As operating costs such as fuel and electricity continue to increase, owners of commercial buildings are exploring options to reduce operating overhead.
As operating costs such as fuel and electricity continue to increase, owners of commercial buildings are exploring options to reduce operating overhead.
The solution
A recent trend in the Metropolitan marketplace has been to reduce operating costs by installing building wide access control systems on the “strategic security partner” model.
Access control is primary
At the heart of the Excel platform sits the Pinnacle access control system from Sielox, Runnemede, NJ. Sielox enterprise-capable Pinnacle software provides total control of the entire access control network, plus the ability to upgrade or reconfigure controllers, readers, proximity cards and other hardware remotely. It incorporates agile methodology for software development. The company also offers backward-compatible technology to support its legacy products.
Excel systems incorporating Sielox technologies are installed at a number of midtown Manhattan office buildings. After standard business hours the exterior doors to the facility are locked, with the locking controlled remotely at Excel’s Security and Data Command Center. Tenants who desire to gain access to the premises after hours must be equipped with an access control card and the appropriate access level (as determined by their employers in conjunction with building management). On presenting the card with the proper authorization to a proximity reader at the building’s exterior, they are granted entry to the facility.
The strategic security partner model
Building security doesn’t stop there. Once inside the facility, the tenant enters the elevator. Only on presenting the card to a proximity reader in the elevator cab itself can the tenant access the authorized floor or floors. If desired, the system can be extended to authorize only specified doors within the tenant’s space.
Saving with cable/DSL
The Sielox Pinnacle system gives Excel the capability of communicating with and monitoring all its remote buildings through cable or DSL lines, eliminating use of costly telephone lines for its multiplicity of applications. It also provides real-time remote event management and control functionality.
Partition databases are another benefit. Although Excel is the master controller of the security system, the software can be set up to allow multiple databases for tenants. Unique configuration and control functions to suit individual tenant requirements are available, with no chance of confusion or conflict because each is treated separately. There is no limit to the number of tenants that can be set up in their own unique partitions.
The platform in action
Excel’s fully-integrated platform is in action at the company’s Excel Data Command Center. On entering the facility, the visitor sees an array of 42" flat-panel video monitors. The monitors display live feeds from security cameras installed at covered commercial facilities around New York City. As a result, the need for overnight guard service has been eliminated at some facilities. Of course the model does not fit all buildings, but those capable of utilizing such a system reap the rewards immediately.
Since installing these systems, most companies’ bottom lines have improved. Building owners know they are getting not just an installation, but a strategic partner dedicated to providing cost-effective, secure solutions to their buildings’ needs.
The New York commercial market is large in terms of square footage, but it’s a small community of owners and managers where word travels fast. Notable among access control installations is the recently contracted work at one of the country’s leading retailers. The access control and administration applied here is aimed primarily at preventing both major theft and pilfering from stockrooms of the retail giant. Phase one of the installation is already complete. Even in its initial phase, the project has proven cost-effective to the client by reducing theft and providing accountability in the form of reports detailing employees who have accessed secure areas.
Product Adopted:Building