Economic Value of Intelligent Door Openings Will Continue to Grow   The growing sophistication and broader spectrum of choices available in electronic access control is leading to greater integration with total building controls and systems, with a consequent increase in the economic value of a door opening that goes beyond security concerns. As electronics play an ever-increasing role in managing a building's entrances, the added initial investment will be more than justified by the increased economic value that the opening generates. Access security and egress safety features are being combined into systems that also generate data for asset tracking or personnel scheduling. These and many other applications are reshaping the role of the opening and providing solutions that can be "dollarized." The resulting economic benefits are making electrified solutions more easily affordable by generating a much larger payback. Looking ahead, these are some of the areas where technology is driving greater integration of formerly diverse functions to deliver greater value. Creating the Intelligent Opening: As more openings are being equipped with access control systems that incorporate an ever-expanding technology, they can be managed so they will deliver an incremental value in other areas as well. Functions such as personnel scheduling or time and attendance recordkeeping can be automated. Networking of intelligent openings will improve building systems efficiency and allow the openings to be linked electronically to current building systems, using open architecture that is now being developed by at least one leading firm in the field. Even in multi-family residential properties, electronic keying or deadbolt systems such as E-Bolt are providing value by eliminating the need to replace or rekey locks when a new resident moves in, or when key control has been compromised. Old keys can be made inoperative, and the locks can be programmed to give specific keys access only on certain days and times for maintenance or cleaning services. Linking Components into a Door System No longer are the door's hardware components merely individual entities. The growing number of hardware choices increases the complexity of the opening and makes it necessary to ensure that all components work together. As more components become electrified, access control functions are joined with egress hardware, and sensors monitor the functions of mechanical hardware as well. In a networked system, for example, a malfunctioning closer or latch will be reported at once, which allows maintenance activities to be directed when and where they are most needed. The ever-growing list of electrified and electronic hardware choices helps make it easier than ever to customize an opening so it performs the exact functions needed for its location and usage. Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies will continue to innovate and adapt products to the demands of the market and provide greater economic value through added functions and capabilities. Linking Openings into a Building System Greater economic value will accrue from leveraging individual door systems into the total building network. Where such networks exist, they demonstrate that managing 50 doors on one system is much easier and more cost-effective than managing each individual opening. Replacing locks or rekeying, which formerly required much of a locksmith's attention, can be all but eliminated with an electronic access control system such as E-Bolt. Moreover, the maintenance function will be reduced dramatically through the addition of diagnostics to the door, a practical feature that will make it possible to determine when to maintain the door before something breaks, much like the predictive maintenance that is applied to industrial equipment or a car's engine. It is important to consider all the components of each opening, including how they work together, and how they can be integrated into the overall building network. This should include the mechanical hardware, as well as standalone electronic locks, network systems with biometrics, to integration of all technologies. Integration technology, such as that offered by ETC, now makes it possible to tie together access control and egress safety with time and attendance. In one example of a total system approach, Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport is renovating its entire terminal, including a complete upgrade of its entire access control system. Here, Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies is partnering with the building controls supplier that holds the overall contract. The implementation may be done in several phases, but the airport is being wired and prepared now for all areas where biometrics could be used in the future. More and more, integrated building systems are internet driven, which allows remote monitoring of a door over the internet, from any location. This not only improves security but also makes it more efficient to administer with lower staff costs. For example, if a user presents an invalid credential, a signal will alert a security officer, who can redirect a camera to view the opening. Such technology already is available but soon will see more widespread use. Generating More Data and Mining it for Value From a building owner or facility manager's viewpoint, thinking of the opening as an engineered system instead of a collection of individual components will provide the ability to gather data that can be "mined" in many different ways, in addition to making installation easier, lowering its cost, and increasing up-time. Personnel scheduling is one such area. Especially when biometrics from Recognition Systems, Inc. are brought into the picture, the ability to manage and control staffing becomes much easier and more accurate. Asset tracking is another practical use of the data gathering process. As we move toward greater use of RF technology with tagged assets, it will become easier to gather more data automatically and passively. With an RF tag, it will be easy to know that an asset passed through an opening without any direct action, such as swiping a card or entering a PIN code. Although the practical implementation of this technology may be a few years in the future, it already is a distinct possibility. Growing Uses of Biometrics Driven by both security concerns and the desire for efficiency, biometric applications such as those offered by Recognition Systems, Inc., are growing faster than ever. According to Frost & Sullivan's World Biometric Report 2002, hand geometry continues to be the dominant biometric technology for access control and time-and-attendance applications. It is especially well-suited for handling large volumes of transactions where a high degree of reliability is required. Although biometrics first was seen as a high security solution, it now is being used more extensively in colleges, banks, corporate campuses, small businesses and similar everyday applications. While installation costs for a biometric system may be higher than a card system, the estimated costs of $15 to $30 per card in addition to the costs of administrating the system make biometrics a sound investment. Biometric systems also are more secure than cards or keys because they make it easy to remove someone from the system and be assured that they are out, and they eliminate the hassle of reissuing credentials. Access control issues focus primarily on security, and biometric data is gaining wider popularity because it shows who came through which opening and when. Keys or card-based systems only show that a card, key or PIN number accessed the opening. Time-and-attendance is perhaps the most straightforward use, where it can save up to 5% of payroll costs by eliminating "buddy punching" and removing the cost and administrative problems of badges. In typical applications, the payback can be measured in weeks. Since biometric time-and-attendance is actually a transaction-verifying technology, it also can be used in a membership setting to validate that people actually are who they say they are. In health clubs, for example, it helps protect revenues and cut losses from people sharing a membership. It also can reduce manpower needed at the front desk to verify membership and reduce liability by enhancing security. One check cashing firm uses hand geometry to validate the identity of regular customers, which provides convenience to the members and also helps reduce losses that could occur from incorrectly cashing lost or stolen checks. Another trend will be toward the greater use of biometric profiles, either in a network system or carried with the individual on a "smart card." Recognition Systems, Inc. recently introduced a hand geometry reader that is integrated with a read/write contactless smart card, which eliminates the need to distribute biometric templates across a network of readers or to create an access control system to manage the templates. For applications where access points are widespread and difficult or impossible to link in a network, the card will make the use of biometrics easier to implement and manage. In addition, since the template resides only on the card, this solution eases privacy concerns. For systems that are more contained, such as on a single campus, the use of network systems undoubtedly will continue. For airports, government buildings and other high-security areas, biometrics will continue to be the only practical solution to controlling access. The Transportation Security Administration, created by Legislation signed after September 11, will be conducting Beta tests at 20 airports to test new and emerging technology, including biometric systems such as those already in use at the San Francisco airport and many others in the US and abroad. Easier Installation & Less Maintenance It would seem that an opening able to provide so many alternatives would have to be more complex, but manufacturers are working toward solutions that will simplify both installation and maintenance. Simplified wiring systems now being developed will make installation easier and minimize chances for error. At the same time, door systems are being designed with diagnostic capabilities that pinpoint installation errors, aid in adjustment and assist with troubleshooting over the life of the product. Even mechanical hardware is being designed to increase user value and profitability. One example is the growing use of VandlgardTM vandal-resistant lever trim that gives way under abuse or attack instead of breaking. By eliminating these incidents, it saves replacement costs and protects security as well. Another such product is the recessed exit device that helps minimize damage by carts and gurneys while also improving corridor clear-width and aesthetics. These are just some of the many economic values that intelligent openings are now providing and will provide on an even greater scale very shortly. By some estimates, there could be 10 to 20 or even more such values, depending on how the components are integrated into the opening and the facility's overall system. Back To Top