Mitsubishi Electric has provided a medical practice in South London with three commercial Ecodan air source heat pumps to deliver renewable heating and year-round comfort. The owners of Paxton Green Group Practice needed a heating solution that would future-proof the building by reducing both heating bills and carbon emissions, to
Ventilation specialists Soler & Palau Ventilation UK (S&P UK) has launched an intelligent wireless carbon dioxide monitor as part of a new range of indoor air quality sensors designed to help businesses, education and healthcare settings manage poor air quality levels and lower Covid infection risks. S&P UK’s new AirSens
Airthings, the global leader in indoor air quality solutions for consumers, businesses, and today professionals, has announced a new product addition to its portfolio: View CO₂ for Business. The new battery-operated, wireless sensor will empower schools and offices everywhere to take charge of its air quality by warning when carbon
Sales and hire equipment specialist MHM Group has worked in partnership with its customer Illumin8, to provide an eco-friendly lighting solution for Anglesey’s Holyhead lorry port. Holyhead is the UK’s second largest roll-on/roll-off ferry port, sees more than 400,000 freight lorries crossing the Irish Sea every year. The new temporary
Teachers know that many of the most important factors affecting children’s performance are invisible. Tiredness, stress, hunger: these all have a significant impact on pupils’ productivity and their ability to learn. But there’s another significant factor that most educators (and employers, for that matter) rarely consider. This is the most
Robin Whitehead appointed new chief executive to oversee operations Ambitious plans to recruit 200+ employees and increase annual turnover to £175 million Company set to open a new operation in Africa to support business expansion Boulting has rebranded as BGEN as part of the company’s ambitious growth plans. The specialist,
Chubb, a leading provider of security and fire safety solutions is providing an integrated security solution based on facial recognition technology to protect people and property at 22 Bishopsgate, a new landmark commercial building in London. Chubb is a part of Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE: CARR), the leading global provider of
The COVID-19 pandemic has had an immense impact on nearly every aspect of our lives, including how people interact and perform their jobs and even how buildings are designed. The goal of all these changes? Reducing human-to-human contact and, thus, slowing or stopping the spread of the virus. As a
High Security & Safety Group, known for its heritage in the custodial market, is winning more custodial projects thanks to its bespoke solutions and product development. Having recently been appointed to some of the new Police Custody ‘supercentres’ the custodial security specialist is winning projects up and down the country
As the construction sector finds it feet again, and the costs of materials soar, once again building sites become prime targets for organised criminal gangs. The construction sector is now experiencing a boom period following the suppression of building work during the pandemic. But alongside the pipeline of busy works
Mitsubishi Electric has provided a medical practice in South London with three commercial Ecodan air source heat pumps to deliver renewable heating and year-round comfort. The owners of Paxton Green Group Practice needed a heating solution that would future-proof the building by reducing both heating bills and carbon emissions, to replace the existing gas boilers. Ecodan CAHV monobloc air source heat pumps from Mitsubishi Electric were chosen due to their ability to lower running costs and carbon emissions. Patients and staff can now benefit from cost-effective, renewable heating while also enjoying modern levels of comfort. The heat pumps were installed to deliver 116kW of heat to the building, replacing the two commercial gas boilers. The CAHV models operate in a cascade system, meaning they are able to continually match the heating but only consume the power needed to keep the practice comfortable, whatever the weather. Andy Booth, Project Manager for Opus Air Conditioning, which installed the system said: “One of the things that amazed me was how quickly the CAHV units heated the water in the tank. We picked up water temperatures of 70 degrees in less than 30 minutes.” Opus specialises in the design, supply, installation, service and maintenance of boilers and heating systems, along with heat pumps, air conditioning and ventilation systems. This was the first Ecodan CAHV installation that Opus had carried out and they will be looking at promoting the use of air source heat pumps on future projects. Owing to the practice being a vaccination centre for its local community, the heat pumps had to be installed and the old systems removed in close partnership with the practice and its opening times. “The team had to be completely flexible so that we could get in around the working hours of the vaccination centre,” added Andy. Heat pumps are low maintenance and able to produce an average of three kilowatts of heating for every kilowatt of electricity consumed. The practice can now provide a high quality healthcare service for patients whilst also delivering high levels of comfort. For more details on the Ecodan CAHV, visit: ecodan.co.uk
