Opened in 2002 as the first five-star congress center of Türkiye, Grand Cevahir Hotel & Congress Center continues to be one of the leading hubs of business tourism. With a total indoor area of 50,000 m², the facility continues to serve the business tourism sector, with consistently high customer satisfaction, featuring 22 meeting rooms, a 9-meter ceiling height, a 10,000 m² exhibition area, a ballroom with a capacity of 5,000 guests, and a four-level car park accommodating 2,000 vehicles. It hosts industry representatives from various business sectors, as well as congresses, concerts, competitions and seminars, at an international level.
Having adopted a “smart building” approach for all security systems since its establishment, the facility management has chosen EEC as their service partner for the installation and maintenance services of their fire detection, emergency public address and CCTV systems.
We had been using an Edwards system installed by Honeywell for our fire detection system since our opening. We were pleased with the company, but Honeywell’s partnership with Edwards came to an end. As we were already using what is regarded as the “Mercedes” of fire detection systems, we did not want to replace it and therefore started looking for a new service partner. Then we began our meetings with EEC. We were also initiating a renovation project at our hotel during the same period.
Before starting to work with EEC, I had heard their brand name frequently in the industry but did not know them personally. Naturally, I asked around, received positive feedback and learned about their strengths. During our meetings, I observed a very professional working model in terms of how the work would be carried out, maintenance periods and reporting practices. Once we started working together, what I experienced fully matched what I had heard, and I had no hesitation at all.
Our Sales Manager clearly explained how the process would be managed, and we evaluated it with the senior management. The passwords of the company that installed the system were unknown. We had a large amount of stock of supplies. A transition plan was therefore developed that allowed us to make use of our current stock of supplies during the process. EEC first installed their own system, and then we moved into a zone-by-zone transition phase. Today, all our guest rooms are fully integrated into the EEC system, and we are very satisfied with the outcome.
One of the features I find most beneficial in Edwards systems is the addressing capability. I have worked with many brands, and I know what it means to search for a faulty detector with measuring devices in hand. With Edwards systems, when you are notified that there is a fault “in a specific zone”, the system allows necessary improvements to be made without disconnecting the line as the loop is configured with both single-feed and reverse-feed capabilities. In this way, your system is not compromised during downtime. In addition, the system indicates the contamination levels of detectors so that you can maintain their efficiency. In my opinion, this is the best fire detection system on the market. It saves time and provides full monitoring capability. You can implement any scenario you need. It is extremely practical. If the system is configured properly according to the facility’s needs from the outset and operated by performing the proper maintenance services, the margin for error is almost nonexistent. We are also planning to integrate graphic monitoring software once the budget is allocated. We recently replaced the devices in our guest rooms with buzzer-type units. Having detectors that not only trigger alarms but also include built-in sounders is very important for us as this allows us to wake guests much faster in case of an emergency.
Our G+M emergency public address system performs very well. It can be managed manually from the security control room, and is also configured to respond automatically in emergency situations in line with our fire scenarios. In the past, our rooms had separate speakers for music and emergency announcements. In case of an emergency, the music broadcast is cut off and the emergency announcement is delivered directly. Relying solely on corridor announcements may not always reach every room, which is why we also have in-room emergency announcement points.
We can implement floor-specific scenarios. For example, if a risk occurs on the 4th floor, an alert is first issued to that floor to enable rapid evacuation, while other floors are evacuated more cautiously. This also helps to manage panic to a certain extent. Another feature of the system I particularly appreciate is that it is a system configured with a reverse-feed capability. If a problem occurs with the 5th speaker in a zone of ten speakers, the reverse-feed configuration ensures that the remaining speakers continue to operate without disconnection.
Our CCTV system is primarily managed by our IT and security teams. There was a period when they experienced a problem in terms of recording. Nevertheless, following a software update, there had been no problem that would cause dissatisfaction, as far as I know. I am speaking from an overall perspective. We used to operate with analog cameras, and now we have switched to IP cameras. It’s a leap comparable to moving from a Tofaş to a Mercedes. As the technology behind these systems is constantly evolving, it is essential to keep up with these advancements.
Our hotel is a vast and complex facility, and our guests entrust both their lives and property to us. For example, if a vehicle is damaged in our car park, you must be able to identify the responsible party through license plate records; otherwise, this becomes a source of dissatisfaction. We host guests from all over the world. Even in a minor dispute between guests in the lobby, the only concrete evidence you may have is the camera images. This is why having an active and high-quality CCTV system is extremely important for us.
