Liverpool John Moores University

With university buildings spread across Liverpool, managing fire safety across a large and varied estate presents a number of challenges. The sites include occupied buildings, controlled server areas and plant rooms, as well as historic properties such as the John Foster Building, which dates back to 1856. Limited parking and the need to manage access across different locations also add to the complexity of maintaining systems across the estate. 

Voca Fire Protection is supporting the ongoing project, which brings together 49 fire panels across 14 separate networked systems and 9,896 connected devices. Almost all of the panels across the estate are Advanced MxPro 5, providing a robust foundation for the University’s extensive fire detection infrastructure. 

To enable wider connectivity to AdvancedLive, Gen2 basecards and firmware upgrades are being introduced across the estate. The next-generation MxPro 5 basecard features built-in Ethernet connectivity to AdvancedLive, making it possible to upgrade existing MxPro 5 systems to benefit from smart, real-time fire system monitoring without needing to replace entire panel installations. 

AdvancedLive gives the University’s estates team a centralised overview of fire system activity across multiple buildings and locations. Using its map-based interface, the platform provides real-time visibility from the University’s main security lodge, helping staff monitor a complex and geographically dispersed fire system estate through a single interface. 

For an organisation operating across multiple city-centre locations, this improved visibility provides a significant advantage. Rather than relying solely on information available locally at individual fire panels, AdvancedLive enables authorised users to access system information remotely, helping teams maintain oversight across the University estate. 

The project also includes integration with a range of third-party systems and equipment, including BMS, automatic opening vents (AOVs), access control and aspirating smoke detection. Bringing fire system information together through AdvancedLive provides the University with a clearer view of system status across buildings with different configurations and requirements. 

Mike Allen, Business Development Manager at Voca Fire Protection, said: “Liverpool John Moores University has a large estate made up of buildings in different locations, so providing the estates team with an overview of the fire systems across the site was an important part of the project. AdvancedLive gives the main security lodge real-time visibility across the estate, while its map view makes it easier to see what is happening across multiple buildings and systems from one place.” 

Implementing AdvancedLive across an established estate has also required careful preparation. Existing buildings have undergone upgrades and changes over time, meaning that ensuring accurate as-installed information and zone plans was an important part of configuring the map-based system. Once the necessary information was in place, Voca Fire Protection found the AdvancedLive installation process straightforward. 

Hanif Ghodawala, Regional Sales Manager (Midlands) at Advanced, added: “Liverpool John Moores University demonstrates the benefits AdvancedLive can bring to large and dispersed estates. With MxPro 5 providing the foundation for almost the entire fire panel estate, AdvancedLive brings these systems together to deliver greater visibility across multiple locations. With 49 panels and almost 10,000 devices involved, having access to centralised, real-time system information provides a powerful tool for more connected and efficient fire system management.” 

Looking ahead, Liverpool John Moores University plans to upgrade the remaining panels across the site with Gen2 basecards, allowing the University to make greater use of AdvancedLive functionality. Together, MxPro 5 and AdvancedLive provide a scalable platform that can support the University’s evolving requirements while delivering increasingly comprehensive oversight of fire system activity across its estate.