Multi-tenant buildings demand smart access solutions. Boon Edam managing director Michael Fisher explains how to integrate security, design and functionality...

Managing the entry journey into multi-tenanted commercial buildings—for both staff and visitors—is a complex consideration for builders and developers.

It’s one that is becoming increasingly prevalent, as Australia’s stock of non-residential buildings now exceeds one million*, of which approximately 80 per cent are mid-tier office buildings**, and of that number, approximately 70 per cent are multi-tenanted—higher in CBD areas***. So, if we extrapolate that data, there are at least half a million multi-tenanted commercial buildings in Australia, and likely even more.

When muti-storey buildings are multi-tenanted, it means the security, entry, and aesthetic requirements can vary on different levels—or even particular suites and areas within levels, creating a complex tapestry of design and construction requirements for new developments.

Planning and design considerations

When designing and constructing new buildings, it’s always better to think about the ideal entry and visitor experience, and design the building around this, rather than trying to add it on once construction is complete. That way it’s fit-for-purpose, rather than looking like an afterthought.

Another good opportunity for good ideas is when the building reaches its refurbishment cycle point, which is becoming shorter, as buildings compete for tenants, with a sharp focus on energy-efficiency, security, and aesthetics.

In both new developments and refurbishments, many different stakeholders will need to come together so that the ideal system and solution can be reached. Foot traffic into buildings can be affected by staff numbers, visitor numbers, and building location (is it close to a mass transit hub, for example, or is it out of town with staff carparks on site?).

To eliminate choke points and offer the most seamless flow, developers should consider disability access, fire escapes, functionality of technologies (do the speed gates integrate with the lifts via a lift destination control system, for example?).

Working with the Building Code of Australia (BCA) and relevant Australian Standards is also important, to make sure each piece of the entry system puzzle is compliant and designed to perform the correct functionality.

Seamless entry

When considering an entry journey, the goal is always to make it feel seamless. The worker or visitor should, ideally, be able to intuitively move from outside the building to where they need to go, with minimal effort or hindrances.

Achieving seamless entry is no small feat, though. It often involves a combination of several different systems working in harmony, including revolving doors, speed gates, access control systems, visitor management systems, and lifts.

As a specialist in revolving doors and security entrance systems, Boon Edam’s technologies are typically the most visible in the journey, and therefore must be aesthetically pleasing, and blend in with the surrounding finishes of the building.

It’s a fine balance with entrance security—it needs to perform a “deterrent” role to stop intruders from attempting to seek unauthorised access, but it must also blend in unobtrusively with the lobby, floor, or building exterior.

Security considerations

Security is one of the top considerations for multi-tenanted buildings. Protecting people, equipment, data, and IP is paramount. Companies taking out leases in these buildings want to see that unauthorised entry—whether it’s an opportunist, or a sophisticated attacker—will be prevented by the building’s physical security.

Multi-tenant commercial building security may involve:

Speed gates in the front lobby that only allow authorised personnel to proceed to the lifts or internal areas of the building. These can sometimes be combined with security or reception staff, who can assist with visitor entry, or respond when the speed gates set off an alarm that someone is attempting to tailgate and gain unauthorised entry. Companies that have their own floor may wish to add a second layer of speed gates on that level, so that anyone who arrives on their floor must go through a second layer of identification before proceeding.

Security revolving doors, or high security portals to protect highly valuable areas such as data and server rooms. Where companies require an additional layer of protection, a security revolving door, or high security portal can prevent unauthorised access to a floor or area.

Where a speed gate can raise the alarm, which must be responded to, these higher security technologies can make sure only an authorised person enters, and that they are exactly who they claim to be. This can be achieved through biometric scanning.

For example, Boon Edam’s StereoVision is an overhead sensor system that uses a combination of optical and near-infrared sensors to prevent piggybacking and unauthorised entry in a security revolving door or high security portal. The technology measures the time it takes light to travel from the overhead system to an object in the compartment and back. In doing so, StereoVision can accurately tell the difference between two people entering at the same time versus one person entering alone, even if the individual is carrying additional equipment such as a bag or suitcase. The sensor system is not affected by sunlight or reflections.

Access control systems, which integrate with the technologies above, and with lifts, for example, to control who is given access, based on the credentials they submit, often via a card. It’s important to make sure, up front, that all these different technologies can talk to each other. It’s equally important that physical equipment, like speed gates, can house relevant third-party equipment such as facial recognition cameras, card readers, palm readers, lift destination control systems, QR readers, biometric readers, and more.

Visitor considerations

Visitors have a different experience to commercial buildings, compared to staff who work there regularly. They are likely to be less familiar with the layout, and need additional guidance to reach their destination.

Multi-tenant commercial building visitor management may involve:

Specialised visitor management systems: These are systems where the visitor signs in, and is given a temporary access card, or an employee is alerted to come down to meet them in the lobby, for example.
Induction and welcome videos: Some buildings may require all visitors to watch an induction video, which may educate them on safety and emergency procedures – and this can be integrated into the visitor management system.
Access to particular areas: Where do you want visitors to be able to access? Are there shared facilities like a café, for example. It’s important that the visitor management system and the access control system knows this, and controls access accordingly, via entrance security technologies.

Utilising data

During the specification phase, we are often asked how many lanes will be needed for speed gates, or how many revolving doors will be required, and using existing building data can help arrive at the optimum result. The most essential data includes total building population, and total number of entrances.

Sometimes, more detailed data is available via software from a lift manufacturer. This may have models for “per floor” data on foot traffic, which can be broken down per minute. It’s then important to cater to peaks—because people don’t arrive in a linear fashion.

Conclusion—focus on integration

Every building is different, so no two entry management solutions will look exactly alike. With so many different products, technologies and software programs working together, one of the most important considerations is to determine if they all integrate with one another to create a seamless and effortless entry.

Boon Edam’s comprehensive entrance security suite of products, for example, has been designed to integrate with a broad range of technologies. Additionally, each range comes with a variety of different finishes and customisations to suit the style and aesthetics of different buildings.

For builders and developers looking to create the best experience for tenants and visitors, looking at physical security and visitor management as early as possible can deliver optimum results.

The Urban Developer is proud to partner with Boon Edam to deliver this article to you. In doing so, we can continue to publish our daily news, information, insights and opinion to you, our valued readers.

References

*More than a million non-residential buildings in Australia: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/commercial-buildings-energy-consumption-baseline-study-2022.pdf

**80 per cent of office buildings are mid-tier: https://everybuildingcounts.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/2023/04/Every-Building-Counts-for-Local-Governments.pdf

***70 per cent of mid-tier office buildings are multi-tenanted: https://assets.sustainability.vic.gov.au/susvic/Report-Energy-Commercial-buildings-MTOB-Final-Report-Mar-2018.pdf

About Royal Boon Edam

With work environments becoming increasingly global and dynamic, smart, safe entry has become the centre of activity in and around many buildings. Royal Boon Edam is a global market leader in reliable entry solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, with 150 years of experience in engineering quality, we have gained extensive expertise in managing the transit of people through office buildings, airports, healthcare facilities, hotels, and many other types of buildings. We are focussed on providing an optimal, sustainable experience for our clients and their clients. By working together with you, our client, we help determine the exact requirements for the entry point in and around your building.

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