Ventilation specialists Soler & Palau Ventilation UK (S&P UK) has launched an intelligent wireless carbon dioxide monitor as part of a new range of indoor air quality sensors designed to help businesses, education and healthcare settings manage poor air quality levels and lower Covid infection risks. S&P UK’s new AirSens range monitors ambient indoor air quality and sends a signal to ventilation systems to increase airflow rates if a spike is detected in one of three parameters: carbon dioxide (CO2), volatile organic compound (VOC) or relative humidity (RH). AirSens comes in three versions: AirSens CO2, AirSens VOC and AirSens RH. A traffic light LED system indicates the air quality level: green (good), orange (medium) and red (poor). The Government said in new Covid guidance this month that CO2 monitors should be used in a range of sectors and settings to help identify poorly ventilated indoor areas, take action to maximise fresh air, and reduce the risk of airborne transmission of diseases. Lee Page, Sales Director at S&P UK, said: “We have released our AirSens range of indoor air quality (IAQ) sensors to help businesses, schools and colleges, as well as homeowners, to easily identify and take action over inadequate levels of IAQ – which is no longer just a buzzword. This will also lower the risk of spreading airborne diseases like Covid.” The AirSens CO2 monitor can be adapted to fit any space due to its wireless technology and is designed for indoor areas where occupancy rates can change frequently. The Health and Safety Executive has stated CO2 values in indoor areas should be at least 800ppm (parts per million) and not exceed 1500ppm. The AirSens CO2 monitor has a range of 450-2000ppm and has an in-built demand-controlled ventilation. Lee added: “Usually CO2 monitors need to be wired back to the main air handling unit or fan – requiring additional wiring, time and effort, and costs. “However, the AirSens CO2 monitor has the rare intelligent ability to connect to a main sensor in the hub and wirelessly access the display within the desired space. This provides a simple, reassuring and cost-effective solution for many businesses and people. “The entire AirSens range reduces components, simplifies installation and increases savings while providing a minimalist design which can be easily integrated in different ambientes. “They all have a wireless version, meaning they can be retrofitted very easily and quickly. They also come with a low speed and high speed as standard as well as a Building Management System (BMS) capability, making it easy to control ventilation.” The AirSens VOC is designed for places with sporadic changes to the accumulation of substances derived from odours such as alcohols, ketones and organic acids. The AirSens RH is most efficient in highly humid areas such as bathrooms. S&P UK Ventilation Systems is the UK subsidiary of leading global manufacturer Soler and Palau, and is the sole UK distributor of commercial, industrial and residential fans and ventilation systems. Operating nationally, S&P UK is a leading fan, air movement and ventilation systems provider offering over 10,000 products along with technical sales support and consultancy. It is a subsidiary of Spanish owned S&P Group, whose global operations span over 90 countries and includes major R&D centres in Europe, Singapore, USA and Brazil. For more information, visit S&P UK’s new website: www.solerpalau.co.uk
Airthings, the global leader in indoor air quality solutions for consumers, businesses, and today professionals, has announced a new product addition to its portfolio: View CO₂ for Business. The new battery-operated, wireless sensor will empower schools and offices everywhere to take charge of its air quality by warning when carbon dioxide (CO₂) exceeds recommended levels and indoor air quality deteriorates. View CO₂ for Business combines easily with the rest of the products in the Airthings for Business solution, which lets schools and workplaces monitor, visualise and control its indoor air quality remotely to ensure a safe and healthy environment. The launch of View CO₂ is particularly timely following a recent announcement from Gavin Williamson who has pledged all education settings will be provided with carbon dioxide monitors from September, backed by £25 million in