Case Study: Chinese Heritage Buildings achieve early, unobtrusive fire protection with Xtralis VESDA systems

Chinese Heritage Buildings - Customer Case Study

Xtralis’s VESDA very-early-warning smoke detection systems were deployed to protect China’s ancient wooden temples, palaces and mausoleums, where centuries-dried timber, intricate ceilings and connected corridors make fires fast-spreading and especially destructive. Traditional point detectors often miss smoke trapped in ceiling pockets, are diluted by draughts, and are visually intrusive against historic decoration, so curators needed an unobtrusive, highly sensitive solution that detects fires at the earliest possible stage.

VESDA systems use continuous air sampling and highly sensitive detection, with sampling points placed where smoke actually accumulates and tiny capillary tubes and pipes concealed within beams and decorative detailing. The result: installations (including Shenyang Forbidden City) that deliver earlier alarms with adjustable thresholds to avoid false positives, low maintenance and unobtrusive appearance—helping preserve priceless buildings and artifacts while keeping visitors and curators reassured.