Apr 23 2009
Waterwise, a U.K. leading authority on water efficiency, recognized Marioff's innovative HI-FOG(R) Water Mist Fire Protection System for its water-saving potential. HI-FOG(R) uses up to 90 percent less water than traditional fire protection systems and is the only fire suppression product to be awarded the Waterwise Marque. Marioff is part of UTC Fire & Security, a unit of United Technologies Corporation (NYSE: UTX).
"Waterwise is very pleased to award Marioff's HI-FOG(R) Water Mist Fire Protection System with the Waterwise Marque," said Jacob Tompkins, Waterwise Managing Director. "The Marque is awarded to a limited number of unique products that not only demonstrate water efficiency but are also of high quality design, excellent performance and widely available on the U.K. market."
The environmentally sound HI-FOG(R) system uses high pressure to push clean water through stainless steel tubes that are much narrower in diameter than the pipes used in traditional sprinkler systems. The system produces a fine mist with a large surface area that absorbs heat efficiently through vaporization.
"HI-FOG(R) uses only water to extinguish the fire, and it uses very small amounts of it, delivered through tubing made of reclaimable stainless steel," said Eric Gregoire, Marioff managing director.
HI-FOG(R) suppresses fire with three main mechanisms: cooling the fire itself and the air surrounding it, blocking the radiant heat and starving the fire of oxygen.
The technology is ideally suited for cultural heritage buildings where large amounts of water can damage critical or irreplaceable items and in retro-fits where space is often limited. In hotels, putting out fires with less water results in shorter clean-up time and less down-time for the owner. HI-FOG(R) protects more than 1,000 passenger cruise ships, where the system's excellent performance and low total system weight have made it very popular.
"Put simply, HI-FOG(R) does more with less," concluded Gregoire.
Marioff is part of UTC Fire & Security, a company that provides fire safety and security solutions to more than one million customers worldwide. Headquartered in Connecticut, USA, UTC Fire & Security is a business unit of United Technologies Corp., which provides high technology products and services to the building and aerospace industries worldwide. More information about UTC Fire & Security and Marioff can be found on their web sites at www.utcfireandsecurity.com and www.marioff.com.
Waterwise is an independent, not for profit, non-governmental organization focused on decreasing water consumption in the UK by 2010 and building the evidence base for large scale water efficiency. Waterwise aims to reverse the upward trend in how much water is used at home and at work. More information can be found at www.waterwise.org.uk.