government funding, allowing staff to quickly identify where ventilation needs to be improved. Letting fresh air into indoor spaces can help remove air that contains virus particles and is important in preventing the spread of Covid-19. The new monitors will enable staff to act quickly where ventilation is poor and provide reassurance that existing ventilation measures are working. The government has also launched a trial of air purifiers in 30 schools in Bradford, which is designed to assess the technology in education settings and whether it could reduce the risk of transmission. High CO₂ levels can increase the risk of airborne virus transmission and cause lower productivity, drowsiness, headaches, and loss of concentration. Since our bodies expel CO₂ when we breathe out, the levels can rise quickly in enclosed spaces with poor ventilation. For that reason, measuring CO₂ levels serves as a good indicator of indoor air quality and how well a ventilation system is working. Monitoring humidity and temperature indoors is also important as both conditions correlate with virus transmission. In addition to carbon dioxide, the new View CO₂ for Business also measures temperature, humidity, virus risk, noise, and light. The Virus Risk Indicator fuses data from Airthings core sensors into an algorithm to calculate the risk of airborne virus spread in an indoor space. The capability helps schools and offices understand their indoor air quality and how it contributes to spreading airborne viruses, providing personalised insights to minimise the risk. The optional CO2 Alert feature lets anyone know when a room needs a breather by visually alerting them through a red LED light on the product when CO2 levels get too high. View CO2 for Business makes monitoring CO2 accessible for any school, office, or commercial building. Quick and easy installation, totally wireless sensors, user-friendly dashboard, and easy reporting ensure that anyone can take control of the indoor air quality.
Sales and hire equipment specialist MHM Group has worked in partnership with its customer Illumin8, to provide an eco-friendly lighting solution for Anglesey’s Holyhead lorry port. Holyhead is the UK’s second largest roll-on/roll-off ferry port, sees more than 400,000 freight lorries crossing the Irish Sea every year. The new temporary truck park enables customs, market surveillance and other checks for the passage to and from Ireland. In designing the lorry park, diesel-powered 9m lighting towers would have traditionally been used but in line with green government initiatives an eco-friendlier solution was sought. “The use of solar battery-powered tower lights can save considerable sums on fuel and repair costs, as well as tons of CO2e compared with standard diesel models. We always pursue the use of renewables to power our equipment, and so we were ready to take on the challenge of lighting a lorry park of this size to meet the government’s drive on sustainable business,” said Brad Ireland, Group Sales Director at Port Talbot based MHM Group. “Over the last two years, we have seen a big increase in our clients’ willingness to change to greener products. This is being driven by a greater understanding of climate change and of people wanting to make a contribution to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels.” MHM Group, which has depots all across the UK, has developed a portable 5.5m solar streetlight model that offers zero carbon emissions. Designed with lorry parks and walkways in mind, the new model includes dusk to dawn sensors and movement detectors for safety and improved surveillance. “It has been incredibly rewarding to see the impact our solar battery lighting towers have had in Anglesey. We aim to help businesses all over the UK achieve sustainable goals including zero emission, lower running costs and reduced noise and we hope that this project will begin a new wave of large-scale facilities like these taking on greener and more efficient practices. Here at MHM Group we specialise in the hire to hire market. We do not work directly with contractors or end customers, so it was great to work on this with Illumin8 to find a great solution for their customers’ needs,” added Brad. In partnership with its hire customer Illumin8, MHM Group initially provided 24 lighting towers units, but due to their benefits a further 20 have been delivered on site to provide a well-lit, noise free and clean environment for lorry drivers. “We are always striving to find new and innovate ways of working here at Illumin8, particularly when it comes to reducing our impact on the environment. Collaborating with MHM Group on the Holyhead truck park project has been a brilliant experience and we’re very proud to have found a green, energy-efficient solution for what is set to be a huge platform for the UK trade industry,” concluded Neil Fenwick of Illumin8.
