On the Case

The TelGuard system has been located at the front and back entrances of the development, which comprises 22 luxury apartments and a central courtyard between two, four-storey buildings, secured by automated gates. Residents use individual swipe cards or in-car proximity readers to open the gates automatically, while visitors communicate with residents via a telephone network. Residents can also see who their guests are through a pre-set channel on their television sets.

When visitors enter the apartment number on the TelGuard keypad, the unit speed dials the occupant's telephone number. Access is granted when the residents key in the hash key on their telephone sets. The system also enables residents to allow their guests entry to their homes when they are out and about, by using their mobiles.

Entry with a Sentry
DES has carried out the installation of a door entry system at Adam's House, part of the Guinness Trust's estate in Stamford Hill, which provides sheltered housing for elderly and frail East London residents. Thirty-five separate flats have been kitted out with Videx 524S phones, each of which has flashing light indicators for residents who are hard of hearing, and link in with vandal-resistant and rugged, yet aesthetically pleasing Sentry II panels at the doors.

The installation also required new doors to be fitted with magnetic locks, together with the panels, which are operated by a fob system. Although one of the doors had not had any type of entry system in place previously, DES was able to complete the work quickly because of the minimal wiring and installation requirements of the Sentry II. The panel is made from strong stainless steel and uses vandal-resistant component parts, and has been designed to cut down on nuisance calls, ensuring the residents enjoy peace and convenience within their homes.

Residents communicate with visitors using standard handsets. However the Sentry II can also be fitted with video links, allowing users to see who their guests are. The Videx system can be connected to as many as 225 separate dwellings with multiple entry doors.

Multi-phased needs
Perimeter Security has completed a multi-phase project to install a fully integrated CCTV, access control and car parking security solution to meet the needs of First Quench, the UK's largest off-licence operation, at its new premises at Welwyn Garden City. The project called for the provision of appropriate security measures while First Quench merged and relocated 200 staff to two new sites, as well as converting a former Xerox building to meet its needs.

While structural adaptation was taking place, Perimeter Security had to provide CCTV surveillance systems including Panasonic digital recorders to minimise risk and intrusion onto the site. Access restrictions were also put in place to provide First Quench staff with monitored access to different parts of the building depending on their level of responsibility. A proximity access control system was installed to provide the solution. John Hurst, security manager of First Quench explained the choice of card readers: "People feel comfortable with a card entry system. It is unobtrusive and does not inhibit staff and visitors."

Perimeter Security also secured the car park with parking barriers operated by an advanced proximity reader system with the technology to identify vehicles, while external CCTV were installed to monitor the usage of the car park.

Integration Odyssey
Honeywell has supplied, and supervised the installation of, an integrated building management system called the Enterprise Buildings Integrator (EBI) at the Odyssey Centre in Belfast. The installation, said to be the first of its kind, called for a high level of expertise in bringing the fully integrated infrastructure together.

No single company was able to provide the level of expertise required for the installation, so Honeywell acted as the mentor for bringing the project together, contracting JB Electrical to supply all the electrical services for the 23-acre site. In turn, JB Electrical sub-contracted Diamond Systems Group to install the CCTV, security and access control, and ATC Systems to put in the building energy management systems, while it installed the EBI software under Honeywell's supervision to enable all subsystems to link seamlessly.

The system now integrates fire, security, access control and building energy management systems for four venues at the Centre and is managed via three control rooms. One serves the 10,000-seat Arena sports and entertainment stadium, the second theW5 interactive science, engineering and technology centre, the third both the Pavilion and IMAX cinema. As the network runs across the whole site, each control room is able to supervise its own part of the complex during opening times, while handing over supervision to operators elsewhere at other times.

The entire installation was completed on time and on budget, says Odyssey's facilities manager, Brenda Mcilvar. A structured cabling infrastructure underpins the entire installation, providing 650 outlets for site management terminals and control desks, as well as field-mounted devices. These provide connection points for temperature, humidity and ventilation monitoring and control, building intruder detection and surveillance, access card readers, CCTV cameras and telemetry control. The cabling also saves on the cost of future upgrades.

Three applications can be accessed from any PC. The building's smoke and fire detection systems and evacuation routes can be monitored through Honeywell's LifeSafety Manager. Access and security is controlled via the Security Manager program, and the Building Manager program integrates and controls HVAC systems, lighting and energy usage, maintaining historical records, which can be collected from one second to 24 hours, as well as being able to alert operators if there are abnormal building conditions.

