Product & Industry News

Pioneering Spanish architects thrive in a BIM and specification partnership with ASSA ABLOY

Fenwick Iribarren Architects have many years’ experience working with BIM. They have benefited from its transparency on projects in Spain and abroad. For Campus Acciona, a landmark new business and office development in the Hortaleza neighbourhood of Madrid, they sought a trusted BIM partner to streamline the specification process.

According to Javier Iribarren, BIM brings many collaboration advantages to complex workflows: “Projects are much more coordinated between the different disciplines, resulting in a more developed project arriving on site,” he explains.

“In a few years it is going to be the only way of developing these projects.”

For their Madrid project, Fenwick Iribarren aimed to save time in coordinating specification and parameters between building materials and their RevitÒ design. Ensuring software packages work together creates a transparent “living model” with the right level of detail, as well as an up-to-date document resource with long-lasting value for building maintenance and security teams.

They also believed this project’s success would introduce their other stakeholders in real estate development to the merits of a strong BIM partnership.

BIM partnership between architect and ASSA ABLOY

Partnering with an ASSA ABLOY specification and BIM specialist based in Spain helped coordinate the fast-changing information that Fenwick Iribarren require through design stage. They could quickly share alternative scenarios via the BIM model, for example.

“The BIM process is an ongoing dialogue, a process which helps architects, building contractors, investors and project owners to work collaboratively,” says Marc Ameryckx from ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions EMEIA. “More than just workflow management or virtual modelling, BIM is a data-rich collaboration.”

“For a large, 554-door development like Campus Acciona, the transparency and efficiency benefits of a BIM partnership are huge.”

Time and effort saved with Openings Studio software

Openings Studio streamlines information flow from ASSA ABLOY’s specification database directly to an in-progress Revit design. All kinds of solutions — from door closers to mechanical cylinders— are available with a few clicks. This replaces the time-consuming process of adding door parameters manually.

“The software is very easy to learn,” Javier adds. “It is especially useful to update changes since it detects updates in the model. A high level of programming is not required and you don’t need to use other packages like Excel to extract or import schedules.”

“The workflow and the after-care experience have been great.”

The range of solutions available from ASSA ABLOY also helped save specification time. “ASSA ABLOY’s comprehensive range includes door systems and electronic locks and strikes, innovative door closers and access control solutions tailored to the office sector,” adds Marc.

Campus Acciona is equipped with ASSA ABLOY Door Closers (DC340, 500, 700 and 840); TESA TOP mortise panic exit devices; CF60 series fire rated mortise locks; Cubo single lever handles; and TX80 Euro profile high-security double cylinders.

To learn more about partnering with ASSA ABLOY’s BIM consultants, download case studies here

SALTO achieves Secured by Design Secure Connected Device accreditation for IoT products

SALTO Systems has become one of the first electronic access control manufacturers to achieve Secured by Design’s new “Secure Connected Device” accreditation for IoT products.

With the Government soon to introduce new legislation in the shape of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PSTI) Bill, coupled with a growing demand from Industry and current members seeking to gain accreditation for IoT products, Secured by Design has launched a new ‘Secure Connected Device’ accreditation scheme.

The new scheme enables companies providing IoT connected products and services to demonstrate that their products have achieved the appropriate and relevant IoT standards and certifications from an Secured by Design recognised certification body.

Working closely with certification bodies who assess IoT products and services against all 13 provisions of the ETSI EN 303 645 standard, Secured by Design’s IoT device assessment, identifies the level of risk associated with an IoT device and its ecosystem, providing recommendations on the appropriate certification routes.

Once third party testing and independent certification for a product has been achieved, the product will be awarded Secured by Design’s “Secure Connected Device” accreditation, a unique and recognisable accreditation that will highlight products as having achieved the relevant IoT standards and certifications.

The requirements to obtain the Secure Connected Device accreditation are:

IoT products and services need to have achieved the appropriate and relevant IoT standards and certifications conducted by an Secured by Design recognised certification body. The certificate needs to be assessed against all 13 provisions of the ETSI EN 3030 645, which goes beyond the three provisions legislated by the UK Government.

The assessment is required to have been done hands on by the certifying bodies – Secured by Design do not accept self assessed certificates.

The IoT product or service needs to be assessed on an annual basis (every 12 months).

SALTO Systems Ltd MD Ramesh Gurdev says “Achieving this new “Secure Connected Device” accreditation with Secured by Design demonstrates to current and potential customers that SALTO connected products continue to meet the highest security standards.”

