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For the University of Edinburgh, ASSA ABLOY provides a one-stop-shop for high-performance Door Closers

Edinburgh, October 2022 – An historic institution in Scotland’s capital city, the University of Edinburgh is among Europe’s top-rated higher education providers and a centre of excellence in research. They also own and maintain over 600 buildings around Scotland, from heritage properties to contemporary architecture.

As part of a drive for quality and standardization across this estates portfolio, the university wanted to replace their existing Door Closers. These had been supplied piecemeal over the years by a range of manufacturers.

The university sought uniformity in the quality and functionality of door closers for many different applications. Criteria for choosing the right solution included product cost-effectiveness – examined from a “whole-life” cost-of-ownership perspective, rather than just the initial price.

They needed door controls with high efficiency and low opening forces with full certification coverage (EN 1154 / 1155), from a supplier who could be trusted for ongoing service and specification support.

“ASSA ABLOY was chosen because we have confidence in the brand, there’s full test coverage, and transparency in the supply chain,” says Cameron Duncanson, Maintenance Coordinator at University of Edinburgh Estates Department.

The university already had experience with ASSA ABLOY’s products and ongoing service: “AA Door Closers have been used here for 7 years without a single fault,” he adds.

The benefits of Cam-MotionĂ’ Door Closer technology

Estates managers were able to choose an appropriate ASSA ABLOY Cam-Motion solution for every opening – more than 1500 in total spread across multiple buildings. The low-profile product design of ASSA ABLOY Cam-Motion Door Closers suits their diverse estates portfolio: Buildings equipped range from refurbished historic properties to the Nucleus, a major new student and staff hub whose first phase will be complete later this year*.

Cam-Motion technology is built for demanding environments like universities. Doors shut tight, for security, thermal efficiency and fire protection. Models across the range meet the university’s certification demands and provide effective fire compartmentation.

Cam-Motion Door Closers’ symmetric cam design allows each model to be fitted to door or frame, push or pull side, making installation hassle-free. In-house staff and contractors can individually adjust latch and closing speed via the easily accessible front-facing valves. The height-adjustable arm system enables later adjustment without cost or time delays.

“As part of the support package, ASSA ABLOY experts trained staff to install the new Door Closers, which even joiners with decades of experience found valuable,” says Barry Harris, Regional Specification Development Manager at ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions. “The university can continue to rely on ASSA ABLOY Door Closers over their extended lifetime.”

To learn more about ASSA ABLOY Cam-Motion Door Closers, visit

https://www.assaabloy.com/group/emeia/solutions/topics/door-closers

ASSA ABLOY acquires German home automation firm

ASSA ABLOY has acquired Bird Home Automation GmbH, a German manufacturer of high-quality IP door intercom for single and multi-family buildings, for indoor station or smartphone control, marketed under the trademark Doorbird.

“Doorbird is a strategic technological addition to the ASSA ABLOY Group and will reinforce our offering with IP door intercom and provide complementary growth opportunities,” says Nico Delvaux, President and CEO of ASSA ABLOY.

“I am delighted to welcome the Doorbird team to the EMEIA Division. This acquisition supports our efforts to accelerate our growth in the Smart Residential segment and continue our journey as a leader in home security. Doorbird has built a successful and attractive product and service offering, that is highly respected in the markets they serve, and I look forward to working with them on their evolution within the ASSA ABLOY family,” says Neil Vann, Executive Vice President of ASSA ABLOY and Head of EMEIA Division.

Doorbird was established in 2014 and has around 110 employees, with its main office located in Berlin, Germany. Sales for 2021 amounted to about MEUR 21 with a strong EBIT margin.

Adria Security Summit 2022 Chalks Up New Attendance Records As It Closes Its Doors

Adria Security Summit 2022, the largest conference and exhibition dedicated to security and converging industries in SE Europe, closed its doors on October 6 following a two-day event that took place in the Croatian capital of Zagreb.

The organizers have reported report that this event has been the largest and the most successful one so far, continuing the upward trend that the Summit experienced since its inception.