Sea change at the harbour
ADT Fire and Security's Portmouth branch has designed and installed a security system to cut down on the growing problem of vandalism and theft at Portsmouth Harbour.

The £1.5 million contract was awarded to ADT to design a system to protect the new development of shops, restaurants, hotels, entertainment complex, waterfront homes and berths for tall ships at Gunwharf Quays.

The development is part of a plan to revitalise Portsmouth Harbour. Nearly six million visitors are expected to come to Portsmouth Harbour every year, helping to re-create the nearby City's once vibrant culture of busy tradesmen and tourists.

The fully integrated fire and security system comprises CCTV, fire alarm with voice evacuation and a controlled entry-data monitoring system. All the tenants units are protected by 10 Minerva fire systems, which have 900 detectors and over 100 addressable interfaces.

A public address system helps to evacuate the area in the event of the fire alarm being activated. So far 150 high-speed pan and tilt CCTV cameras have been installed, with fibre optic links connecting camera functions and video signals to ensure clarity of image. And ADT has also installed an access control system and photo ID card printing facility.

In the control room, operators can manage the system from four independent positions. A 22 screen video wall with large priority event monitors ensures all operators are aware of the complex activities.

Images are digitally recorded and stored on 10 x 16 way Vicon Kollectors. The records are stored on the hard drive for 30 days, giving instant retrieval of the most recent incidents. Alarms are also monitored from ADT's alarm receiving centre.

Tried and tested
Nine years after installation at the National Trust owned estate, Polesden Lacey in Surrey, FAAC (UK) gate operators, specified and installed by Gate-a-Mation, are still giving excellent service. Gate-A-Mation installed FAAC's 400 hydraulic swing gate operators to control the elegant white timber swing gates, which control the entrance for up to 250,000 visitors during the April-November season.

The gates are also linked to the house by an intercom via a telephone line, which controls access to the house outside opening hours. Paul Dearn, manager at Polesden Lacey, says the intercom link provides highly effective access control, particularly when the estate plays host to special events outside normal opening hours.

Alan Smith, managing director of Gate-A-Mation, says the gate operator's reliability stems from its technological superiority as well as the regular servicing and maintenance it receives.

After the expiry of the initial 12-month warranty, the National Trust took out a maintenance agreement with Gate-A-Mation to ensure the gates did not malfunction during the estate's main season.

Gathering evidence
Tyco Integrated Systems was called in to install an automated number plate recognition (ANPR) system at three major ports in the South East, including the Channel Tunnel, to help Kent Constabulary keep track of vehicles entering and leaving the country in its fight against anti-terrorism, drugs, fraud, and theft.

The system can accurately read number plates from a wide range of countries, providing the police with intelligence and evidential support. Being an integrated system, it can be accessed by any police force or official agency in the UK.

When an enquiry or call for assistance comes in, speed and accuracy of detail in recognition are crucial, as the ANPR system is often required to provide the vital piece of evidential information on criminal activity.

The system has also received the backing of the insurance industry, and has been successful in preventing multi-million pound frauds and auto theft.

Within a matter of seconds of a car drawing up at a ticket booth at the ports, its registration details are linked to the brains of the system, providing almost instantaneous information on the vehicle.

To Boldly go
Bold Communications has supplied and installed an alarm management system at Liverpool Docks to monitor the myriad of alarm systems used to secure the port. The company installed a Bold RX2000 multi-protocol receiver and Mini-Bold alarm management software running on Microsoft Windows 2000.

Liverpool Police, who manage security at the Port, were looking for an upgrade to its system, which had been running for several years. "Our main concern was to find a reliable solution which could handle all the latest formats and protocols at the same time as being simple and functional for the operators," explained the port's crime prevention officer, Mike Chandler.

All the information about the systems and alarm events are held on the Bold database within the police communications room. When an incident occurs, event data is instantly accessed and actioned, and the system also provides a comprehensive log of historical data.

The Bold System fulfilled Liverpool Police's criteria perfectly. According to Mike, the Bold system works extremely well, and also gives the flexibility of expansion with new technology.

Backwards compatibility
Public Access Terminals (PAT) has installed an access control and ID management system that includes three separate modules from its ESi range – photo ID, visitor management and access control – at the Denmark Hill campus of Guy's, King's and St Thomas' School of Medicine at London's King's College.

It was chosen to allow backwards compatibility with an earlier software-based access control and ID production package – Security Manager – which had been installed at the premises by PAT using the Windows platform. By migrating to a modular, compatible system, the campus was able to save on costs.