Security Technology Executive

MAY-JUN 2015

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May/June 2015 • SECURITY TECHNOLOGY EXECUTIVE 17 www.SecurityInfoWatch.com B y Paul St ro h m communication between smart phones and tab- lets that keeps facility managers apprised of facility conditions. Users can work with their Integrator to create custom alarm sequences and establish a hierarchy of recipients based on the significance of the problem. This allows alarm message to go beyond the control center and into the field to the staff member's mobile device. The integrated system allows trouble shooting and corrections via mobile device for many incidents, so the physical presence of a staff person at the facility is not necessary. The system can even provide management with an audit trail showing how the issue was resolved and establishing accountability. In addition to remote access to BAS informa- tion, enterprise users expect more functionality regarding the application of data from integrated systems, observes Bill Lawrence, security divi- sion manager for CM3 Building Solutions, Inc. in Fort Washington, Pa. Many enterprise users realize stand-alone systems that function inde- pendently are obsolete because integration allows them to take advantage of all the data available from the various systems in a building. Appling all that data enables building operators to better understand how the facility functions as a whole and lets them make informed operational chang- es. Energy efficiency is an area that provides an obvious benefit with results that operators and occupants alike can see. Many organizations are taking their energy use data and publishing it to the smartphones of employees or displaying it on screens in common areas of the facility in order to educate occupants on energy efficiency and reinforce positive behaviors related to energy use. Lawrence notes that some of CM3's retail clients have found other uses for facility data derived from the integrated BAS. One client actually measures the impact of energy efficien- cy practices on sales using integrated technol- ogy. "By tracking and comparing In-store tem- perature data with sales data the retailer can learn what impact lower temperatures during the winter have on how much consumers spend in the store. This enables the retailer to find the perfect temperature to save energy without adversely affected store performance, generat- ing an identifiable ROI," he says. Another retailer has harnessed the power of security monitoring to its marketing efforts using analytics. Security cameras with analytics soft- ware monitor customer traffic in the store and discover what captures the consumer's attention. For example, the cameras and analytics will cap- ture how many customers stop at an end-cap dis- play and even what actions they take: looking, handling merchandise and even putting items into a cart for purchase. Retailers are also devel- oping ways to use consumer data contained in smart phones to send marketing messages direct- ly to consumers or to change the messages on in-store digital displays to match the interests of approaching shoppers. "Merging security analytics with marketing increases the ROI on these integrated systems that were originally focused on loss preven- tion by making them sales drivers as well," says Lawrence. Integration for ROI All the diverse systems within buildings—from HVAC, to access control, to lighting, to life safe- ty—matched with varied demands of each build- ing's users means that the integration needs of facilities are wide-ranging. Ultimately, the level of integration required depends on the spe- cific building, what type of work occurs there and the skill level of the facility management team. The system integrator must be the users trusted partner and understand the customer's needs. Serving as consultants, integrators pro- vide advice and guidance for customers to enable them to achieve the level of integration that works best for them. The integration strategy must meet the needs, skill-set and budget of the customer and this means one customer may get the most advanced integration system available while another does not. In the end, the amount of systems integrat- ed at a given building is not the most impor- tant factor to consider. Because for every facil- ity operator, integration must solve a problem if it is to deliver a positive ROI. Obviously this is why energy efficiency is so important to building For enterprise level Building Automation Systems (BAS) users the greatest demand is for proactive systems that help them save money, reduce energy consumption and keep the building secure. Image Courtesy of BigStock.com For enterprise level Building Automation Systems (BAS) users the greatest demand is for proactive systems that help them save money, reduce energy consumption and keep the building secure.

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