What traits should end users be looking for in their chosen security installer? We examine a recent project undertaken for Ernst & Young by First City Care, where two-way dialogue, attention to detail and investment in training played their part in a successful access set-up.
Ernst & Young's new UK headquarters are a little bit special. Positioned within the More London development, and just a stone's throw from the City and West End, the ten-storey development sprawls over 380,000 square feet and is highly innovative in its design. Frankly, you'd expect nothing less of a plot of land that's the brainchild of celebrated architectural mastermind Sir Norman Foster.

The building is finished completely in glass, much like Foster and Partners' much-talked about egg-shaped structure for the Greater London Authority on the South Bank, which also sits within the More London complex. There are 13 acres of landscaped public spaces here, with hotels, further office space, retail outlets, cafes, bars and restaurants all in the pipeline.

The overall objective for the project is openness and sustainability, with good accessibility sitting alongside effective security to benefit the working community (comprising 12-15,000 people), general public and visitors alike. A new, mixed use district for the heart of the Capital, then.

From inception to completion
The Ernst & Young building serves as a fine example of how installer and end user must work together from project inception to completion if a robust systems solution is to be realised. Thorough meetings were conducted between First City Care and the client's design team prior to project start, with the agreed upon integrated system – comprising access control, CCTV and alarm monitoring – now installed in the wake of co-ordination advice from Arup Security Consulting.

State-of-the-art software and hardware at the core of the new security set-up has been supplied by manufacturer Geoffrey Industries. Refreshingly, the company strongly believes in the value of good training and advice.

Technical director Mark Chapmanadds told SMT: "As we're working with developing technologies such as biometric control, it's essential that our teams of engineers are equipped with the best possible technical qualifications. We view the provision of in-depth training as an essential investment. It's one that, in turn, will benefit our clients as we're able to offer them the best possible after-sales service."

In a similar vein, First City Care's chairman Grahame Harding – himself a qualified electronics engineer – believes that installers must possess an essential mixture of both technical and interpersonal skills.

"End users should be looking for a systems installer that offers a welcoming and open approach to problem solving. At First City Care we don't have a sales force as such because all of the people who liaise with clients and prospective clients are skilled engineers."

This pro-active approach to client servicing has attracted the attention of other business partners such as GE Interlogix, who have resultantly made First – appointed to the Ernst & Young job by McAlpine/Mace Joint Venture – an Enterprise Technologies business partner. Part of GE Industrial Systems, GE Interlogix has operations in over 25 countries, and is represented by some of the best-known brand names in the industry for intrusion and fire detection, access and building control and surveillance monitoring.

Taking a pro-active stance
At the Ernst & Young building, GE Interlogix's Casi access control system (which has been used in buildings belonging to most of the Fortune 500 companies) integrates with Interlogix Kalatel digital CCTV equipment. The Casi systems incorporate the latest card reader technology as well as a wide selection of security management software that provides a platform for security systems linking office locations anywhere in the world to one system.

"Effective electronic security starts with good customer relationships," added Grahame Harding, whose company provides a one-stop shop for end users in the financial, legal and accountancy sectors. "The better installers out there will carefully discuss client needs by thoroughly reviewing physical system layouts, and then designing electronic security systems to the highest specifications." So now you know.

Facing up to EU legislation on passports

On 24 September last year, the European Commission presented a draft law governing the standardisation of EU visas and residence permits. The proposed law defines which identification and travel documents will be equipped with biometric features, and which biometric technologies are to be used. The document also sets the timetable for implementation, writes Brian Sims.

In addition, it’s intended to bring forward the timetable for the new EU visa, which requires all Member States to include facial images as the primary biometric feature in visas by 2005 (rather than 2007, as required by current law).

The draft law is the consequence deriving from measures to combat international terrorism in the wake of September 11. Ever since, of course, the focus of political discussion has been on Government actions to improve border security (‘Strong in attack... Civil in defence’, SMT, February 2004, pp18-20), as well as the control of entry and residence permits – particularly in the US and Europe.

Facial recognition is intended to be the primary biometric feature. Fingerprint recognition will be implemented as a secondary biometric feature (initially, only two prints per person are to be stored). Iris recognition was rejected by the EU, and isn’t considered suitable for ID and travel documents.

Eventually, both the facial image and the fingerprint will be stored on contactless microchips. The raising of security standards doesn’t stop there, though. There are also calls for an international standard for biometrics-based travel documents. Officials in Germany and the US are already working towards this goal for heightened security.

Source

SMT