Access control systems should allow for expansion

Access control system improvement can be costly in terms of money and in design time. The most cost-effective way to upgrade is to build on what exists – improving what should already work well. There are four key points to remember when designing a system.

• Avoid redundancy. Ensure the system allows for future expansion but with minimal equipment redundancy. For example, you will want to retain as much existing kit as possible and simply add to it. The critical issues are system flexibility – modular systems are best in this respect – and the quality and power of the controller.
• Get green. Environmental considerations and energy efficiency will be an important factor for businesses over the coming years. Building management systems are often expensive, however. Some of the more flexible access control systems, such as the Impro64+, can act cost-effectively as a BMS, turning on and off the electricity for specific areas and appliances.
• Stay safe. The ability to turn electricity on and off has safety implications. Installing a keypad reader to heavy duty machinery means only licensed operators can use it, an important issue in an increasingly litigious world. The same principle can be applied to hazardous areas which employees are not allowed to enter alone. Dual tagging can be used to ensure access is granted only when two tags are presented to the reader within a set time frame.
• Pick an open platform. This should mean an access control system can integrate not only with third-party equipment but also with software such as security systems. Combining access control with time-and-attendance software is not so common, but it is a powerful human resources tool that shows who is on the premises, where and for how long. The system can be set to require a “reason code” before an employee leaves his area during working hours.

Original print headline - Future Proofing Access Control