15 minute read
Meet the installer
Meet the installer – Q&A
Every month we talk to an NSI approved installer about life in the business. This month we take a look back at what installers said this year: What you told us in 2021.....
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Matthew Stanley –Astra Security
What is the best thing about working in security? The daily challenge. Every job, no matter how big or small, has its unique properties. I work with a team of project managers and we can bounce ideas off each other, drawing on each other’s experiences to develop bespoke solutions to each unique requirement. Recently we have been working with a software company based in Germany for a bespoke PoS solution for one of our large retail customers. Being involved in the development of this unique solution and seeing how this will enable the stores to monitor, detect and deter theft at self- checkout trolley areas has been enjoyable.
Sam Rodway –Ambush Security Systems
Do you have any 'go to' technology? For intruder we use both Pyronix and Texecom systems, each having their own benefits. Pyronix systems are perfect for domestic customers in particular, we fit a lot of Enforcer systems on smaller residential properties as their user friendly menus and app make them perfect for everyday use. Whereas the Texecom systems come in to their own for larger installations with the wireless Ricochet technology, discreet wireless range and high quality flush keypads. Their cloud services also enable us to remotely service and diagnose faults on monitored systems reducing engineer time on site and any inconvenience for the client. For CCTV we use a wide selection of the Dahua and HikVision range, with the latest technology being the full colour range which has been a big hit with our clients! The ability to identify the colour of clothing or a vehicle in the dark of night is a must, not only for the client but for the local authority. Not surprisingly we have seen a high demand for this technology. For access control and entryphone systems we use Paxton and CAME BPT, which we have used since I started in the industry, their product reliability and technical support is by far the best available. Rachel Evans –Jackson Fire & Security
Is third party accreditation beneficial to your business? Yes hugely important to our business and it underpins everything we do. We want to work to the highest standards and provide quality for our customers and being third party accredited is the best way to demonstrate this. As we are a franchise opportunity, we can also offer this to people looking to start their own fire and security business which is a huge head start and takes a headache away from them.
David Salisbury –Zicam Integrated Security
What would be your ultimate electronic security product? With the advent of video analytic technology this is improving year on year, our main partners utilise this technology which is embedded into the cameras, this is bolstered by AI technology which looking forward will be very exciting as to how this can be utilised.
James Twigg – TIS (Total Integrated Solutions)
What impact has smart/home automation had on your business? Smart technology has had a hugely positive impact on our business. Take retirement villages, for example. We’re able to offer a range of technological solutions to everyday problems by installing things such as sensors to check whether a resident has opened their medication cupboard to take their meds each morning, or has pressed the “I’m Okay” button rather than requiring someone to physically go and knock on their door and check on them. We’re also rolling out wearable tech, like smart watches, so that residents can access support or check-in in a much more user friendly way. Smart technology is giving residents much more freedom and the retirement villages the ability to spend their money much more effectively.
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Richard Hewes –Hewes Group
Did you always want to be a tradesman or were there other dream careers? Leaving school I wanted to join the Met Police, but failed on my eyesight. Whilst waiting I had numerous jobs in the City starting as a post boy in a stockbrokers, not liking that, and in a short time I had three jobs in offices. But I wasn’t cut out for that. I had relations in the alarm industry so I started with AFA, who had just taken over Autocall, Sentinal, and Clarrion, in Wellington Street near Covent Garden when it was in use and I saw all the guys with their flat leather hats to carry all the produce on their heads. I was in AFA’s office due to the fact I came from an office environment, but I was not happy there and asked to work on the tools so they moved me to Parker Street.
Carlton Littleford –Carlton Alarms
What would be a typical project for you? I don’t think there is exactly a typical project as we install from small domestic systems up to large commercials and everything in between. An ideal project would be a commercial client who wants us to install intruder, fire, access and CCTV; we aspire to be a “onestop” shop for our clients wherever possible as it’s more cost effective for them and more efficient for us, so everyone wins.
Steven Gardner –OCS Group UK
What would make your job easier? The pace of the industry is so fast moving and it appears standards are almost changing daily/weekly. We are often correcting non-compliant installations which haven’t been installed to the newer standard. The industry appears to lack highly-skilled individuals, which is why apprenticeships are definitely required. Nick Day –Armadillo Safeguards
What would be a typical project for you? We have mainly been focusing on large multi-level projects, both in the commercial and high-end residential sectors. Across the board, we are seeing an increase in smart technologies and, as a result, we are noticing growing demand for IP control devices. The use of smart technologies in buildings has become an integral part of everyday life, offering convenience and flexibility for users. From lifts to heating, from alarm systems to access control, the range of critical infrastructures connected to the network and communicating with each other and with smartphones and other IoT devices is increasing.
To keep up with the current IoT trends, the integration of products will become more and more important to add functionality and security features.
Gavin Bell –A.Alexander & Son
Do you have any ‘go to’ technology and manufacturers? For intruder systems we stick to Honeywell Galaxy and Pyronix. The broad range of products provided allows us to install the most appropriate solution for any customer requirements. The Enforcer system has proven to be extremely popular with domestic customers with the easy to set up and use mobile app being very appealing.