Teachers know that many of the most important factors affecting children’s performance are invisible. Tiredness, stress, hunger: these all have a significant impact on pupils’ productivity and their ability to learn. But there’s another significant factor that most educators (and employers, for that matter) rarely consider. This is the most invisible element of all: the air that we breathe. But since the beginning of the pandemic, air quality in schools has been under the microscope. Yet as important as it is to reduce infections through better ventilation, this crisis presents a golden opportunity to improve concentration and performance, not just for school pupils but for every worker. Breathing new life into classrooms The annual “back to school” in September is always a stressful time for teachers, children and parents, but this year will be like no other. Everyone knows that packing children into classrooms significantly increases the risk of Covid transmission, which is why school and government leaders are quite rightly prioritising ventilation. Clean air technology has a stunning effect on reducing transmission. One school was able to capture 99.97% of airborne pathogens by implementing our air disinfection, filtration, isolation and monitoring technology. But this is an opportunity to do much more than prevent children catching Covid, as crucial as that is. The link between air quality and long-term health complications has been known for many years. The reduction in air pollution has been one of the great public health successes of the last century. What’s far less appreciated is the effect that poor air quality has on students’ productivity and concentration. Recent research has found that creating and maintaining a standard for air quality can improve productivity by 11%, and can even have a measurable effect on pupils’ strategic thinking and exam scores. In fact, one study found that spending a few hundred pounds on air filtration systems has been shown to raise test scores by the same amount as cutting class sizes by a third. By improving air quality, we can literally breathe new life into classrooms, with huge advantages for pupils and, longer term, for the growth of the UK economy. Schools can teach business a lesson It’s not just children who benefit from breathing purer air; adults experience similar performance and productivity gains from improvements to air quality. There are certainly many industries that can take a lesson from schools and hospitals on improving air quality. Research among building decision-makers into what they are doing to ensure the health of occupants found that while healthcare organisations are, unsurprisingly, leading the way in implementing clean air technology, less than half of commercial real estate respondents have done so. This presents a major opportunity for the building and construction industry. The UK’s successful vaccination programme and general levels of Covid fatigue means that stressing the virus threat will only go so far. By moving the conversation on and stressing the measurable, bottom-line benefits to businesses, we can deliver a much more compelling message. Instead of fixing a problem, the industry will be positioning itself as partners in businesses’ future success. Setting new standards In truth, the building and construction sector needs a powerful message because existing regulations fall far short of what’s needed to improve workers’ wellbeing and productivity. Currently, the HSE Approved Code of Practice states fresh air should not fall below five to eight litres of air per second per occupant, while CIBSE’s guidance suggests that buildings should have a ventilation rate of ten litres. This is far too low: testing shows that even at the rate of 12 litres per person/second, CO2 levels can still remain high, leading to drowsiness and poor concentration. It’s also too low to remove particulate matter, which contributes to long-term health complications, while exacerbating allergies that can reduce productivity even further. Ideally, the minimum standard for ventilation should be doubled to 20 litres per second per person, and that really should be an absolute minimum. But these numbers are not absolute: ventilation requirements change according to how many people are in the building at any one time. This is another area where the construction industry can play an important educational role by setting improved standards based on occupancy and air quality metrics, rather than measuring ventilation alone. This has the additional benefit of ensuring that businesses are not over-ventilating their offices, which can be detrimental to their energy efficiency and heating costs. We constantly hear that the coronavirus crisis is an opportunity to “build back better”. On air quality we have a chance to make a measurable difference to millions of people’s health, happiness, and productivity. Let’s seize this opportunity to make workplaces fit for the future by tackling what’s been so easy to ignore for so long: the air on which all life depends.
