Fire prevention in Belgian airports with Cegelec Fire Solutions
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Cegelec Fire Solutions operates a team of eight technicians, with four to six permanently based on site, to supply, install and manage sprinkler systems in operational buildings, parking areas and retail outlets at Belgian airports.
Like any airport site, the Belgian airports have to maintain a vast fire protection system.
Cegelec Fire Solutions Belgium has been supporting the airports for two decades, supplying and installing sprinkler systems in its airport terminals and freight cargo buildings. “We have eight technicians on this project, with four to six on average permanently on site,” says Koen De Spiegeleer, Operations Manager at Cegelec Fire Solutions Belgium.
An extremely broad scope of operations
This VINCI Energies business unit generates revenue of between €800,000 and €1 million annually at the airports. As well as operating in all its purely aviation-related buildings (terminals, lounges, baggage-handling areas, etc.), Cegelec Fire Solutions is also responsible for managing fire prevention systems in the airport parking facilities and retail outlets.
“The work we do is extremely varied in terms of what the customers want and also the scale of the projects,” says Koen De Spiegeleer. “It ranges from larger-scale projects like securing the parking facilities and airport lounges to renovating and transforming shops and public spaces, making modifications to baggage-handling areas, etc. With the shops for example, we go in every four or five years on average, mainly for the periodic point-of-sale renovations.”
Security constraints
One of the most recent major operations undertaken by Cegelec Fire Solutions was to secure a parking facility with the installation of around 1,100 sprinklers. “We also completed a project to create a new VIP lounge, in partnership with VINCI Energies subsidiaries for the HVAC aspects [see box],” adds Koen De Spiegeleer. On average, Cegelec Fire Solutions carries out 200 operations a year at airports.
This type of site imposes a number of constraints: “In terms of security, our technicians need an access card, which can take six to eight weeks to obtain. While working, they have to follow an extensive list of procedures and undergo numerous inspections to avoid tools and materials being stolen and becoming a threat to airport security.”
200 operations a year at Belgian airports
The business unit must also adhere to a relatively restrictive security measure limiting them to just one day a week for installations requiring system disconnection and reconnection. “On those days, we mobilise eight of our technicians to get the work done in the time available.”
The View – a stylish new VIP lounge
In October 2023, Cegelec Belgium was selected to develop a new ultramodern business lounge incorporating a 1,670 sq. metre lounge area, 1,250 sq. metre technical area, 250 sq. metre buffet and 330 sq. metre kitchen. Bart Schurmans, Business Unit Manager at Cegelec Belgium, explains: “By choosing to execute this project through a construction team consisting of architects, a design office and a general finishing contractor, the airport enabled us to get involved from the start and be more efficient thanks to better assignment of roles and tasks, which saved both time and money.” The business unit was responsible, alongside Cegelec Fire Solutions, for HVAC, plumbing, electrical engineering and fire protection, in a contract worth a total €6.1 million. Heat and cold production will be free of fossil fuels thanks to two new monobloc air/water heat pumps.
17/04/2025