For further information visit www.saltosystems.com

Boost for employee protection as SMC extends monitoring services with CriticalArc’s SafeZone technology

Boost for employee protection as SMC extends monitoring services with CriticalArc’s SafeZone technology Integrators can now give customers enhanced lone worker protection and multi-function ‘safety everywhere’ services through SMC A first-of-its-kind partnership between CriticalArc and Security Monitoring Centres (SMC) will give systems integrators and their customers powerful new options for staff protection, communications, engagement, and wellbeing.

The two companies have confirmed an agreement which sees SMC extending its 24/7/365 SIA-NSI accredited monitoring services with the addition of CriticalArc’s advanced SafeZone capabilities. SafeZone makes it easy for organisations to connect with their people wherever they are working - whether they are based remotely, lone working in the community, travelling on business, or present on-site.

SMC customers will also benefit from seamless upgrade options going beyond traditional lone worker protection to advanced, real-time response and team co-ordination, vehicle tracking, tip reporting, wellbeing tools, mass- and targeted-communications and emergency management capabilities. The technology is already trusted by millions of users worldwide across sectors including education, transportation, healthcare, and critical infrastructure settings, transforming how organisations respond to incidents and allowing them to offer their people Safety Everywhere™, wherever there is a duty of care.

SMC is one of the UK’s longest-established fully accredited monitoring service providers, with highly trained teams providing reassurance to customers 24/7/365, through its network of alarm receiving centres (ARC’s)

Now, with the addition of SafeZone technology, SMC’s systems integrator partners will provide customers the reassurance of faster and more targeted responses to emergency situations without dependency on traditional proprietary lone worker hardware solutions. This will provide protection to individuals in virtually any location, the ability for staff to use a check-in timer and fall detection when working in high-risk environments, and to access routine help 24/7 at the touch of a button on a smartphone or wearable device.

“Building on our trusted 24/7 monitoring services, we are delighted that our business partners can now offer customers ‘Safety Everywhere’ protection thanks to SafeZone technology,” says Colin Walters at SMC. “Our customers are looking for new ways to build more supportive workplace cultures while meeting their duty of care to all their people. CriticalArc’s SafeZone is a transformative solution that lets them achieve this regardless of geography.”

Darren Chalmers-Stevens, Chief Operating Officer, CriticalArc said the partnership would benefit SMC’s systems integrator partners and their end-user customers, and deliver enhanced safety for thousands of employees in the workplace, as well as for staff working remotely, or travelling:

“SafeZone, now available through SMC monitoring, gives UK organisations outsourced monitoring and response services with greater capabilities than ever before.”

For more information on CriticalArc and SafeZone go to www.criticalarc.com and to contact SMC go to www.smc-net.co.uk

More Than Access Control

Flexible security for a changing world

Maxxess eFusion software opens up limitless possibilities, taking you beyond feature-rich, enterprise-level access control to give you all the benefits of a total security and safety management platform – without the cost or complexity.

Ready-made to integrate more than 60 leading technologies, off-the-shelf, Maxxess eFusion now lets you combine access, video, fire, intruder, visitor management, building systems, widely used databases and site-specific applications.

www.maxxess-efusion.com

Europe

Maxxess Systems Europe Ltd United Kingdom +44 (0) 1344 440083 sales@maxxess-systems.com

Middle East

Maxxess Systems Middle East United Arab Emirates +971 (0) 509467717

North America

Maxxess Systems, Inc. United States +1 (714) 772 1000

New Genetec research shows cybersecurity remains a top concern for physical security professionals worldwide

Almost half of all respondents activated an improved cybersecurity strategy in 2022

As cybersecurity awareness month becomes a focus of discussion in October, new research conducted by Genetec Inc. (“Genetec”), a leading technology provider of unified security, public safety, operations, and business intelligence solutions, shows that cybersecurity remains a top concern for physical security professionals going into 2023.

Based on insights from over 3,700 physical security leaders from around the world, the report revealed that almost half (49%) of the organisations surveyed had activated an improved cybersecurity strategy this year, and more than a third of all respondents (36%) are looking to invest in cybersecurity-related tools to improve their physical security environment in the next 12 months.

When asked about the challenges faced when managing employee and visitor safety, more than half of the organisations selected cybersecurity as their main challenge. This was particularly evident for organisations with over 100,000 employees, with 62.3% of them indicating that cybersecurity was their top challenge, compared to 52.1% for companies with under 100,000 employees.

Of the many capabilities related to cybersecurity and data protection deployed by physical security teams in the last year, cyber-hardening of physical security hardware and access control management were the most popular, with 40% of respondents implementing new measures targeting those capabilities.

