Property Management Buys In to Biometrics

Biometrics is also making its mark in property management by helping secure facilities and ensuring the safety of residents. Multidwelling units (MDUs) and apartment complexes house millions of Americans, and represent a huge opportunity to integrators looking to “access” that market. SecureCom Group of East Elmhurst, N.Y., designs, assembles, tests, installs and maintains integrated security systems for residential and commercial buildings throughout New York City and Long Island. The company leverages emerging technologies to deliver clients cutting-edge solutions such as biometrics-based access control.

One of the integrator’s recent projects was Knickerbocker Village — a vintage apartment complex comprised of about 1,600 units and 12 buildings nestled between the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges. Knickerbocker management sought to update the property’s security and access control system to protect its roughly 4,000 residents. Tracking how many people come through the doors, how often, and which of them are known and unknown users was a primary concern and objective for Knickerbocker’s property manager, Vincent Callagy.

SecureCom took a futuristic approach, electing to go with the FST21 SafeRise solution. It incorporates biometric fusion technology that provides “In Motion Identification” and authenticates individuals using a combination of facial, voice and behavioral recognition. No keys, cards or codes are required.

“A key concern is assurance the company we choose will be committed to the project. We need to know the technology will deliver what it says it will, and is reliable,” says SecureCom’s Brian McLaughlin. “You have to be careful with new technologies, so we are cautious and had to get comfortable with FST21 and know we could count on them. I knew that this technology could be a huge help to a large complex like Knickerbocker and how they handle access control of so many people in multiple areas.”

McLaughlin says the end user was impressed with the solution, not only its basic access functions but also the software’s ability to provide tracking, documentation and tenant control. “Once he understood all its capabilities and how it could enhance managing the comings and goings at the complex, we moved ahead with the installation,” he explains. “This technology is probably the most exciting I’ve ever come into contact with. This is the future. As far as key fobs and hand scans, I believe in five years from now those types of technologies are going to be viewed as old and antiquated.”

Daniel Peled is Vice President of Sales & Marketing for FST21 (fst21.com).

 

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