With 2500 visitors from more than 30 countries and 136 sponsors and exhibitors, the event has not only signaled the full recovery of a whole range of industries following the pandemic but rather its potential to cover new grounds as it breaks new records. For the sake of comparison, let us recall that the last year’s event in Belgrade has seen more than 70 exhibitors and 1500 participants.

Next, a total of 48 presentations and side events, all helmed by eminent experts, touched upon every hot issue across the industries, including security, smart cities, home automation, mobility, cyber security, ICT, and IoT.

Case studies also figured prominently during the event, with top-ranking presenters being handed over awards for the most innovative projects. This time, the honors went to the 1st ranked company Securitas Croatia for its achievement in managing the projects involving perimeter protection along the Croatian borders.

The second award went to Konica Minolta for its case study of the way in which modern-day video technologies can easily extend their application and usefulness beyond security implementations, while Hikvision secured the third place for its case study of the implementation of converged technologies in the Amadria Park resort in the Croatian town of Ĺ ibenik.

To round things off, the Summit also premiered the official presentation of the trailblazing startups across industries. They were presented with appropriate awards for their achievements in this business segment which was dominated by Robotiq (1st award), Zuluhood (2nd award), and Glog (3rd award).

The organizers expressed satisfaction with the event and its attendance and thanked all participants for their part in the organization of the event on the largest scale so far. A comprehensive report on the event as yet another success story for the Adria Security Summit brand will be published in the next issue of Adria Security Magazine.

Adria Security Summit will continue its journey in 2023 – stay tuned for more news.

See photos of Adria Security Summit 2022

 

A French town unifies and simplifies municipal access management with eCLIQ

London, October 2022 – Saint Jacut de la Mer, on Brittany’s Côtes d’Armor, faced growing difficulties with access management for their public buildings. As in many other towns across Europe, they looked for a more cost- and time-efficient way to operate.

 Keys were being lost — and the costs of rekeying put even more pressure on budgets.

Town staff needing to hold and track multiple keys was inconvenient and further contributed to key loss. And because different access solutions had been installed over the years, security levels were not consistent across properties.

The arrival of a new director of technical services brought a new approach to access control. They sought a trusted solution which would harmonize security and access management across the entire town — ideally a wire-free electronic system which was easy to install at doors and other openings.

Wireless cylinders and electronic keys are already trusted by many municipalities

After much research, a hands-on demonstration and consulting a local hardware supplier, buildings around the town have been equipped with eCLIQ electronic locking cylinders.

“We decided to install eCLIQ wireless access control because of the good reputation of ASSA ABLOY equipment,” explains the town’s director of technical services, M. Bertho.

This first phase includes the Town Hall, festival hall, school restaurant, meeting house and more. All these properties now enjoy the benefit of convenient, secure access management within a single eCLIQ system which includes single and double cylinders, as well as eCLIQ padlocks. Adding electronic access control to all these different buildings required no drilling around doors.

Authorized users have been issued with programmable eCLIQ keys. Each one unlocks all the openings they need in their day-to-day work.

Now M. Bertho can instantly review the status of all eCLIQ-equipped premises and issue individually tailored access rights. For example, canteen staff, cleaners and delivery teams have their own access slots for the school restaurant. The local campsite is safer: If seasonal workers lose their key, its rights are removed immediately. At the Town Hall, only those with authorization can enter. Daily life for residents has improved.

The flexibility of an eCLIQ access control solution

A fully electronic extension of ASSA ABLOY’s award-winning CLIQ® access control technology, eCLIQ is built around precision-engineered locking cylinders and high-end microelectronics. A standard battery with a 10-year lifespan in normal usage, is inside each programmable electronic key. This energized key powers the cylinder or padlock and encrypts data transfer between lock, key and system.

The eCLIQ cylinder range can bring almost any opening into an access control system. Robust, durable eCLIQ cylinder locks can secure lifts, machines, mailboxes, cabinets and more with the same control as doors. Installing an eCLIQ device is simple: The existing cylinder is replaced and secured in place with one screw.

Certified and available in formats including Euro — first patented by an ASSA ABLOY company nearly 100 years ago — eCLIQ cylinders ensure security and regulatory compliance. A range of programming devices transfer and update access rights for user keys.

