The Hines Tower located in downtown Denver, Colorado is a new 40-story, 671,101 square-foot office building. Like many large commercial properties, this building includes an Area-of-Refuge (AOR) system – a necessity in today’s environment to protect the thousands of workers there safely.
Area-of-Refuge Systems Are an Important Part
of Today’s Safe, Work-Environment Reality
Keeping High-Rises Safe – Complex Integration of IP Communications and Analog Systems Poses Challenge
The Hines Tower located in downtown Denver, Colorado is a new 40-story, 671,101 square-foot office building. Like many large commercial properties, this building includes an Area-of-Refuge (AOR) system – a necessity in today’s environment to protect the thousands of workers there safely.
Kenny Electric was part of the project group tasked with installing surveillance, access, and communication equipment systems. In this case, set up of communication protocols between the AOR system and its outside Security Monitoring Agency, direct to police or fire departments, proved particularly challenging. The AOR uses a Stentofon Intercom that needs to dial out to a Central Monitoring Station over a secure SIP gateway system. This process required combining the IP-based security communication system and analog-based AOR system into one.
A SIP Gateway is a device that connects via the Internet, which relays data it receives from a telephone communication system run with computer software. The system broadcasts prerecorded announcements through the Alphacom XE20 intercom, announcing safety and exit instructions to building occupants, instructing them where to go and nearest stairwell locations.
The inventory of systems equipment Kenny Electric installed included:
- Lenel OnGuard access control system
- Vingtor Stentofon by Zenitel Group Alphacom XE20 IP based security communication system
- Vingtor Stentofon by Zenitel Group Alphacom XE20, Analog based Area-of-Refuge Two-Way Communication system
- Systems Integrations with Elevators; Destination Dispatch on Passenger Elevators and hardwired on Freight Elevators, Video, Communications, Area-of-Refuge, and Parking Garage doors
- Lenel LNVR video management system
- 123 – Bluetooth enabled readers – HID
- 87 – Analog stations – Vingtor Stentofon by Zenitel Group
- 49 – Video surveillance cameras – UTC Fire & Security TruVision
- 49 – IP stations – Vingtor Stentofon by Zenitel Group
- 45 – Access Control panels and power supplies – LifeSafety Power, Inc.
All panels were assembled and wired on site. Over 15 miles of systems cabling were provided and installed by Kenny Electric. Before installation of all materials, Kenny Electric submitted permit applications for the access control system and the PE-stamped AOR system designs, to the City and County of Denver.
This project was successful in partnership with Hensel Phelps (General Contractor); Kendall/Heaton Associates (Architect of Record); HMA Consulting, Inc.; Berg Electric Corp.; James Schwartz, Kenny Electric’s Security Department Manager; and Cory Birt, Kenny Electric’s Foreman. The tower project began in June of 2015 and finished in April 2018.
