate is a £72m, multi-use retail and leisure complex located in the heart of the historic centre of Chester. The complex consists of open streets, an arcade and square that integrate a cinema, cafes, restaurants, an indoor market, office spaces and a new multi-storey parking and cycle hub.

The project was initiated with a focus on creating jobs, increasing tourism, and driving economic growth – a crucial catalyst for the city’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Working in partnership with both Fire Industry Specialists (FIS) and Vinci Construction, Nullifire’s full firestopping range, and steel coatings were selected for installation within this new market and leisure destination due to its performance factors including durability as well as testing, certifications, and the successful reference from a similar project in Warrington with both Vinci and FIS.

The solution

Both the contractor, FIS, and the main contractor, Vinci, selected Nullifire’s passive fire protection solutions to comply with the industry and client’s fire safety requirements.

The complete firestopping solution was installed incorporating FB750 Intubatt Coated Batt, FS702 Intumastic Fire Resistant Acrylic Sealant, FP170 Intucollar, FR230 Intucompound Fire Mortar and FJ220 Intubatt 3 Cavity Barrier.

Their high fire performance profile, installation time and the accompanying testing and technical support from the Nullifire team were some of the main factors that affected the decision-making process. Plus, most of these products, namely FB750, FS702, FR230 and FJ220 also incorporate Nullifire’s unique traceability technologies, Optifire and Optifire+ which allow for peace of mind and product assurance through guaranteed traceability.

Nullifire’s steel coatings range complements the firestopping solutions selected to provide the whole building passive fire protection. SC801, the modern, highly efficient and water-based coating offers 120 minutes’ fire protection while SC802, also a water-based coating is optimised to 60 minutes fire resistance. Both intumescent coatings were selected due to their high level of fire protection.

SC902 Intumescent Steel Coating was used due to its fast-drying characteristics and high build application. It also allowed for a single coat application and long-term exposure to all weather conditions to ensure that construction could continue.

Together, these coatings were the most cost-effective combination to protection structural steel from fire.

The application

Started on-site in April 2021, Nullifire installed about 750m² of Nullifire’s firestopping and between 10,000 to 12,000m² of intumescent coatings and topcoats to the building of Chester Northgate.

Alongside providing high-performance products, the Nullifire team also helped both the main contractor, Vinci and the contractor, FIS with on-site training, detailed drawings, application guidance and technical support including on-site visits – to ensure a smooth installation process, delivered the project within the programme and with a great finished result.

Lin Turner, Area Sales Manager at Nullifire, comments: ‘This project demonstrates the true partnership approach between Nullifire and CPG UK and our partners. By working together with both contractors and providing training on our passive fire protection solutions we’ve been able to add real value to the project team and meet the stringent needs of this project.

‘We were delighted to be selected to work with both Fire Industry Specialists and Vinci in this project, where our passive fire protection solutions will be helping to protect the building and its people from fire.’

Watch the video case study here!

For more information, or for support with specification or on-site application training, visit nullifire.co.uk or call 01942 251400.