“We trust ASSA ABLOY,” adds M. Bertho, who was also impressed by the simplicity and speed of installation.

Indeed, the town has already decided to extend coverage of their system year by year. Next up are the elementary school and cultural centre. The ultimate objective is to equip all Saint Jacut’s public buildings with eCLIQ.

Why smarter protection matters in fire safety

Protecting lives, assets and business continuity has long been the foundation of fire safety. This goal is unchanged, yet the advent of smart buildings and the increasing role of IoT-enabled fire-safety solutions means that the method of achieving this goal has certainly changed. From detection and evacuation to extinguishing and danger management, the potential afforded by ever increasing digitalization and cloud connectivity has never been greater.

Smart interfaces are talking to each other on a continuous basis. But that is only half the story. Data in itself is largely meaningless. It is harnessing the power of these data through effective analysis which provides the means to achieve truly smarter fire protection. As we move from the era of big data into hyper data, effectively managing these data to provide organizational insights will become even more important. This approach enables smarter decision-making against a backdrop of the most basic requirements: providing year-round protection and connecting technology to optimize performance, whilst sustaining undisturbed spaces.

Predictive maintenance is key to optimizing fire safety and performance

Increasingly, fire-safety solutions feature components with built-in intelligence. Data gathered from IoT-enabled detectors can include function test results, soiling and danger level statistics, all of which can be sent to the cloud to offer invaluable, real-time performance insights.

Such devices are a major contributor to a proactive rather than reactive approach to maintenance, continuously and automatically measuring and evaluating the performance of a system or device and thereby anticipating both failures and the need for maintenance checks.

If checks are necessary, the advent of remote services made means they can partially be undertaken off-site. This reduces time-consuming and potentially disruptive on-site visits. Instead, with flexible remote access 24/7, and devices that can guarantee no false alarms, building occupants are undisturbed. This also offers significant environmental benefits, such as less travel, reduced fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions.

Smart fire-safety systems rely increasingly on cybersecurity

The cloud is increasingly a central feature in our daily lives. In fire safety, it is providing solutions which are taking protection to the next level. Web portals provide secure connection with the cloud, while mobile apps are also gaining ground in ensuring a smoother commissioning and configuration of systems, as well as providing the opportunity to access information on fire-safety sites irrespective of your location.

IoT-enabled solutions help sustain undisturbed spaces

The inconvenience often associated with conducting devices’ health checks has long been an issue, particularly in public buildings. A maintenance visit for a fire-protection system in a hospital or hotel, for example, can be especially disruptive. Thanks to the latest technologies, these checks can now be conducted at any time, even during normal operating hours, sustaining undisturbed spaces.

The next-generation detectors enable regular testing, significantly reducing downtime compared to a conventional testing regime. They work in the background, autonomously, silently and intelligently. With the cloud and the back-up of skilled engineers to provide the necessary remote maintenance and support, they work 24/7, continuously measuring and evaluating their own performance, anticipating failures, and predicting the need for maintenance checks.

Digitalization of fire-safety solutions triggers multiple paradigm shifts

Alongside the shift from reactive to predictive maintenance, there is a definite trend to migrate from prescriptive to performance-based fire safety. Science and engineering in the design of life-safety systems are being applied to identify risks and potential fire scenarios. This not only provides the potential for more efficiency but, importantly, it also offers a solution which meets the specific needs of an application without compromising fire safety.

The digitalization of fire safety is ultimately a chance to change the status quo and move towards a more contemporary, competent and rigorous approach to ensure year-round fire safety while sustaining undisturbed spaces. That’s why smarter protection matters in fire safety.

Get data with AI

When cameras can understand what they’re seeing, they can convert video data into actionable insights allowing users to predict and pre-empt potential dangers. Years ago, we recognized the acceleration and adoption of AI as a trend, and we equipped all our video security cameras with built-in AI as a standard. Cameras produced on our open platform come with AI inside, so users can add software whenever to enhance functionality. As video security camera technology evolves and operates with predictive intelligence, the more advanced cameras will tap deep learning algorithms to learn and recognize patterns, tackling the most complex tasks faster and with higher accuracy.