Robin Whitehead appointed new chief executive to oversee operations Ambitious plans to recruit 200+ employees and increase annual turnover to £175 million Company set to open a new operation in Africa to support business expansion Boulting has rebranded as BGEN as part of the company’s ambitious growth plans. The specialist, multi-discipline engineering solutions business, has appointed a new chief executive to oversee plans which include a recruitment drive to support a significant planned increase in turnover, alongside the opening of a new operation in Africa as the company expands its global footprint. BGEN, with a mindset focussed on next generation engineering, has promoted Robin Whitehead from managing director of its Technology business unit to chief executive of the new operation. Robin began his career with East Midlands Electricity Board and has been in the engineering sector for more than 25 years. He has spent the last 18 years at Boulting where he has helped to significantly grow the size and remit of the technology business. “Robin’s appointment was the obvious choice,” says John Sugden, Executive Chair at BGEN. “Robin has an excellent affinity with employees and customers alike having started his career as an electrician, before joining the company in 2003 and working his way up through the business. The board has confidence that he will oversee the ambitious plans we have for the company over the next year and beyond.” The next 12 months will see BGEN go on a major recruitment drive, looking to expand its workforce from 860 to more than 1,000 employees, and hit an annual increased turnover in the region of £175 million*. The company is looking to recruit a number of positions, from mechanical engineers and electricians to design engineers and technical project managers, as the company continues to service its existing client base whilst expanding operations. September will see BGEN open its African operation in Lagos, Nigeria, focusing on continuing to serve BGEN’s global clients that are looking to maintain and grow their business in that continent. This expansion is on the back of decades of project delivery experience in Africa and will enable the company to grow its offering efficiently with local resources, backed by an experienced UK management team. “It’s an exciting time for the company, having recently been awarded a number of long-term frameworks in the utility sector which is testament to the quality of work we deliver”, comments Robin Whitehead. “While we’re proud of our heritage and will continue to serve those segments, we’re now working with customers in specialist sectors such as food, nuclear and pharmaceutical, on areas such as digitalisation and net zero emissions.” For further information, visit www.b-gen.co.uk.
Chubb, a leading provider of security and fire safety solutions is providing an integrated security solution based on facial recognition technology to protect people and property at 22 Bishopsgate, a new landmark commercial building in London. Chubb is a part of Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE: CARR), the leading global provider of healthy, safe, sustainable and intelligent building and cold chain solutions. 22 Bishopsgate is one of the tallest buildings in London. The 62-storey tower provides a total of 1.275 million square feet of premium workspace for 12,000 people, setting new standards for integration of systems on a major scale. As workers return to the office, the health and safety of indoor environments has never been more important. Chubb offers advanced solutions to help deliver safer, healthier and smarter indoor environments. 22 Bishopsgate, one of London’s tallest buildings Chubb installed an access control system using integrated facial recognition in the building’s foyer to allow authorised users access at an anticipated rate of 25 people per minute through each turnstile. Identification card and smart phone access is also available within this technology. The solution was determined using a face recognition engine developed by Chubb in-house developers. Chubb also worked closely with a leading manufacturer of revolving doors and security barriers to incorporate the cameras into the turnstiles so as not to spoil the aesthetic of the touchless access points. The facial recognition technology is also integrated with the destination management system within the 57 elevators. Among the elevators will be Europe’s fastest double-deck elevators, running at eight metres per second. In addition to access control, Chubb has installed the latest IP-based CCTV and intruder alarm systems in all communal areas of the building and integrated these into the Building Management System (BMS). “Chubb works with the latest technologies to find the best way to protect people, places and assets; providing confidence in the health and safety measures that are in place. As an early adopter of innovation, we see facial recognition as delivering the optimum solution to managing the secure and efficient passage of large numbers of employees and visitors through 22 Bishopsgate. In key landmark developments we look at combining the highest levels of security with a premium customer experience,” said David Dunnagan, Director, Chubb Systems. 22 Bishopsgate will be the first tower of its kind to house a fresh food market, innovation hub, gym, well-being retreat and space, curated ‘art walk’, business club, cycle hub, destination restaurant as well as London’s highest free public viewing gallery, creating an inspiring, healthy and energising workplace.