| High rises make it possible for a large number of | | | | in terms of durability. Electrical exit signs are |
| people to live in a concentrated urban area. They | | | | always at risk of suffering broken bulbs during |
| also offer their occupants some breathtaking | | | | emergency situations where falling debris is |
| views. But a high rise is one of the last places you | | | | present. They are also at the mercy of the |
| would want to be during an emergency | | | | charge and overall quality of their back up battery. |
| evacuation. As anyone who has experienced an | | | | As a testament to the durability and reliability of |
| emergency evacuation knows: once the alarms | | | | self-sustaining exit signs and egress markings, |
| sound, a building's occupants go into flight mode, | | | | New York City recently enacted a city ordinance |
| making a rush for the doors. The optimal solution | | | | requiring buildings above 75 feet tall to install |
| in these situations, of course, is for occupants to | | | | photolumisescent safety systems. Specifically, the |
| revert to an orderly evacuation plan. Yet, given | | | | ordinance requires photoluminescent markings |
| the intensity of emergency evacuations, it's wise | | | | installed on doors that lead to exits and installed |
| to fill high rises with as many exit leading markings | | | | throughout exit stairways. The city's |
| as possible to account for human error. | | | | recommendation for the signage resulted in part |
| Proliferating an entire high rise with directional | | | | from the failure of battery-powered emergency |
| signage can be an expensive prospect, but a cost | | | | lighting during the bombing of the World Trade |
| effective alternative to electrical signage can be | | | | Center in 1993. |
| found in photoluminescent exit signs and egress | | | | When implementing self-sustaining egress |
| markings. Photoluminescense occurs when an | | | | markings, remembering to place the markers on |
| objects absorbs photons and re-emits them, | | | | or near the floor in the event of smoky |
| creating a glowing effect. Photoluminescent exit | | | | evacuation conditions is essential. When placing |
| signs and egress markings-also known as | | | | them on the floor, the exit path should be lined |
| "self-sustaining" and "eco-friendly" exits signs and | | | | with a continuous strip. When placing them on |
| egress markings-are designed to absorb the | | | | walls, the strip should be continuous except where |
| photons from ambient light and re-emit them | | | | the exit path is occluded by doors. |
| when surroundings grow darker. The signage and | | | | Even if replacing a high rise's incandescent fire exit |
| markings require no electricity or maintenance, | | | | signs with self-sustaining fire exit signs isn't on the |
| resulting in reduced energy costs and long term | | | | agenda, high rises can still dramatically increase the |
| cost savings. | | | | safety of their occupants by adding the |
| Depending on their photon absorption level, | | | | eco-friendly egress markings. Essentially, the |
| eco-friendly exit signs and egress markings burn | | | | egress markings go where exit signs cannot, |
| between 12 and 96 hours in darkened | | | | making uniform evacuations during low visibility |
| surroundings and have an average lifespan of 25 | | | | progress more smoothly and helping panicked |
| years. In addition to being superior to electrical | | | | individuals find their way to safety in an efficient |
| exit signs in terms of cost, they are also superior | | | | manner. |