Case Study: University of Oxford protects Weston Library heritage collections with Johnson Controls AquaMist fire suppression

Education Research Facility seeks customised fire suppression system for its heritage of libraries and archives

The University of Oxford needed a customised fire suppression solution for the refurbished Weston Library, a heritage research facility storing around eight million books, rare manuscripts, archives, music and maps. Johnson Controls, through its Tyco AquaMist water mist offering, was brought in to help protect the library’s complex storage environment while minimising water damage and fitting the building’s space and access constraints.

Johnson Controls implemented the Tyco AquaMist High Pressure FOG system, selected after extensive design work and full-scale testing to match the archive’s rack configuration and fire risks. The 30-minute test successfully controlled the fire, with the first nozzle activating at 2:06 minutes and peak temperature reached at 2:09 minutes, and control achieved by nine operating nozzles. The result was a tailored, low-water fire protection design now nearing completion and being commissioned for the Weston Library.

University of Oxford