A high-security archive storage facility in a new international market.
The project involved the complete design, procurement and construction management of a 6,000 square metre secure archive storage facility in Dali, Cyprus. The facility accommodates 100,000 cubic feet of man-up racking with order-picker trucks, protected by a comprehensive fire protection, detection and security infrastructure.
The fire protection package included CMDA and ESFR sprinkler systems with in-rack sprinklers for the archive storage areas, an FM Global diesel-driven fire pump with double-walled diesel storage tank arranged to NFPA 20, hose reel cabinets with distribution pipework and a below-ground pump room housing a 450 cubic metre sprinkler water tank.
Complete design, project management, procurement, cost control and site management.
Osborn Associates provided the complete service for the entire project scope - from initial design through procurement, cost management and full-time on-site management throughout the construction period. This was a true end-to-end appointment with single-point responsibility for delivery.
The building services scope covered fire detection to BS 5839-1 with aspirated smoke detection, standard smoke and heat detection and manual call points. The security package included CCTV to BS EN 50132 Grade 3, intruder detection to BS EN 50131 Grade 3, access control to Grade 3 security protocol and perimeter security fencing with access-controlled pedestrian and vehicle gates. The full electrical installation was designed to BS 7671, with structured cabling and IT hardware provision included in the scope.
Delivering an NFPA-compliant facility in a seismic zone with no local precedent.
Cyprus sits within a seismic zone, which meant all construction, installation and racking calculations required design to EN 1998-1 (Eurocode 8). This added a layer of structural complexity to every element of the project, from the below-ground pump chamber to the racking system itself.
The region represented a completely new market for the company. Procurement required identifying suitable contractors and material suppliers who could work to NFPA standards and the client's own specifications - no small task in a market where most goods are imported and shipping logistics needed to be strategically programmed into the construction schedule.
The installation of an ESFR high-hazard sprinkler system in a storage environment was a first for Cyprus. There was no local precedent to draw on, which meant the team needed to manage the entire approval and certification process from first principles, establishing the technical and regulatory pathway for this type of installation in the country.