AI-enabled and ready to connect

Our AI-enabled cameras add sense and structure to video data, making it easier for you to help your customers meet their challenges head-on. Their AI capabilities enable them to understand what they’re seeing and add meaning to captured video with metadata. This process is an important first step in converting rich contextual and behavioral video data into actionable insights. It supports building predictive solutions that help users anticipate unforeseen events and prevent them from happening. All our cameras connect to the IoT to support recurring revenue models via services and remote access and management via the secure Bosch cloud.

AI-driven Video Analytics

With built-in AI, your customers can get more value from the data they already have. They can unify data by creating decision centers for intelligent dashboards and make increasingly valuable predictions based on data. We offer a menu of Video Analytics, on-premise or in the cloud, to help security professionals address various challenges and deliver value beyond security.

Our AI-driven Video Analytics are accurate, consistent, reliable, and easy to use and deploy. They offer security professionals and users an enhanced experience with a straightforward UX design. Standard use cases need no calibration. Thanks to an intuitive graphical user interface, visual models, and customization options, the configuration is explicit for more advanced use cases.

Machine learning

Camera Trainer, a machine learning technology, substantially improves the level of security for people and property and leads to new customized applications and uses. Our cameras can be taught to identify new objects and situations within any user-defined scene. Instructions can be added at any time and the cameras use these instructions to process future scenes.

Deep learning

Deep learning is a subset of machine learning with three or more layers that allow it to optimize and refine what it learns from data. It enables autonomous vehicles to recognize traffic signs, detect obstacles, and determine if a collision is possible. We began to add these AI technologies to our camera platforms in 2021 because they improve automation by performing analytical and physical tasks with higher precision and accuracy without human intervention. Deep neural network (DNN) – based analytics are refined using high-quality, real-life data from the field, enabling them to recognize patterns to tackle more complex tasks faster, easier, and with greater accuracy. It also helps to understand customer-specific applications at an ever-deeper level.

Dahua Auto Tracking 3.0 technology makes video monitoring effortless

Auto Tracking 3.0 is an AI-powered tracking algorithm launched by Dahua based on years of technology accumulation and algorithm iteration. It is a unique technology of the PTZ camera based on the PTZ system. When a target triggers the IVS rule, the camera uses its horizontal/vertical rotation and zoom features to lock the moving target in the center of the screen. The whole tracking process is stable, clear and smooth.

The auto-tracking PTZ cameras provide a variety of highlights unavailable with fixed cameras. The fixed camera can only monitor a small area. When a target intrudes, it can only provide the intrusion picture of the target but cannot monitor or predict the target’s behavior. However, the auto-tracking PTZ cameras can accurately track the intrusion target within the monitoring range and zoom in on the target in proportion to see what the target did and where the target went after the intrusion, leaving evidence for the subsequent incidents management.

Extra highlighted features

It’s worth mentioning that the new Auto Tracking 3.0 has upgraded a variety of AI technologies based on the 2.0 algorithm, including PFA3.0, speed-adaptive algorithm, position-adaptive algorithm, and filtering interference algorithm. The tracking performance is further improved in all three areas that customers focus on, such as multiple target types, clear details, and accurate tracking.

Through training on a large number of target images, the newly upgraded Auto Tracking 3.0 offers optimized tracking of 4 types of targets. In addition to human, ship and vehicle targets, it also provides aircraft tracking through customized firmware.

The PFA 3.0 focusing technology realizes deep integration of intelligent algorithms and focusing algorithms, effectively improving the focusing output during tracking and capturing and realizing smooth focus.

The speed-adaptive algorithm can adjust the speed of the PTZ camera’s rotation, zoom and image exposure according to the target’s speed, making the whole tracking process continuous, smooth and without sudden changes, even when the target is a fast-moving car.

The position-adaptive algorithm merges deep learning-based target detection technology and 3D positioning technology, keeping the target in the center of the image with the right proportion while zooming in or out.

The new DPT technology can calculate the tracking target frame more accurately. It is capable of tracking smaller targets and further improving the tracking distance, which could reach 1,500 metres in ideal conditions. In other words, as long as the target is within the monitoring range, the PTZ cameras are able to track its complete movement with high accuracy.