For fire alarms our preference is for Advanced control panels and Hochiki devices. Both products provide engineer friendly interfaces and installation advantages.
Dahua is our go to for CCTV installs, with a large range of highdefinition full colour cameras and easy to navigate NVRs it is a big hit with clients and engineers alike.
We stick to Paxton for access control – it is a proven performer in this category and provides solutions for all our requirements.
Working in the care sector we have installed a number of nurse call systems with the C-Tec Quantec system being our preference for hard wired systems and Aidcall for wireless systems.
If you are an NSI approved company and would like to appear in one of the monthly “Meet the Installer” contact PSI Editor Andy Clutton via andy.clutton@psimagazine.co.uk
APPLICATION
New access control system enables touch-free movement
Inner Range and installer Antron Security have delivered access and security at multi-tenant office The Bailey, in the heart of London.
Knight Harwood commissioned Antron Security to design and install the new access and security system as part of wider refurbishment works at the site situated opposite the Old Bailey High Court. Key requirements were for users to be able to move through reception without crowds or queues, and for access to be touchless as far as possible. Knight Harwood also wanted suitable provision for disabled users, and to ensure it could change and grow the security system over time.
The solution involved using Inner Range’s Integriti intelligent access control system. Mitsubishi lifts, with high-level lift controls and Bluepoint’s visitor management system formed the key integrations.
The Mitsubishi lifts can read credentials from proximity cards, or mobile phones, at a user check-in point at reception, or in the lift lobby itself.
The high-level lift integration with ‘destination control’ means the lift software takes into account where each of the building’s lifts are, where the user’s ‘home floor’ is, as well as where other users are going/due to go, and instantly calculates the quickest lift for the new user. The user is immediately directed to the most efficient lift via a display screen at reception, or in the lift lobby. If users are able to go to more than one floor, they can update their preference in the lift itself.
This integration ensures users move through reception quickly and efficiently with no unnecessary stops.
The integration with Bluepoint’s visitor management system means tenants can invite their own guests and generate access credentials via QR codes that are valid for one entry and exist on the appointment day and time. The QR code gives the visitor access everything they need, including lifts and any locked doors enroute.
Other elements of the new system included Came BPT video entry panels to allow disabled users to access the building near the dedicated disabled parking bay, as well as for any visitors out-of-hours to contact the security team.
CCTV cameras from Hikvision have been installed throughout the site to create a hardwired IP closed circuit television system. They are integrated with the Integriti access control system, which allows for ‘cause and effect’ monitoring.
Cabling provision for speed lanes or other entry turnstiles was installed, to ensure the system could easily adapt to this in future.
Richard Harvell, engineering director, at Knight Harwood, who managed the refurbishment at The Bailey, said: “Our key requirement was to be able to move users, including visitors, swiftly through reception to their correct floors with minimal or no touch points. And all without compromising security. Antron Security’s solution, which centred around Inner Range’s Integriti, more than delivers. The high-level lift integration automatically directs users to the fastest lift for their floor, and only allows access beyond reception for those with bona fide credentials.”
Logistics hub upgrades from analogue CCTV system
An HD IP surveillance system from Dahua Technology is providing 24/7 security and operations management at a freight and logistics hub in Cannock, West Midlands.
The 54-camera system has been installed throughout Pentalver’s 37-acre site. The equipment includes 5MP dome cameras with IR illumination up to 50m, 180-degree panoramic domes comprising an array of four 2MP cameras each with IR up to 60m, 5MP bullet cameras, 4MP ptz network cameras, and 5MP 360-degree internal dome cameras. All cameras feature Dahua’s Starlight lowlight technology, and AI functionality with deep learning algorithms to detect events such as perimeter breaches, movement detection and scene change.
The installation also includes Dahua’s DSS Express video management system, enabling users to view images only relevant to them, two Dahua 32-channel 36TB NVRs and 12 ruggedised network PoE switches.
The site consists of freight container storage in one section and road haulage transport in the other. It was previously equipped with an ageing analogue CCTV system, elements of which were in various states of disrepair and which had become unfit for purpose. The objective for the new system was to provide high-definition monitoring of the whole site at all times, for security and for logistics managers to be able to have access to images relevant to them, partitioned by the Dahua DSS Express video management system.
The installer, Richards CCTV, was tasked with providing a perimeter protection solution as well as a range of PTZ cameras around the site. The biggest challenge was the installation of the network infrastructure, with multiple fibre links between remote buildings and the central office. This was achieved using ruggedised network PoE switches with 2Gb ports for high speed connection.
Richard Harte, General Manager at the Cannock terminal, said that good security and visibility of operations is essential for such a large and busy site with a bonded storage area. “With the previous system, we came to recognise how poor our sight over the depot was. Security is key for us, but we also use the system to have good visibility of our operations, as well as for health and safety and training purposes. Richard and his team are so satisfied with the solution that they are advocating its rollout across other Pentalver sites.