In my opinion, one of EEC’s strongest advantages is their team. Their technical staff are truly excellent. There is nothing I can criticize about the sales team either; they have become like one of us, almost a trusted friend. We have worked with many competent and experienced companies. However, EEC exceeds our service expectations. We schedule our maintenance processes together. They make sure to inspect every point and follow up on our deficiencies. They provide me with comprehensive lists, as well as reports, and clearly explain every detail. When a fault occurs, they do not leave until it is resolved. They are genuinely very good at what they do, and that is why I trust their work completely and feel no concern.
The proper operation of the system is purely a matter of engineering. From the outset, everything is designed according to the structure of the facility and the scenarios are planned accordingly. When we started working with EEC, they reviewed the drawings prepared by the fire consultant during our opening phase and proceeded accordingly, as the drawings were complete. For example, our ballroom has a very high ceiling, and devices suitable for this height were selected. If an alarm triggered by a detector is repeated within seconds, it must be checked promptly. Otherwise, the scenario is activated. We have plenty of measures in place, such as the deactivation of elevators, switching the system to fire mode, releasing all access-controlled doors, initiating the smoke extraction process, and preventing oxygen ingress by closing the fresh air dampers. Fortunately, we have never experienced an incident of this scale. On the few occasions when we responded to alarms, we identified minor situations and resolved them using a fire blanket without even needing a fire extinguisher.
We place great importance on training our team. No matter how conscious you are, you are only as strong as the weakest link in your team. Every year, we conduct drills to ensure that everyone knows what to do and who will be part of which response team in case of a fire. Our facility was equipped with much smarter automation systems as compared to hotels in 2002 when our facility was opened. As technology continues to evolve over time, improvements are required to avoid falling behind. We have gradually renewed our guest rooms, lobby and SPA despite a minor delay. This continuous improvement approach also ensures that our guests leave satisfied. When guests promote your facility outside, that is true success.
In fact, we started to work with EEC to avoid replacing our existing system. Once we started working together, we realized that the references we heard during our exploration were proven by their detailed approach. The only exception is the problem we had when I did have a few specific requests during the contracting phase. Even that time, we were still able to find common ground. It is very important for us that both the sales and technical teams are easy to communicate with and pleasant to work with. From what I have shared, it is clear that I recommend them. I was even contacted by a sports club and answered their questions and mentioned the maintenance process.
We have no doubt about the quality. Nevertheless, the system seems costly at first glance. However, when I consider the service we receive, it feels justified. Given the work scheduled and performed, I can say “everything has a price”.
The features of our systems more than meet our needs. For example, with older-generation cameras, faces were not clearly identifiable, whereas now the image quality is extremely high. Naturally, it’s like getting out of a Tofaş and into a Mercedes. Of course, within the next three to five years, technology will advance further and additional improvements will be required.
We did not experience any disruption in the delivery of the work. We clarified the ambiguities together. The process progressed smoothly and seamlessly when the details such as whether the detectors should feature buzzers or not, and whether they should be painted or not.
The emergency public address and access control systems, particularly the fire detection system, are everything to me. I would not work in a facility lacking these systems, regardless of the compensation offered. If I were to work elsewhere, this would be my first criterion. I would only accept the position on the conditions that improvements are made if the system requires any. Otherwise, how can one knowingly allow such risks? Beyond professional responsibility, this is a matter of moral accountability. How can we forget what we witnessed in Kartalkaya which should not even have been licensed?
At the time, we were asked many times. Eventually, I said “This is the Grand Cevahir Hotel. Look at all facilities of Cevahir, they place great importance on automation systems and work with the best service partners in terms of the fire detection systems”. I came into awareness at Cevahir in 2000s. I worked elsewhere for a period, and returned in 2014. I have also seen flawed systems. I mentioned the requirements of the system. I modified the drawings completely and tried to improve the system. I have no idea what was done after I left. In other words, as a technical director, I always question the level of the fire detection system wherever I work. The regulations may be amended, and we must therefore follow up on them and take the necessary actions. Otherwise, I would not assume the technical responsibility. If a unit fails, I must replace that unit and be able to say “We have taken these measures until the original unit is repaired and returned”.
Fire is no joke. It cannot be taken lightly. Think of a string of prayer beads; once one bead is removed, the entire string falls apart. No matter how well trained you are, you are only as strong as the weakest link in your team. This is why the fire detection and emergency public address systems are indispensable. There is no other way to sleep in peace at night. We cannot really speak of security solely relying on humans because humans may make mistakes, but systems do not. For the proper operation of the system, the periodic maintenance of the system must not be omitted so that the system can offer you real peace of mind.