“It’s reassuring to see physical security professionals prioritising their organisation’s cyber security posture,” said Mathieu Chevalier, Principal Security Architect at Genetec. “As the threat landscape continues to evolve, leading with a defense in depth strategy remains the best game plan that an organisation can have. Businesses will need to put in place cybersecurity best practices and choose technology partners who offer higher levels of automation to stay on top of potential threats. They will also need to scrutinise their entire supply chain and demand continuous verification, rather than just hardening networks and systems.”

To help its customers be more cyber resilient, Genetec has developed features that are embedded in its security platform, Genetec™ Security Center:

• The Security Center Firmware Vault keeps cameras secure and up to date by alerting customers when updates are available, automatically validating firmware compatibility and allowing customers to push it directly to the camera from the platform.

This helps to reduce the likelihood of falling victim to known vulnerabilities. • StreamvaultTM appliances are cyber hardened, right out of the box. More than 200 security settings are preconfigured, to ensure every part of a customer’s infrastructure is protected. • The Certificate Management feature in Security

Center 5.11 simplifies the task of managing the lifecycle of certificates, allowing users to effortlessly keep their devices connected and running smoothly. • The Genetec Update Service (GUS) alerts users to new product updates, allowing them to automatically download or install on their own schedule, reducing the effort required to manage updates and be protected from attack. • Finally, the Security Score widget is a dynamic hardening tool that checks the security of the system in real-time. It lays out guidelines and then monitors whether the different elements of the system comply.

For more information on cybersecurity best practices, visit the Genetec Trust Center

Water mist technology: VdS defines regulations for components and systems

The number of water mist extinguishing systems is increasing – however, test standards so far only existed for individual components. VdS is now closing this gap with Guidelines available for free download.

Cologne/Germany, September 1, 2022. Water mist systems use finely dispersed water to fight fires, thus displacing oxygen and absorbing heat – combining the effects of gas extinguishing and traditional sprinkler systems. The small droplet sizes (≤1 mm diameter) significantly enhance the effect of the water used, also minimizing water damage. VdS now backs up manufacturers as well as users with a basic product standard systematically testing effectiveness and reliability.

Until now, product regulations existed only for selected components (e.g. EN 17450-1, filters and strainers, or ISO 6182-9, nozzles from 12 bar); VdS testing was based on time-consuming case-by-case analysis for every component. The newly published Guidelines provide immediate relief. “We have been testing water-based firefighting systems since they were first used in Europe – the new regulations incorporate several decades of experience”, emphasizes Frank Bzdega, head of the VdS laboratories for water extinguishing systems. “Hundreds of possible failures in this complex technology – one way to ensure that the systems always work when they are needed: the VdS Approval.“

The Guidelines VdS 3100, “High-pressure water mist systems, Requirements and test methods”, are available for free download in the vds-shop.de; for water mist sprinklers and nozzles of all pressure levels, VdS 3100-46 has also been newly published.

More information at vds-global.com

A French coworking space gains flexibility with real-time, cable-free access control

Focus is a French real-estate company in a booming sector. With offices nationwide, it specializes in business colocation, offering turnkey office spaces and related services. In 2019 alone, the total number of flexible workspaces across France grew by 20%*.

Reliable, agile access control is a key attribute for this sector. Different users come and go, at all times of day. An office’s client group does not stand still. Change is part of the landscape. For these reasons, flexibility in access management is essential.

To manage access into and around its Lyon coworking premises, Focus sought this type of flexible system combined with contemporary aesthetics and high security features.

For easier installation and cost savings, the Focus team decided on a battery-powered rather than a wired solution. In planning efficiently for the future, they wanted a solution to evolve with their business — adding new features or functionality without the need to replace devices.

Ease of use and system customization were also critical considerations, to make working life easier for the different teams who share their spaces. After extensive research and discussions with a range of service providers, Focus selected ASSA ABLOY’s SMARTair® access control system with Wireless Online management.

“For quality reasons, we needed an expert supplier to meet our security and confidentiality needs,” says Gauthier Massardier, Real Estate Manager at Focus. “We needed a company with real expertise and solid experience in access management. Choosing ASSA ABLOY seemed obvious to us.”

Security, cost control and easy self-management

Doors at their Lyon workspace are now securely locked with battery-powered wireless devices. All credentials, door locks and users are administered from the intuitive SMARTair TS1000 software control panel. It allows remote opening and real-time management. Access logs for devices, credentials and users are easy to retrieve, for rapid incident investigation.

