Plumis has supported the delivery of Rosedene Highland House, a luxury apartment hotel in Inverness, marking the first installation of its Automist intelligent fire suppression system in the city.
The apartment hotel has been created through the conversion of a former maternity hospital and orphanage on the Ness Islands, with the fire safety system selected to help protect guests while preserving the building’s historic character.
Fire protection for heritage buildings
Automist is an intelligent water mist system that uses up to 90% less water than traditional sprinkler systems and is designed for straightforward retrofit with minimal disruption.
Its low-profile nozzles and compact hardware made it suitable for the high-specification refurbishment, allowing original architectural features and finishes to be retained.
Supporting project approval
The apartment hotel concept was new to the area, resulting in challenges during the building control approval process.
According to Plumis, the Automist system played an important role in demonstrating how fire safety requirements could be achieved without relying on more intrusive or traditional fire suppression systems.
Recommended by project fire engineer Jim Mann, the system was selected for its technical capabilities, discreet design and ease of installation.
Regional interest expected
The installation was completed by Perth-based fire protection contractor Unite.
Following the project’s completion, Plumis and Unite expect growing interest from developers and property managers across the region seeking fire protection solutions for heritage buildings and refurbishment projects.
Amjed Rasul, a local entrepreneur and Founder of Rasul Group, which owns Rosedene Highland House, said: “Inverness is a tourist destination that is growing in popularity and were keen to support it.
“This building has been part of the community for over a century – and we wanted to honour that history by creating something modern, safe, and future-proof.
“Automist gave us the flexibility to meet fire safety standards without damaging the design or heritage features of the property. It’s an intelligent, elegant system that uses less water and blends seamlessly with the rest of our tech-led infrastructure.
“Most importantly, it helped building control understand our vision and gave them the confidence to approve something truly innovative for the Highlands.
“We’re proud to be the first in Inverness to install it, and I’d be happy to show others what’s possible.”
Yusuf Muhammad, Co-Founder and Chief Design Offer at Plumis the inventors of Automist, said: “Rosedene Highland House represents exactly what Automist was designed for – bringing high-performance fire protection into spaces where traditional systems would compromise the vision. It’s exciting to see this level of innovation leading the way in the Highlands.”
Glenn Kippen, Director of Unite, said: “This project shows the potential when forward-thinking fire safety is brought into retrofit developments. Automist enabled us to deliver a smart, effective solution that supports both the aesthetic and safety ambitions of the client.
“We’re proud to have supported the first installation in Inverness and look forward to helping more projects benefit from the system.”