The interference filtering algorithm can accurately estimate the moving direction, step size and speed of the target according to the characteristics of the target motion vector. The target can be continuously tracked even in complex scenes with occlusion, interlacing, light changes, etc.

Rich application scenarios

In nature reserves, 4G active deterrence PTZ cameras are used to patrol a large scope of key areas. Warning lights and sounds will be triggered to drive away intruders. In airports, PTZ cameras that adopt Auto Tracking 3.0 algorithm are installed to track the departure and landing of the aircraft for aviation safety. In watercourses, cameras can track the ships to help the operator see the ship number and make ship management easier. Besides, the PTZ cameras can also detect water level and alarm for floating objects. Additionally, Dahua’s advanced cameras with Auto Tracking 3.0 technology are frequently adopted in other scenarios such as factories and industrial parks for better performance in management and operation, risk and cost control, and intrusion prevention.

 

Fibra technology: Wired revolution

Ajax innovations have reached a new level. Contrary to the technology from the 80s that is still present in the security industry, our engineers have developed Fibra — a digital-generation wired technology. Fibra combines the reliability of wires with the freedom of radio connection. An ordinary four-core cable, coupled with Fibra, demonstrates absolutely unordinary features.

Up to 2,000 meters of connectivity, compatibility with all types of devices, 60 hours of operation of a system consisting of 30 devices on a backup battery, advanced anti-sabotage, photo verifications, instant notifications, hassle-free installation and remote configuration through an app — everything that was possible in wireless Ajax is now available with wires and Fibra.

Wireless experience in a wired connection

At the physical level, Fibra looks like a bus connection: detectors are connected to a control panel with a four-core cable. However, the real revolution is hidden at the software level. Fibra communication protocol has inherited all the advantages of Jeweller radio technology; it requires minimum power for two-way packet data transmission. This feature provides more freedom when installing the system compared to both the analog and digital solutions available in the market.

One Fibra line can connect one detector or dozens of various detectors, sirens, and keypads in any combination. MotionCam Fibra detectors are no exception. You don’t need a separate cable to receive photo verifications. They are transmitted over the same line that the system devices use to communicate events. In the Ajax app, devices are organized by rooms and groups, regardless of their physical connection to a hub. This means the security system has both physical and digital architecture.

Multiple Fibra lines allow the wiring to go by a convenient and safe route and then adjust the digital architecture of the system in the PRO app. With such flexibility and a 2 km of length margin, no matter whether you’re protecting a multi-floor building or several buildings, you don’t need to complicate your system with signal amplifiers or additional power supplies.

The Fibra communication protocol logic ensures collision protection: even 30 detectors connected to one line will communicate steadily even while being triggered simultaneously. Alarms are transmitted in 0.15 seconds.

Unprecedented energy efficiency

Thanks to Fibra, the detectors consume tens of microamperes. That’s 100 times less than the industry average for digital wired detectors. This low power consumption allows more devices to be connected with a single line and enables longer wired connections. This is due to the logic of the protocol that inherited the key Jeweller features.

Fibra communication is organized according to the TDMA principle. Each device is allotted a short time frame to exchange data with a hub. The rest of the time, their communication modules are inactive. This significantly reduces power consumption and helps avoid interferences even when multiple devices communicate simultaneously.

The result is the outstanding system autonomy in case of a blackout. 30 wired Fibra devices will run for 60 hours on a 7 Ah backup battery. This is 5 times more than Grade 2 requires, and meets the Grade 3 requirements.

Advanced antisabotage

To protect the transmitted data, Fibra uses encryption featuring a dynamic key. Hacking and getting to the data will take enormous computing power and time. In other words, it is a futile effort. However, even encrypted data still needs to be reached. Each communication session between a hub and a device begins with authentication: unique markers and properties are compared. If at least one parameter fails the verification, a hub ignores the device commands. Therefore, there is no point in tampering or intercepting data.

An Ajax system constantly monitors its status: a hub polls the connected devices at the shortest possible regularity, automatically determined by the system.. The voltage on each device is monitored. If the line is damaged and power starts to drop, you will receive a notification as well. The system instantly detects a short circuit on the line and notifies the monitoring station and the users. And when the problem is fixed, there is no need to replace the fuses: the system will restore operation automatically.

