Using access control to make a building smarter – helping end users improve operational and management efficiency – has been cited as a major trend in access control for 2017 by CEM Systems, which also listed some other developments to watch for.
Using access control to make a building smarter – helping end users improve operational and management efficiency – has been cited as a major trend in access control for 2017 by
CEM Systems, which also listed some other developments to watch for.
“There are many trends and topics which will dominate the security industry this year. These include the growth of ‘smart security systems’ and ‘intelligent smart applications’ which add value beyond security, as well as the growing use of mobile credentials, wireless/offline locks and multi-modal biometrics,” said Philip Verner, Sales Director for EMEA at CEM Systems.
Smart buildings and smart intelligent security
Like its video counterpart, access control is also moving beyond security to provide users with intelligence and business value. This is manifested through access control in smart buildings.
“Going beyond the physical security realm, the access control system needs to pay for itself and add real measurable value to businesses. This can be achieved by either reducing operational costs or by doing more by enhancing operational efficiencies,” Verner said. “A recent example of a CEM Systems ‘smart building’ deployment is the new iconic ‘One Albert Quay’ project in Cork, Ireland. Renowned as ‘Ireland’s smartest building,’ One Albert Quay has all its critical systems including lighting, heating, power, access control, video, fire detection and fire suppression all connected to enable the smart use of data.
Yet security is still an important part in a smart building and should not be ignored. “From a security viewpoint, the access control system and integrated subsystems such as video, fire and intrusion. need to work smarter for the user, with systems accurately sharing information and data to optimize total building performance,” Verner said. “As the industry moves more towards preventative security measures, the role of systems integration and the unified gathering of analytics from building ‘data’ becomes even more profound. After all, intelligent security shouldn’t be about capturing the event after it has happened. 2017 will see the growing use of collaborative building data and analytics to look at vulnerabilities before they happen.”
Mobile credentials
Another growing trend in the industry is the use of mobile phone credentials, which carry many benefits including easier provisioning and greater user experience. “After all some people forget their ID card, but no one forgets their phone. The benefit of the mobile credential is that it saves time and the cost of physically sending out an ID card, making it an ideal solution for businesses with remote workers and numerous remote sites,” Verner said. “Obtaining a card from one central location can be a hindrance as it’s often a distance away. Rather than users having to visit the ID unit to obtain a card they simply download an app via the iOS or Android platform store and the credential is swiftly sent to their smartphone and enabled via email.”
Multi-modal biometrics
To overcome biometric reliability challenges, the industry is moving towards ‘multi-modal (dual) biometrics’ as a more sophisticated and reliable biometric option. “To ensure higher levels of reliability, 2017 will continue to see dual biometric checks like iris/face and fingerprint/vein being deployed at the same time. The combination of the two biometric options gives users a much more superior read and the fusion of these two technologies provides low failure to enroll rates,” Verner said.
Wireless/offline locks
According to Verner, the wireless/offline locks trend will indeed continue to grow throughout 2017 as they are installed into areas such as server room racks and cabinets. “With wireless locks data and analytics fully integrated into the access system for central monitoring and reporting, customers have a comprehensive and powerful platform that not only enables the smart gathering of data but supports the growing trend towards smart buildings,” he said.