Area of Refuge in High-Rise Buildings (AOR)
Additional Safety in Emergency Moments
What is an Area of Refuge (AOR)?
An area of refuge is a designated location within a building, specifically designed to contain individuals during emergencies such as fires or earthquakes, when they cannot use corridors or stairs to leave the building. This area provides a temporary safe haven until rescue teams arrive.
When Do We Need It?
- When there are people with disabilities or health conditions that prevent rapid evacuation
- In multi-story buildings where quick access to exits is difficult
- During crises that require isolating certain areas to reduce risks to users
AOR System Components
The refuge system integrates with building safety systems and includes:
- Clear refuge signage
- Emergency call station allowing immediate communication with emergency teams
- Master panel for monitoring calls and rapid response
- Written instruction signs to guide users precisely
Area of Refuge (AOR)
Advanced Safety and Protection
Why is the Refuge System Important?
- Enhances safety level in high-rise buildings
- Ensures people with special needs or elderly are not neglected during evacuation
- Improves efficiency of comprehensive building evacuation plans
- Achieves compliance with civil defense and international safety standards
Al-Manzar Al-Shamel Services in Designing Refuge Areas
At Al-Manzar Al-Shamel, we design and implement refuge systems in high-rise buildings in compliance with:
- Saudi Building Code requirements
- Internationally approved safety standards
- Highest levels of integration with alarm and evacuation systems
We also provide engineering consultations to assess the readiness of existing buildings and develop customized solutions that suit the existing infrastructure.
