Fire protection for the Royal College of Surgeons

Behind the grand façade of London’s Royal College of Surgeons lies a remarkable fusion of medical legacy and architectural heritage. Founded in the 18th century and rebuilt in the 19th, the institution has long served as a cornerstone of British medical education. Its Grade II* listed Lumley Library — once referenced by Charles Dickens — houses rare manuscripts, ornate coffered ceilings, and intricate Victorian details that capture centuries of craftsmanship and scholarship.

When the college began a major refurbishment project, it faced a dilemma that challenges many heritage property owners: how to introduce modern fire protection without compromising the character of a historic structure? For a building filled with priceless artefacts, manuscripts, and teaching spaces, traditional sprinkler systems posed too great a risk. The college needed an advanced solution that could deliver outstanding fire suppression performance while respecting the integrity of its heritage interiors.

As Head of Building and Estates John O’Brien explains, the Royal College of Surgeons applied the same evidence-based approach to this project that defines its medical ethos. “We believe in the application of evidence-based decision making,” he says. “For me, the evidence was clear — the Marioff HI-FOG® system offered superior fire performance characteristics and was ideally suited for retrofitting into a Grade II* listed building.”

The challenge was multifaceted. The project needed to protect a wide variety of spaces — from public areas and offices to storage rooms, classrooms, and museum collections — each with distinct fire risks and architectural constraints. The Lumley Library, with its triple-height ceilings and irreplaceable finishes, represented the most demanding case.

Altering the structure was not an option. The ornate plasterwork, decorative ceilings, and historic timber detailing had to remain untouched. Conventional sprinkler systems would have required large-bore piping, significant water tanks, and invasive installation methods that could damage the building’s protected fabric. Even more concerning, they would have introduced a risk of water damage far greater than the risk of fire itself.

For a building filled with rare books and historic artefacts, that trade-off was unacceptable. The Royal College of Surgeons needed a system that could be discreetly integrated, provide rapid and reliable activation, and minimize any potential for water escape.

Marioff’s HI-FOG® high-pressure water mist system provided the perfect balance between preservation and protection. Using advanced engineering and precision design, the system suppresses fire by releasing fine water mist at high pressure, creating millions of microscopic droplets that absorb heat and displace oxygen. The result is rapid fire suppression with dramatically less water compared to traditional sprinklers.

In the Royal College of Surgeons project, HI-FOG® technology offered two decisive advantages: superior fire performance and minimal building impact. HI-FOG®’s small-bore stainless-steel piping was able to be threaded through tight spaces and concealed within the existing structure without altering its historic surfaces. The reduced mechanical room size and smaller tanks further minimized the system’s footprint — a critical factor in heritage retrofits.

To eliminate the risk of accidental water discharge the installation included also a dry-pipe, pre-action system configuration. “We were able to have a fit for purpose system,” O’Brien notes, “so the pipes in the selected area are completely dry until they receive both a smoke detector and temperature signal. That was important to us — it means we could improve the fire safety performance of the building without increasing the risk of water escape.”

This precision-engineered approach reflects Marioff’s core philosophy: designing complete solutions tailored to each customer’s needs. Every HI-FOG® system is the result of decades of testing, data-driven development, and an engineering mindset dedicated to protecting what matters most.

In practice, HI-FOG® delivered multiple benefits to the Royal College of Surgeons — from life safety to preservation of assets and infrastructure efficiency.

These combined benefits make HI-FOG® particularly well-suited for heritage and retrofit projects where both performance and preservation are non-negotiable.

The Royal College of Surgeons’ refurbishment brought one of London’s architectural treasures into the modern age — without compromising its heritage. With Marioff’s HI-FOG® system in place, the building’s priceless collections, teaching spaces, and historic interiors are now protected by a solution designed to meet the highest standards of fire safety and conservation.

“Marioff met a very challenging design brief with aplomb,” O’Brien concludes. “They gave us the protection we needed, the confidence that our heritage is safe, and a system that fits the character of this extraordinary building.”

For Marioff, the project represents more than a technical achievement — it embodies the company’s mission to protect what matters most. Through innovative engineering, rigorous testing, and decades of expertise, HI-FOG® continues to set the standard for fire protection in heritage buildings around the world.