Building managers can tailor and update the access rights of any space user — or easily cancel access permissions for everyone who should no longer have access. SMARTair is fully scalable: The team in Lyon can add new openings or devices anytime. Devices have a memory which helps premises remain secure even if power is cut.

SMARTair has the option to extend functionality in future, with features such as unlocking by mobile app, remote lockdown in an emergency or a Web Manager to administer multiple sites.

SMARTair real-time access control is also cost-efficient to manage compared to wired access control — which needs mains electricity — or traditional mechanical security, where locks must be administered manually and individually. Wire-free fitting enables businesses to install SMARTair with minimal disruption to the working day.

In the medium term, Focus plans to equip many other sites with ASSA ABLOY solutions — to further enhance security and streamline daily access management at its workspaces.

To learn how SMARTair® wireless access control is perfectly adapted to coworking spaces, download guide

New State of Access Control Report underscores growing demand for future-proof mobile solutions

With Convenience Being a Major Theme, 42% of Respondents Worldwide Indicate Plans to Upgrade to Mobile-Ready Systems

HID Global, a worldwide leader in trusted identity solutions, announces the 2022 State of Access Control Report, providing insightful perspectives of the market’s current state and trends.

Who: Produced by IFSEC Global in partnership with HID Global, the report surveyed just over 1,000 respondents from across North America (56%), EMEA (29%) and Asia Pacific (15%) to detail trends in the procurement, installation, specification and operation of physical access control solutions.

What: The report describes the current state of the market, the technology being used, and trends that security and IT professionals are witnessing and foreseeing in the years to come, including:

Convenience: Ease of use is the most crucial reason to upgrade to a new access control system, according to 60% of the respondents. This means that in addition to securing premises, a new system must provide a smooth and straightforward process for both users (employees, residents or visitors) and administrators (security, facilities and IT teams).

Mobile Access and Touchless Capabilities: It’s no surprise then, that demand for mobile access is showing an uptick, with 42% of respondents planning to upgrade to mobile-ready systems. While security system administrators benefit from increased operational efficiency, employees and visitors may find mobile access more convenient and secure since they are more likely to have their mobile devices at hand than their access cards. The pandemic also played a role in the demand for touchless physical access control. About 32% of respondents cited they would upgrade systems to introduce touchless solutions in response to the pandemic, with contactless biometrics also being considered among them.

System Interoperability: Future-proof support is also a growing concern as users are pushing for long-term convenience while achieving cost savings. In fact, almost half of the respondents (49%) selected the ability to support new tech in the future as one of the top three features in a new access control solution, and 33% included integration with existing security platforms as being important. As a result, consultants and integrators are moving away from proprietary models and embracing open standards-based technology, where software upgrades can be securely managed through the cloud. One in five respondents added that interoperability and open standards will be one of the top trends set to shape the industry in the near future.

Sustainability: Organizations across all regions are making a clear effort to understand how new purchases and upgrades in access control technology can have an impact on sustainable practices, with about 28% of respondents having consulted their sustainability departments about their buying decisions. Access control readers that have Environmental Product Declarations and intelligent power management, for example, support green building ratings such as LEED.

Additionally, deploying mobile access and virtual credentials removes the need for plastic cards and so spares the carbon footprint associated with their lifecycle. When integrated with a building management platform, it is possible to maintain for continuous adjustment of building resources based on occupancy.

The full report provides a more in-depth analysis and data points on what is driving the physical access control industry now and into the future. Read it here

Mayflex appoints Allan McCran to the Security Sales Team

Mayflex, the distributor of Converged IP Solutions, has appointed Allan McCran in the role of account manager for Converged Technology with an emphasis on IP Security for Scotland and the Northeast

Allan joins Mayflex from DVS Ltd where he was the Area Sales Manager Scotland East and previous to that, he worked for leading security installers including IC Fire & Security, Chubb, Hyfire Sterling Safety and Secom in various business development and sales management roles.

Simon Steer, Director of Sales for Security at Mayflex commented, “We are delighted to welcome Allan to the team, he has a strong security background and particularly great knowledge of the Hikvision brand.”

Simon continued “Allan will be looking after customers in Scotland and the Northeast, together with internal support from Adam Edmonds to ensure our customers receive the very best service and support particularly around our key security brands including Avigilon, Axis, Hikvision, Indigo Vision, Milestone, Mobotix, Paxton, Pelco, Suprema and Wavestore. He will also work alongside Drew Alexander in the region who is focused on the infrastructure side of things.”

Allan commented, “I’m very much looking forward to being part of the Mayflex team and having access to sell such a wide range of quality brands. I’m keen to get out and meet my customers and to start working with them to build long lasting relationships to mutually grow our businesses.”

