Needless to say, green buildings have become a global trend. In this regard, security can play a key role. This article examines how security systems can make buildings more sustainable, in addition to keeping them safe.
Needless to say, green buildings have become a global trend. In this regard, security can play a key role. This article examines how security systems can make buildings more sustainable, in addition to keeping them safe.
More and more, buildings stress sustainability and environmental friendliness. Benefits are manifold: Compared to non-green buildings,
LEED-certified buildings have 34 percent lower CO2 emissions, consume 25 percent less energy, and 11 percent less water. Growth of green buildings is also trending up: The global green buildings market size was US$516.66 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach around $1.37 trillion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 9.42 percent.
Being an important part of buildings, security systems can be quite useful in supporting building sustainability. “Modern security systems with the most advanced sensors have been the surprise go-to backup for green building initiatives, and it has been for as long as a decade ago,” said Patrick Lim, Group Strategy Director at Ademco Security Group. “Let’s face it, most green building systems are expensive to upgrade and replace, and they can be stagnant in technologies. Security sensors became the natural and dependable data gatherer for more dynamic environments.”
“Green buildings rely on automation and the effective use of data. IoT-enabled security devices communicate in real time with building automation platforms and support the use of predictive maintenance, thereby reducing waste and extending equipment lifespan,” said James Clark, Director of Sales for EMEA and APAC at AMAG Technology. “In summary, modern security systems aren’t just about keeping buildings safe, they are part of a holistic ecosystem that helps buildings use energy wisely, reduce waste, and create healthier, more sustainable environments.”
Ways security systems can boost building sustainability
Modern security systems can support building sustainability in numerous ways, some of which are summarized as follows.
Secure and sustainable by design
Building sustainability can significantly improve if the so-called “crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED)” principles were implemented during the building design phase to reduce unnecessary security equipment installations.
“If security systems are designed and planned according to CPTED principles, such as enhancing visibility to eliminate blind spots, using landscape and architectural design to guide traffic flow, reducing unnecessary entry/exit points, and implementing continuous improvement plans … this preventive design approach will not only reduce criminal motivation but also minimize the number of security devices and system scale required, thereby reducing the overall energy consumption of the security system. This creates a sustainable secure environment,” said Edison Chen, Service Head of Smart Buildings, Smart Infrastructure at Siemens Taiwan.
Environmental product features
More and more, security products come with environmental designs and features that can enhance building sustainability. “We provide low-power readers and controllers and consolidate device power on efficient PoE switches to conserve energy. On the video side, we minimize bandwidth and storage by using dynamic resolution scaling in our Symmetry CompleteView Video Management System, which serves the right stream for each device,” Clark said.
“Advanced security systems now focus on digital credentials … which dramatically reduce the use of plastic cards, tokens and printed visitor badges,” Lim said. “This not only reduce the risk of static token duplications, but also provide convenience while being environmentally friendly.”
Even for physical ID cards, they are now made with more environmentally friendly materials that can contribute in part to building sustainability. “In the ID card sector, manufacturers have begun replacing traditional PVC cards with biodegradable alternatives such as PLA (Polylactic Acid) derived from non-food corn sources or bamboo-based materials,” Chen said.
Security-building management integration
Finally, integrating security with the building management system (BMS) can significantly reduce buildings’ energy consumption and carbon footprint.
“Integrating security with building management unlocks actionable insights that drive sustainability. By connecting access control and visitor management with building systems, organizations can use the wealth of data from connected systems to understand how spaces are used throughout the day. These insights help facility teams identify which areas are busiest and which stay mostly empty, allowing them to fine-tune lighting, heating, and cooling. This reduces energy waste without compromising comfort or safety,” said Sarah Rodrigues, Chief Product Officer at Acre Security.
We’ll discuss security-BMS integration further in an upcoming article.