Camouflaged CCTV installed at MediaCity in Manchester
An unobtrusive security solution from Axis Communications is providing 24/7 protection for tenants and visitors while retaining a vibrant atmosphere at MediaCity, an international hub for technology, innovation and creativity in Greater Manchester.
It had become increasingly clear in recent years that MediaCity’s analogue surveillance system was outdated and no longer fit for purpose. RS Security Consultants was tasked with auditing the site’s security architecture and recommending a new system. The Axis IP security system was deployed to deliver video surveillance, with real-time security alerts to a central control room. The solution also reportedly reduces ongoing maintenance costs and is in keeping with the hub’s sustainability and cybersecurity goals.
Utilising the new system has helped the team at MediaCity achieve their security requirements with IP cameras being camouflaged to match the surroundings. The MediaCity team can now benefit from protection without it having an impact on the atmosphere across the site, and going largely unnoticed by the many people that use the space every day.
Tony Chebrika, Head of Security at Peel Media, which part-owns MediaCity, adds, “We’ve created a community here in which thousands of people work, live and enjoy themselves, and we want to ensure that they can continue to do so. We’re delighted with the system that’s been installed and that we chose partners with a shared focus on sustainability and cybersecurity.”
David Needham, Axis Communications, concludes, “We’ve combined video, audio and on-board analytics to deliver a solution that successfully achieved all of our objectives. Safety has been improved and ongoing maintenance costs reduced. Real-time alerts mean the security team can make live security decisions. In short, we’ve helped MediaCity become safer and smarter.”
APPLICATION
YMCA benefits from plug and play CCTV installation
YMCA Heart of England has upgraded video systems across its facilities in Birmingham, Solihull, Rugby and Coventry with a roll-out of endto-end DirectIP technology from IDIS.
Systems integrator Unison Integrated Technology was asked to replace YMCA’s poorly performing mix-and-match systems, incorporating elements from different vendors, with more efficient end-to-end technology from IDIS. YMCA reportedly selected IDIS because the single-source model offers advantages including assured compatibility and ease of installation, lower upfront costs, ongoing tech support and long term value.
At the YMCA Birmingham centre, for example, the inefficient video has been replaced by an IDIS DirectIP solution comprising a 32-channel NVR; 19 Full-HD vandal-resistant IR domes; and 11 Full-HD IR bullet cameras. The IDIS technology was easy to implement thanks to its plug-and-play design, allowing the project to be completed without interruption to day-to-day activity at the centre.
The 2.8mm fixed lens 2MP dome and bullet cameras, equipped with true WDR and IR LED, were set up to capture images of the building exteriors, entrances and internal corridors and communal areas day and night. And the 4K NVR delivers throughput of up to 960ips real-time recording and live monitoring with no visible latency.
Unison also opted to replace all the legacy cabling, upgrading to Cat6. This new infrastructure will allow YMCA Heart of England to take advantage of increased video resolutions in the future, making it easy for them to adopt IDIS Deep Learning Analytics for a range of automated detection functions that trigger alarms and notifications. The new solution is simple to use, with the license-free IDIS Center VMS giving staff and authorised volunteers an intuitive interface to manage devices, benefitting from live monitoring and rapid retrieval of footage, while easily configuring user permissions to provide team members with appropriate role-based access rights.
“YMCA Heart of England were so impressed with the results we delivered at their Birmingham centre they then asked us to upgrade all their premises across the whole region,” says Matthew Rodden, Director, Unison Integrated Technology.
The entire project was completed in four weeks. And reducing waste and costs further, a number of third-party legacy cameras were retained to operate under the IDIS Center VMS.
New fire detection panels at Bloomfield Shopping Centre
A Nittan Evolution fire detection system has been installed into the Bloomfield Shopping Centre in Bangor by Nittan Elite Partner Solutions for Systems, based in Northern Ireland.
A new fire detection system was required at the site and, following detailed proposals by Solutions for Systems, a Nittan Evolution system was installed.
The new fire detection systems feature eight Nittan Evolution 1 fire alarm control panels installed in a network at strategic locations throughout the site, enabling site personnel to quickly access and assess any alerts on the fire alarm system without needing to return to the control room or to have dedicated staff located at a single panel in a control room.
At the shopping centre, Evolution EV-DPH-A2R Dual Optical Heat Detectors were selected, which feature Nittan’s Dual Optical Technology to reduce false alarms, which retail environments are often prone to. Furthermore, the detectors also incorporate an A2R class heat detector. As such, the units are capable of monitoring two very different by-products of a fire –smoke and heat.
The Evolution EV-DPH-A2R Detectors sit on Nittan EV-AV2-Sounder Beacon Bases which provide both sound and visual indication of alarm. The new BS5839 Part 1 compliant Nittan Evolution system installed at Bloomfield Shopping Centre is now in operation and meeting the needs of its customer. It provides the level of protection required from the cost of the equipment through to the installation and ongoing maintenance. The open protocol ensures the system can interface with the existing centre BMS and those in retail units.