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had an immense impact on nearly every aspect of our lives, including how people interact and perform their jobs and even how buildings are designed. The goal of all these changes? Reducing human-to-human contact and, thus, slowing or stopping the spread of the virus. As a result, businesses are challenged to find new ways to open their doors again while providing a hands-free entry experience – all without compromising security. As organizations develop return-to-work plans, there are several common and necessary security requirements, including “future-proof” designs that support social distancing and touchless entry. The changes made to a building or campus design because of the pandemic should not be temporary. Instead, they should fulfill the organization’s needs for years to come. Why Is Controlling Access Important? A prerequisite to discussing a new lobby design with increased safety and security in the post-pandemic world is examining why it is critical for organizations to control access in the first place. What would happen if an unauthorized person were to infiltrate a building’s lobby? The potential risks and liabilities include, but are not limited to: Theft Loss of productivity Violence Loss of life Civil lawsuits based on a failure to fulfill “duty of care” Regulatory fines for noncompliance (HIPAA, NERC, etc.) While organizations often deploy various physical security solutions (guards, access control systems, cameras) in an attempt to mitigate unauthorized entry, if these technologies are used in conjunction with swinging doors, then infiltration is still possible. “Tailgating” occurs when someone presents a valid credential at a swing door, opens it, and either holds the door open for others or is followed by an unauthorized person who “catches” the door before it closes and gains access. When it comes to mitigating tailgating and unauthorized entry, building designers and security professionals must answer two key questions to decide on the appropriate physical security strategy for a facility: Who is in the building at any given moment? How many unauthorized people are acceptable in the facility? Answering these questions reveals an organization’s stance on tailgating. Do they want to deter it? Detect it? Or completely prevent it? And it is acceptable to have more than one strategy – a layered approach – across multiple areas of a building or campus. For instance, security professionals may want to deter tailgating at the fence line, or outer perimeter, detect tailgating in the lobby, and prevent tailgating on an upper-level floor holding restricted data or records. Sophisticated security revolving doors and turnstiles provide significant benefits over traditional swinging doors in that they effectively mitigate tailgating while also reducing the burden on the people and processes needed to keep a building secure. This allows guards to focus on visitors, rather than on monitoring the lobby. Changes in Design Post-Pandemic When planning a lobby for a post-pandemic landscape, there are two key design elements to consider: Assessing the building population and creating separate entry and exit points Supporting and reinforcing distance by design Every organization funnels different types of people through their building or campus. Some lobbies process only employees while others handle both employees and visitors. Some buildings are open to the public and others might receive deliveries in the lobby. The lobby tends to be a multi-functional space utilized by a large variety of people. And, while traditional security strategies endorse a single, secured entry point for controlling access, today’s “new lobby” requires multiple entry and exit points as a means of reducing congested, two-way traffic by spreading people flow across the entire building. The first step to creating separate entry and exit points is to identify and categorize the building population, then determine where and how each set of users should enter the building. For instance, can employees be directed to separate employee-only entrances so that the lobby can be used just for visitors and deliveries? Is there an opportunity to funnel employees through different entrances around the building, like office workers through the left side and factory workers through the right? Should packages be received at the back of the building rather than in the main lobby? Another consideration is designing the flow of people to support and reinforce social distancing. There may be an opportunity to space out work areas, eliminating open office layouts in favor of more private cubicles or small offices. Designers can position furniture to provide multiple ways of moving through a building. And if office layouts cannot be adjusted, organizations may consider increased telecommuting and flexible on-site work schedules. For example, 50 percent of the population works in the office on Monday and Tuesday and the other 50 percent comes in on Wednesday and Thursday. Rethinking Existing Security Technologies There are a variety of security technologies that have been used in building design for decades – access control systems, cameras, elevator dispatch systems, the list goes on. It is common knowledge that these technologies are not silver bullets; users cannot just choose one or two, install them, and alleviate security risks. Technologies must be deployed in layers and work in concert with people and processes to effectively control access. This approach still applies when it comes to the new lobby design. Below are three technologies that have gained popularity in the new lobby for their ability to support social distancing, scan for symptoms, and “virtualize” entrance processing. Touchless Entry When it comes to entrances, touchless technologies are nothing new. We have seen automatic sliding and swinging doors installed in buildings across the globe for many years. With the new lobby, touchless entry is no longer optional. It is important that users touch door handles, buttons, etc. as little as possible. And, an essential requirement, the new lobby design must provide an automated entry experience without compromising on security. When COVID-19 began and the requirement for touchless environments became urgent, many facility managers started researching ways to make all entrances automatic. A popular solution was retrofitting existing manual swing doors with low-energy, electric operators, which are typically used
