How Can Access Control Card Readers Integrate With Smart Building Systems?

The contemporary office building is less of a static presence built of concrete and steel, and more like an interactive network designed to optimise efficiency and security as well as the end user’s experience. The focal point of this smart environment is a piece of technology that resides in access control card reader. [For those unfamiliar with the concept, we are not in the intelligent forest anymore: A couple of decades back, an access control card reader was just a dumb device to unlock doors… Today? These are data gathering devices and command hubs]. When tightly integrated with the rest of a building’s connected systems, they become much more than security devices; they become central nervous systems for its entire property. The combination results in an integrated, automated and proactive environment that predicts and adjusts to requirements for optimized operations.

What Makes up a Smart Building Ecosystem?

In order to understand the importance of access control, you first need to know what a smart building is. Such ecosystem typically is defined by a system-of-networks of interconnected network sub-systems that interoperate on common protocol, and often are centrally controlled or managed using a host (or head-end) software platform. These critical systems include HVAC for heating and cooling, lighting control, video surveillance, fire and life safety alarms and energy management plus occupancy sensors. All of these systems are operating in siloes and as a result users experience fragmentation and problems with efficiency. The intent of integration is to tear down these silos and enable data and commands to traverse them resulting in a unified action-oriented model.

How Do Card Readers Turn Into Data Hubs?

The main purpose of access control card readers model is to verify identity and authorise access. But all these authentications generate useful data. When a worker swipes his or her credential at a reader, the system does not simply record an arrival; it generates an exact, time-stamped account of someone’s presence at a particular spot. This real-time occupancy information is the golden thread that connects and runs through the entire smart building. Once this is enabled the location tracking data provides an excellent facility to use for a cascade of automatic actions (far beyond that just opening a door) when used in conjunction with other building control systems.

How does integration enhance the energy and environmental control?

The most important advantages gained from such an integration involve effects on energy efficiency and environmental mitigation. Consider a large office building. Integrating the access control system with HVAC and lighting means buildings can move beyond a rigid schedule to a dynamic, occupant-sensing model. When that first employee badges in at the front door of the building, for example, the system could tell the HVAC to bring their corresponding floor or zone up to a comfortable temperature. On the other hand, when the access control system makes sure that there are no more people in a certain area, it can make an automatic order to HVAC which is to put into its energy-saving mode (stimulus) and turn off lights. Reactive Control The granular cooling paradigm of the Sensi platform prevents inefficiently conditioning entire empty spaces, saving on considerable energy and lowering financial cost and carbon footprint.

Is It Possible for Access Control to Improve Perimeter Security?

Access control isn't just for interior office doors. It is also important for controlling the perimeter of a building, such as vehicle entrances. Here, the integration can include custom hardware such as a doorking slide gate operator for a garage or secure entry lane. When an authorized vehicle in a fully integrated situation would arrive, the driver shows his credential. The gate and the access control card readers at the gate validate the credential and then, if validated, a command signal is sent to slide open to doorking slide gate operator allowing access. At the same time, an associated building video management system can be commanded to record the event and display in real time a view from one of an associated camera to security. This in turn affords a layered, automated level of security response that is effective and failsafe, allowing only the correct vehicles and individuals access to their property.

How does it affect occupant experience and safety?

And beyond efficiency and security, integration radically enhances the user experience of occupiers. Employees do not need separate badges or apps for entering a building, getting into the parking lot or using shared amenities such as printer stations or conference rooms. One card, controlled by a single access control system, can enable access throughout the whole facility. Furthermore, safety is profoundly enhanced. In cases of a fire alarm, this integrated system may provide first responders with live reports on the occupancy of particular zones informing them which are still occupied. It may also independently unlock certain egress paths or fail safe a magnetic lock while maintaining security at perimeter gates operated, for example, by a doorking slide gate operator to keep an intruder out during the emergency.

Conclusion

A new era of the stand-alone access control card readers is ending. Its destiny is as a component in an integrated if smart building system. By providing instantaneously up-to-date occupancy and identity data, it enables all other building systems to be more intelligent, efficient and responsive. With its intuitive system architecture and interoperability across all security applications, Software House C•CURE 9000 becomes the building block of any smart business solution. Python Programming behind C•CURE 9000 allows for BACnet routing and lighting triggers that drive customer business logic; at every turn¹ this is a smart system! It's this concerted approach that has helped dozens of other real estate companies respect asset data efforts from a group of laboriously reactive tasks into the bright, big picture strategy to which both owners, operators and tenants are all after.