By Jon Palethorpe, co-managing director of A Plus Aluminium.
As an established trade aluminium fabricator operating in the commercial sector, we must ensure our customers have access to proven products that satisfy the requirements of the Building Safety Act and the most recent revisions to Approved Document B, which came into force on 2 March 2025.
It is one of the reasons we are proud to be one of the first trade fabricators in the UK to offer truly compliant NSHEV, or Natural Smoke & Heat Exhaust Ventilator also commonly known as an AOV, for both windows and doors. Our unrivalled product offering is independently tested and compliant with EN12101-2:2003.
NSHEV explained
NSHEVs are a critical component of fire safety and smoke control systems in commercial construction projects.
Government statistics show being ‘overcome by gases or smoke’ was second only to ‘burns’ as the cause of death for fire-related fatalities in the year ending March 2023. There were 4,019 non-fatal casualties in accidental dwelling fires in this period, of those requiring hospital treatment (1,646) the biggest category of injury was ‘overcome by gases or smoke’ (46%). Another 16% were recorded as ‘other breathing difficulties.’
Today, NSHEVs are a requirement of Approved Document B in multi-storey buildings, especially residential flats, commercial buildings and underground car parks. They are not mandated by the Building Safety Act but are commonly part of broader fire safety systems and covered by other legislation (such as Approved Document B) which the Act reinforces.
Their main purpose is to automatically open during a fire to vent smoke, heat and toxic gases from stairwells, corridors and escape routes. Clearing smoke can help occupants escape safely, improve visibility for firefighters and reduce structural damage.
Some NSHEVs are also used for natural, non-emergency ventilation, as part of the building’s day-to-day ventilation system.
Our global partner
Our commercial customers must respond to increasingly stringent fire safety regulations. To do so they require a trusted supplier of proven and compliant products. We have long recognised the importance of trust and capability when selecting a supply chain partner, it is why we choose to partner with global automation specialist, SE Controls to deliver our NSHEV solutions.
The UK-based company specialises in smoke control and environmental ventilation systems, especially NSHEVs, actuators and associated controls. Together, we ensure that our NSHEVs are fully compliant to EN12101-2:2003 and can be integrated into an optimised fire safety system, either as part of a new build project or retrofitted into an existing building.
What products do we offer?
We offer NSHEVs in a number of aluminium systems; these can be combinations of bottom – or side-hung windows with motorised actuators which open automatically when heat or smoke is detected allowing for natural ventilation of air and smoke.
We also offer an NSHEV in a versatile and reliable aluminium door system. Again, the vent will open automatically in the event of a fire – triggered by heat and smoke sensors, but, for convenience, the product also has a manual over-ride to allow the doorset to function as a normal door too for high level podium applications or occasional maintenance access.
It is important to highlight that simply fitting an actuator to a vent, window or door, unless they have been tested together, does not provide a compliant solution.
EN12101-2:2003 requires the actuator and window (etc.) be tested together as a single system to demonstrate compliance. To ensure this is the case, A Plus manufactures the products under a System 1 Factory Production Control Process and is audited via a Notified Body annually. Once the order is complete, we supply the appropriate DoP (Declaration of Performance) and CE/UKCA marking documentation direct to our customer.
If you’re seeking a trusted commercial trade aluminium fabricator to meet the demands of modern legislation, then get in touch. Collectively, we have more than 150 years’ experience in commercial contracts.