High Security & Safety Group, known for its heritage in the custodial market, is winning more custodial projects thanks to its bespoke solutions and product development. Having recently been appointed to some of the new Police Custody ‘supercentres’ the custodial security specialist is winning projects up and down the country due to its ability to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of custodial requirements. As well as having the capabilities and infrastructure to deliver on large scale and high profile prison projects, the High Security and Safety Group has also developed tailord solutions for Police Custodial facilities. Working with Willmott Dixon the group is part way through a project to supply security solutions for 40 cells for Devon and Cornwall Police. Other projects currently underway include, multiple sites across the Kent and Essex constabulary, Hammersmith Police Station and refurbishment projects for Merseyside Police. Speaking on the group’s continuing success in this market, Michael Dunn, Commercial Director for High Security & Safety Group, said: “As a group we have a long history in custodial locking solutions, but to stay relevant to today’s custodial market, which is increasingly diverse, we have to be continually developing our products and service proposition. The ability to do this has enabled us to secure many high profile projects and has seen us introduce new products to the market such as cell doors, custodial perimeter and pass doors, steel personnel doors, timber doors, acoustic doors, LPS1175 SR rated doors and overhead sectional doors and full range of custodial furniture, fittings and equipment. We work closely with main contractors and constabularies to create fit for purpose solutions and this often includes designing, developing and testing products to meet their requirements.” In addition to bespoke custodial solutons the group also supply high security locks and doors, anti-ligature products and electric locking systems. To find out more about the custodial solutions offered by ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions High Security & Safety Group, please visit http://bit.ly/highsecurity-safety
As the construction sector finds it feet again, and the costs of materials soar, once again building sites become prime targets for organised criminal gangs. The construction sector is now experiencing a boom period following the suppression of building work during the pandemic. But alongside the pipeline of busy works schedules, there is also a surge in site thefts, further exacerbated by the shortage of materials. The consequence is delayed projects and spiraling costs as some components’ prices soar. The price of copper has soared by 70% in just a year, whilst lithium carbonate, used to accelerate silica based cements and mortars, has all but doubled, rising by 97%. “The construction sector has always been a target for thefts of valuable plant and equipment.” comments Paul Corten, Sales Director for leading temporary security provider, The VPS Group. “But we are increasingly seeing opportunistic thieves replaced by organised criminal gangs, as the price of plant and materials means greater rewards for the risks they take. Surprisingly, the majority of construction sites do not rely on Monitored Tech solutions, even though these systems provide the most efficient form of security and prevention.” In January this year a pan-European crime gang were convicted in a Belgian court over a €1-million series of thefts of cranes, excavators and trailers. The haul, including a €460,000 cement pumping truck, a €108,000 bulk tanker and €50,000 worth of trailers, were stolen, resprayed and sold to unsuspecting customers across the UK and Ireland. A month before that, a gang of metal thieves had been jailed for stealing 92km of cable over several raids in the UK. The Construction Equipment Association (CEA), owners of the CESAR scheme (the plant marking and registration initiative), noted a worrying increase in construction machinery theft in the UK since the introduction of lockdowns caused by the Coronavirus pandemic. One company, the Clancy Group, reported an increase in theft of construction machines from their sites by as much as 50 percent. Mr Corten adds: “Deploying traditional manned security guards can ensure there is a visual deterrent on-site with a quick response to incidents, but there can be substantial costs, especially for 24/7 manned guarding. Plus they are only able to be in one place at one time, which is a problem for larger sites. And they are, after all, human: they may not stay alert for night shifts, or they miss critical areas of the site.” Increasingly, site security managers are turning to monitored technology to provide more sophisticated solutions that enhance, improve or replace guards, without compromising the security of the site, and often for far less cost. Several technologies have been specifically geared to protect construction sites from intruders, and can differentiate between genuine breaches and false alarms, as well as secure and detect utility faults. “The latest CCTV Smart Towers comprise technologies with three key elements. They operate without an external power supply, so there is no extra cabling getting in the way of the workforce. They are highly flexible and can be rapidly moved, adapting to the site project development. And they can be fully loaded, with the latest high-definition camera technology that can see in daylight or at night, with additional sensors all linked wirelessly, throwing a wide ‘security net’ over an entire location.” Concludes Paul Corten. CCTV security systems can be monitored locally or remotely 24 hours a day, with ever more sophisticated software analytics that have helped significantly reduce the chance of false alarms. Accredited companies have SSAIB certification to provide clients with that additional safety of knowing their security provider is operating safely and securely.
