Interoperability in mixed-use properties: The critical role of open standards and integrators

Security system interoperability for mixed-use properties enables seamless communication between different systems owned by tenants. In this regard, open standards are essential. Systems integrators, meanwhile, also play a critical role in ensuring interoperability is successfully implemented.
 

Open standards: Making interoperability possible

 
Mixed-use properties are occupied by different tenants, for example offices, retail shops and restaurants, who use different security systems. To have these systems communicate effectively with one another, open standards are a must.
 
“Open standards are what make interoperability possible at scale. Without them, every connection between systems requires custom development work. Custom development doesn’t scale across a multi-tenant property where systems change constantly as tenants come and go,” said Angelo Salvatore, VP of Business Development for APAC at OpenEye.
 
Some of the open standards now in use include ONVIF, which enables IP cameras and video management systems from different brands to interoperate; and BACnet, which facilitates communication between building systems such as fire alarms, HVAC, and automation systems. OSDP and Modbus are also used.
 
“Open standards are what turn interoperability from a concept into a capability. Open standards like those from ONVIF define a common communication framework for IP-based security devices, including cameras, access control readers and video management systems, so products from different manufacturers can work together without custom integrations,” said Leo Levit, Chairman of ONVIF. “In multi-tenant properties, where tenants make independent procurement decisions and those change over time, that flexibility matters. When a new tenant moves in with their preferred vendor, using open standards like ONVIF means integration doesn't have to start from scratch.”
 
Verghese Thirumala, MD of Maxitulin, cites one of their projects as an example that a lack of open standards may not only inconvenience tenants but also expose them to security risks.
 
“We have seen this in Singapore when I did a security audit in a multi-rise building for supply chain. The building landlord has his cameras in the public area. The tenant has his own cameras on his floors. Now, if there is an incident that affected the tenants in a public area, the protocol is quite heavy to get access to the landlord's CCTV,” he said. “And the tenants are not allowed to install cameras in the public area. That is another challenge. So what should be done is using ONVIF, so that there should be one common platform that can come and talk to different brands.”
 

Deployment tips for systems integrators

 
To make sure different systems in multi-tenant properties can communicate with each other effectively, the system integrator plays a pivotal role. Below we look at what integrators should do to successfully implement interoperability in mixed-use properties.
 

Understand the needs and requirements of different stakeholders

 
To ensure successful implementation, the integrator must first gain a clear understanding of the needs and requirements of landlords, tenants and other stakeholders.
 
“A lot of companies can do a wonderful installation, or they can lay the cable very well, they can place the camera very well, they can have the whole system in place. But the biggest challenge in a retail mall is very different from the security of a bank or from a supply chain. So whoever designs it has to have a clear understanding of the operation of that business – how does the malls operate? Or if there is a hospital in the mall, how does it operate? These are all very different. And the system integrator needs to understand that. Unless he understands that, he will not be able to provide the right solution,” Thirumala said.
 

Lead the conversation early in the process

 
The system integrator should assume a leadership role, making sure that everyone is on the same page when it comes to purchasing equipment and defining policies.
 
“That means leading the conversation about standards early – during the planning and purchasing stage. Not waiting until installation to find out that a tenant’s preferred camera only works with one vendor’s software. ONVIF compliance and RTSP support need to be written into purchasing requirements from the start. Not optional, not something that gets removed to save money on a lower-cost camera that locks everyone in,” Salvatore said.
 

Ensure scalability for future tenant additions and technology upgrades

 
According to Salvatore, it’s also vital for SIs to plan for the changes that will definitely come. “In a multi-tenant property, change is constant. Tenants leave. Spaces get divided or combined. A camera plan that made sense when a lease was signed can look completely wrong three years later. The system needs to be able to handle that without having to be redesigned from the beginning each time,” Salvatore said.
 
He adds: “Installing the system is the beginning, not the end. The integrators who understand that – who stay involved, keep the systems working together, and advise as the property evolves – are the ones who build long-term customer relationships. The ones who install and leave get replaced.”
 
Dhananjay Birwadkar, Founder and Principal of ARRC Global, echoes those remarks, saying when dealing with mixed-use properties, SIs should see themselves not as mere integrators but as “system strategists” to be able to turn disparate systems into a coherent whole.
 
“The future of multi-tenant security hinges on bringing together physical, digital, and operational domains – convergence. Interoperability is the bridge that makes this convergence possible. Without strong architectural leadership, integration degenerates into a patchwork of ad hoc fixes; with it, the property becomes a resilient, intelligent asset capable of withstanding evolving threats and embracing new technologies,” he said.