Simon concluded “In the first few weeks Allan will undergo a comprehensive induction to bring him up to speed on everything that is Mayflex and particularly around our security business.

For anyone needing to make contact with Allan, he will be available at allan.mccran@mayflex.com

For further details on the full range of security products distributed by Mayflex please visit the Mayflex website

My key is an eCLIQ

The right key for the job — whatever it is

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Adria Security Summit 2022 chalks up new attendance record

Adria Security Summit 2022, the largest conference and exhibition dedicated to security and converging industries in SE Europe, closed its doors on October 6 following a two-day event that took place in the Croatian capital of Zagreb.

The organizers have reported report that this event has been the largest and the most successful one so far, continuing the upward trend that the Summit experienced since its inception.

With 2500 visitors from more than 30 countries and 136 sponsors and exhibitors, the event has not only signaled the full recovery of a whole range of industries following the pandemic but rather its potential to cover new grounds as it breaks new records. For the sake of comparison, let us recall that the last year’s event in Belgrade has seen more than 70 exhibitors and 1500 participants.

Next, a total of 48 presentations and side events, all helmed by eminent experts, touched upon every hot issue across the industries, including security, smart cities, home automation, mobility, cyber security, ICT, and IoT.

Case studies also figured prominently during the event, with top-ranking presenters being handed over awards for the most innovative projects. This time, the honors went to the 1st ranked company Securitas Croatia for its achievement in managing the projects involving perimeter protection along the Croatian borders.

The second award went to Konica Minolta for its case study of the way in which modern-day video technologies can easily extend their application and usefulness beyond security implementations, while Hikvision secured the third place for its case study of the implementation of converged technologies in the Amadria Park resort in the Croatian town of Šibenik.

To round things off, the Summit also premiered the official presentation of the trailblazing startups across industries. They were presented with appropriate awards for their achievements in this business segment which was dominated by Robotiq (1st award), Zuluhood (2nd award), and Glog (3rd award).

The organizers expressed satisfaction with the event and its attendance and thanked all participants for their part in the organization of the event on the largest scale so far. A comprehensive report on the event as yet another success story for the Adria Security Summit brand will be published in the next issue of Adria Security Magazine.

Adria Security Summit will continue its journey in 2023

Paxton CEO Adam Stroud named one of the UK’s Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders for 2022

Adam Stroud, CEO of the international security technology manufacturer Paxton, has been named one of The LDC Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders, recognising his achievement steering Paxton on their journey to international growth and market resilience.

The LDC Top 50, in partnership with The Times, celebrates the inspiring leaders behind some of the UK’s most successful and fast-growing medium-sized companies. This year LDC received more than 750 nominations, a record number in its fifth year of the awards.

Ranking in the top 50 is great recognition for Adam who started at the company in 1996. In his role as CEO since 2012, Adam has been leading the company to success, during which time Paxton have enhanced their product offering championing free-of-charge installer training and world class customer support to make sure their customers have the best experience with their systems. Paxton also focus on creating great company culture and working environment, ranking in the Best Companies to Work For list in 2022, the fourth time in the last five years.

Adam said: “Aspiring for world-class products and customer service is part of our DNA at Paxton. I am a firm believer in the power of ambitious goals to motivate and align us. As a company, we are determined and passionate about what we do.

“I am proud to have been included in The LDC Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders and represent Paxton in this celebration event.”

Over the last few years, Paxton have evolved under the impact of various global issues. The electronic components shortage is a continual challenge faced by manufacturers globally. Paxton have been working to increase their stock level to ensure the availability of their product to customers worldwide. In addition, in response to the pandemic, Paxton managed to quickly switch to a remote working model, maintaining normal customer service. They also launched a range of new access control features that helped in preventing the spread of virus whilst training up thousands of their customers online.

Adam continues: “Whenever we encounter challenging situations, it is important for us to position Paxton as a long-standing and resilient company. We take positives from these challenges, and that is what continues to make us stronger.

“We have a five-year growth strategy, including increases in production capacity, enhanced customer service, and expanding global infrastructure. One objective that will always stay with Paxton is to continue develop and manufacture world-class and simple-to-use access control products and services.”

John Garner, Managing Partner, LDC, said: “We’ve been struck by the way business leaders have overcome challenges and adversity to run fast-growing and successful companies, proving that difficult circumstances can become the biggest driver of ambition.”

Paxton have nearly 40 years of experience in the security industry, exporting their products to over 60 countries. Currently they have more than 400 employees globally.

To find out more about Paxton, watch this video and visit their website