Client: RHP Group (Richmond Housing Partnership)
Sector: Housing
Services: Passive fire protection – fire doors and fire stopping | Electrical services
Our Client
RHP Group is one of the most innovative housing providers in the UK. It owns and manages over 10,000 homes, operating across the London boroughs of Richmond, Hounslow, Kingston and Hillingdon.
Its aim is to be a trusted and socially responsible housing provider which is high performing, community-connected and values based.
Trail Group started work for RHP Group in 2021, providing passive fire protection – fire stopping and fire doors. That work has now extended to electrical services to give this housing group the benefit of a wider range of services from a single provider.
Drivers for Fire Metal Door Solutions
New external metal fire doors have been provided by Trail Group for high traffic areas on two affordable housing developments in Richmond – Dairy Court and Moore Close. These were to replace damaged timber doors to bin stores and a shed area.
Where bins are being moved out for emptying, a metal door is a more robust solution, that is also weather resistant and longer lasting.
Fire doors are important in these locations as refuse stores can be a fire risk, particularly in the warmer summer months when waste can be combustible.
Fire containment is also critical where bin stores are located next to an escape route or a facility such as a nursery, as at Dairy Court.
Replacement Fire Doors
Trail Group has replaced front doors to residents’ flats to enhance fire protection and our team undertakes essential repair work to fire doors which have been identified in the client’s fire risk assessments.
Fire doors have been upgraded, for example, on nine apartment blocks at Ham Close in Richmond, on two tower blocks in Hounslow Heath and at Chertsey Court in Ching.
For fire compartmentation and to ensure the highest safety standards, it is vital that fire doors are correctly installed.
This is because, in the event of a fire, doors can warp, move, and allow smoke and fire through any openings. Sealing any gaps between the door frame and the wall is also critical in order to prevent smoke and fire spreading quickly.
Fire Stopping
Where RHP’s fire safety assessments identify potential new risks, Trail Group undertakes any fire stopping works. This can be in roof spaces and walls in riser cupboards where pipework has not been correctly sealed. Any gaps create a risk of fire spread.
At Ham House in Richmond, Trail Group replaced the fire doors to the electric cupboards on the ground and upper floors that house the supplies for mains electrics and communal lighting, electric meters and electrical distribution.
Electrical Services – Replacing Communal Lighting to Improve Sustainability
We carried out the replacement of all communal lighting to nine five-storey residential blocks in Hounslow Heath to upgrade the emergency lighting to LED, which is more energy efficient, and has increased cost efficiency.
This work included the installation of integral movement sensors, so lights no longer have to remain on from dusk until dawn, reducing running costs and improving RHP’s carbon footprint.
Following the success of this upgrading to the communal lighting to the housing in Hounslow Heath and the demonstrable benefits, we are now working with the client to roll this out across multiple sites.
Challenges and Outcomes
- Accessing residents’ apartments can be a challenge when fire doors need to be replaced but here it is important to be persistent and courteous and to help RHP’s estates teams as much as we can.
- We have to be mindful of the need to reduce disruption to residents during any work we undertake in or around people’s homes.
- All our fire door installations meet current standards and are designed to be more durable solutions for RHP in the longer-term.
Customer Insight
Chris Wiggins, Compliance Manager – Fire Safety, RHP Group:
“We have used Trail Group for fire stopping across RHP’s estate for a number of years and more recently, have been engaging their electrical services. We are very pleased with the work to date and have a good relationship with their site manager who ensures all the work carried out meets our requirements and standards.”
“Trail Group has helped us to address a number of challenges professionally, and their team has proved to be very easy to work with. Every site is left clean and tidy, and the quality of fire door installations has been consistently excellent.”
“We received some really positive feedback from the local community, following the replacement of metal fire doors on two blocks recently. We are very happy with the service levels we continue to receive.”
Sarah Thomas, Chief Executive, RHP:
“Thank you for making this project happen and for making our customers happy, as well as building a positive reputation for RHP with one of our local councillors. This is a great example of customer service at its best!”
Councillor Margaret Dane, London Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames:
“The new fire doors on the forward building of Moore Close are the talk of the town here…. They are lovely! We very much appreciate this work and the doors will certainly keep people from kicking them in, or outsiders from coming in to use the bin room. Moore Close appreciates it very much!”
Images – courtesy of RHP
