Integrator Meets Lofty High-Rise Requirements
An installing contractor leverages its expertise in integrating high-volume electronic turnstiles and security management systems in the lobbies of six Boston commercial towers. Fussy architects and ad hoc work schedules pose more than a few headaches and hurdles.
Integrating High-End Turnstiles
Prior to kicking off an installation at each of the buildings, Spectrum would meet with the end user and the general contractor to determine the best location to install panels for the electronic turnstiles. An emphasis was placed on identifying a room with a secure, climate-controlled environment.
“Most of the work for the access control systems was done in the basements,” says Terrence Kilduff, Spectrum’s manager of security operations. “So we’d find a network room in the basements — an IDF [Intermediate Distribution Frame] closet of sorts — or an electrical or telephone room. In most cases they are behind a card access door.”
Having identified a well-positioned room for their panels, Spectrum techs would run conduits from that location to just underneath the lobby floors, which they would then penetrate and hook up the turnstiles.
To meet the demands of heavy traffic flow, as well as to fulfill visual considerations, Spectrum installed turnstiles from Gunnebo and Smarter Security. The outer body of the slim-line units consists mainly of glass or stainless steel and could be fitted with custom millwork, stone or Corian-type materials to match the aesthetics of each lobby. Glass barriers with cold cathode beams also provide a unique lighting and visibility component to the installations.
Importantly, per Boston code compliance, all turnstiles and maglock doors were tied into the fire alarm system. In the event of an alarm, the devices fail open to allow unfettered movement.
A HID Global Thinline II proximity card reader is built into each of the turnstiles for employee use, allowing tenants to manage their own access control systems and databases. To fulfill this capability, Spectrum installed a reader router to direct transaction information from the lobby turnstiles to the tenant systems. This provides tenants the ability to view the activity of their employees, providing greater control over their security management systems.
Employee card credentials control passage through turnstiles and, in addition, manage elevator floor access. Every tenant, employee and visitor has to use this system, including all vendors and contractors. The turnstiles also restrict the public’s access to elevators and back areas of the buildings. However, people are able to freely peruse retail areas of the buildings such as cafes, dry cleaners, restaurants and health clubs.
One of the critical tasks Spectrum had to prevail over was trying to determine what the maximum throughput was at any given time in a given building to ensure there were enough enrollment kiosks, as well as enough turnstiles to prevent visitor stacking.
“There was a lot of initial design work and a lot of auditing, which is something we do for all of our turnstile projects,” Feldman says. “We actually ascertain how many people are going through a given portal within any minute of the day to make sure there are enough turnstiles, so there is never more than a 5-second delay to get through.”
Video Surveillance Needs Fulfilled
Video surveillance capability was added to each installation so that building personnel can keep watch on the lobbies, as well as record actionable evidence in the event of litigation such as a personal injury lawsuit.
The number of cameras installed at each project site varies; Pelco analog fixed cameras are mounted to watch each entry and exit, as well as placed overhead of each turnstile lane. Cameras are also installed inside every freight elevator and in the freight and passenger elevator lobbies.
While analog cameras were chosen for the jobs, Spectrum took the initi
ative to help its client transition to IP down the road.
“We tried to prepare ourselves as best as possible with the cabling so when the customer is ready to go to IP the infrastructure is already in place,” Kilduff says. “So we used UTP structured cable. As a result now the customer already has the cabling in place.”
All camera cabling goes back to a centralized security command center. A secure rack is installed in the command center, equipped with a rack-mount SMS server, flat-panel LCD display, KVM switch, uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and Integral DVRs from Pelco.
“These are high-rise buildings in a major metropolitan city and as such remain major targets for terrorism, theft and assault,” says Feldman. “Symmetry Video assists security personnel in monitoring the facility perimeter and protecting the building’s tenants.”
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About the Author
Rodney Bosch, Senior Editor
Although Bosch’s name is quite familiar to those in the security industry, his previous experience has been in daily newspaper journalism. Prior to joining SECURITY SALES & INTEGRATION in 2006, he spent 15 years with the Los Angeles Times, where he performed a wide assortment of editorial responsibilities, including feature and metro department assignments as well as content producing for latimes.com. Bosch is a graduate of California State University, Fresno with a degree in Mass Communication & Journalism. In 2007, he successfully completed the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association’s National Training School coursework to become a Certified Level I Alarm Technician.
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