Prysmian FP cables help protect London’s landmark 22 Bishopsgate Tower
Rising 278 metres above the City of London, 22 Bishopsgate is one of the capital’s most ambitious commercial developments. Completed in 2020, the 62-storey tower has been designed as a “vertical village”, offering workspace and amenities for up to 12,000 occupants alongside restaurants, wellbeing facilities and the UK’s highest free public viewing gallery.
Ensuring the safety of thousands of people in a building of this scale requires an exceptionally robust fire protection infrastructure. To deliver the reliability needed for life-safety systems, specialist contractor PHF Fire installed Prysmian FP PLUS – the enhanced fire-resistant cable, throughout the building’s fire detection, fire alarm and communication networks.
PHF Fire was responsible for the detail design, installation and commissioning of the fire alarm systems within the building’s shell and core, as well as many of the Category B tenant fit-outs. The company continues to maintain both landlord and tenant fire systems.
Supporting a sophisticated fire strategy
The fire safety infrastructure at 22 Bishopsgate is among the most advanced globally.
The system includes more than 100 networked fire alarm panels, thousands of smoke and heat detectors, manual call points, and a comprehensive public address and voice alarm (PAVA) system. Aspirating smoke detection systems protect critical communications rooms, while emergency voice communication systems allow occupants and firefighters to communicate directly with the fire control centre.
The Prysmian FP cable range supports these life-critical systems.
Much of the installation used 1.5mm² two-core and earth FP PLUS cable, along with four-core FP PLUS for specific system connections. FP PLUS is designed to maintain circuit integrity for up to 120 minutes under fire conditions, even when exposed to flame, mechanical impact and water spray.
Given the scale of the project, PHF Fire manages many thousands of metres of FP Plus circuits as part of the overall fire protection infrastructure.
Ensuring system integrity in an emergency
The tower operates a phased evacuation strategy, meaning that in the event of a fire, the affected floor and surrounding areas are evacuated initially. Clear voice alarm messages provide instructions to occupants, while the fire control centre monitors conditions and coordinates the response. This approach allows for safe and controlled evacuation.
By keeping these systems functioning during an emergency, the cable infrastructure helps ensure occupants receive clear instructions and emergency services maintain effective communication throughout the incident.
Why Prysmian was specified
Fire safety design for the building was developed by an engineering consultancy, with PHF Fire delivering the installation and system integration.
Enhanced fire-resistant cable was required due to the building’s height and complexity, compliant with the standards and regulations governing fire detection and fire alarm systems.
The Prysmian FP range was selected because of its proven performance in fire-critical applications and its long-standing reputation among engineers and installers.
The cable’s reliability and ease of installation were important factors for PHF Fire. The quality of the cable also supported a clean, well-organised installation throughout the building’s risers and plant areas - an important consideration on a high-profile commercial development.
Martyn Corbishley, life-safety cable specialist at Prysmian, comments: “In large and complex buildings like 22 Bishopsgate, maintaining the integrity of life-safety systems during a fire is critical. Our FP fire-resistant cable range is designed to ensure alarms, voice communication and emergency systems continue to operate when it matters most, helping to protect both people and property.”
Sustainability in a landmark development
In addition to occupant safety, sustainability was a key consideration in the design and construction of 22 Bishopsgate.
The development reused the foundations and much of the basement structure from the previous Pinnacle project, helping significantly reduce embodied carbon during construction. Overall, the building achieved 41% lower embodied carbon compared with Low Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI) benchmarks and operates using 100% renewable electricity.
The tower has been designed to meet BREEAM Excellent standards for sustainability. It incorporates advanced building management systems that monitor tens of thousands of operational data points each day to optimise energy performance.
Prysmian also places sustainability at the heart of its manufacturing strategy, incorporating recycled metals and low-carbon materials within its cable production. Embodied carbon data is provided for all Prysmian construction cables and since 2024, all Prysmian copper cables contain 30% recycled copper, highlighting the company’s commitment to material circularity. Further to this, Prysmian became a Copper Mark partner, demonstrating its long-term commitment to responsible material sourcing.
Long-term reliability
Today, PHF Fire continues to maintain the fire safety infrastructure throughout 22 Bishopsgate.
This includes the annual testing of thousands of detection devices and routine inspection of alarm, voice communication and control systems to ensure ongoing compliance and performance.
With thousands of people working, visiting and enjoying the amenities within the tower every day, the reliability of the building’s life-safety systems is paramount.
By providing the resilient cable infrastructure that keeps these systems operating when it matters most, Prysmian FP cables are helping safeguard both the building and its occupants.