Moreover, the upcoming OS Malevich update will enable physical protection of the Fibra line from being broken. To do this, connect the beginning of the line to one hub terminal and its end to the other. Such a connection creates a ring topology. In case of a line fault, the ring splits into two working segments, a security company and users are notified of the incident.

New features in PRO apps

Fibra has fully inherited the Ajax wireless user experience. Apps notifications contain comprehensive information: the event type, date, time, the detector name, the placement room. Due to the addressability of devices, you know exactly what is happening in the system and at the facility — even if a dozen detectors are connected to one line. Add to this the MotionCam motion detector photo verifications, and you get maximum system informativeness and control at your fingertips.

To simplify the Fibra wired devices installation, we have developed special software tools. The line scan function automatically finds devices not assigned to the hub and allows adding them to the system — in just a couple of clicks.

The built-in stress test of power consumption helps ensure that the system has sufficient power in any scenario. After installing the system, the installation engineer uses the PRO app to simulate the maximum possible power consumption: detectors give alarms, keypads are activated, and sirens are turned on. If the system passes the test, it will have sufficient power in any case.

If you use an integrated PRO Desktop app to monitor Ajax systems, the list of convenient features is supplemented with automatic system synchronization. After the installation and setup process, all Ajax equipment configuration is automatically downloaded from the cloud server. The monitoring station engineer does not waste time on the manual transfer of devices, which eliminates mechanical errors.

Fibra stands for flexibility, reliability, and control. As part of the Ajax ecosystem, new wired technology has made a consistent user experience possible, regardless of the connection between the devices and the hub. Efficient hardware and sophisticated software laid the foundation for the development of another Ajax product line setting a new standard in the security industry.

Pioneering Spanish architects thrive in a BIM and specification partnership with ASSA ABLOY

London, September 2022 – Fenwick Iribarren Architects have many years’ experience working with BIM. They have benefited from its transparency on projects in Spain and abroad. For Campus Acciona, a landmark new business and office development in the Hortaleza neighbourhood of Madrid, they sought a trusted BIM partner to streamline the specification process.

According to Javier Iribarren, BIM brings many collaboration advantages to complex workflows: “Projects are much more coordinated between the different disciplines, resulting in a more developed project arriving on site,” he explains.

“In a few years it is going to be the only way of developing these projects.”

For their Madrid project, Fenwick Iribarren aimed to save time in coordinating specification and parameters between building materials and their RevitÒ design. Ensuring software packages work together creates a transparent “living model” with the right level of detail, as well as an up-to-date document resource with long-lasting value for building maintenance and security teams.

They also believed this project’s success would introduce their other stakeholders in real estate development to the merits of a strong BIM partnership.

BIM partnership between architect and ASSA ABLOY

Partnering with an ASSA ABLOY specification and BIM specialist based in Spain helped coordinate the fast-changing information that Fenwick Iribarren require through design stage. They could quickly share alternative scenarios via the BIM model, for example.

“The BIM process is an ongoing dialogue, a process which helps architects, building contractors, investors and project owners to work collaboratively,” says Marc Ameryckx from ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions EMEIA. “More than just workflow management or virtual modelling, BIM is a data-rich collaboration.”

“For a large, 554-door development like Campus Acciona, the transparency and efficiency benefits of a BIM partnership are huge.”

Time and effort saved with Openings Studioä software

Openings Studioä streamlines information flow from ASSA ABLOY’s specification database directly to an in-progress RevitÒ design. All kinds of solutions — from door closers to mechanical cylinders— are available with a few clicks. This replaces the time-consuming process of adding door parameters manually.

“The software is very easy to learn,” Javier adds. “It is especially useful to update changes since it detects updates in the model. A high level of programming is not required and you don’t need to use other packages like Excel to extract or import schedules.”

“The workflow and the after-care experience have been great.”

The range of solutions available from ASSA ABLOY also helped save specification time. “ASSA ABLOY’s comprehensive range includes door systems and electronic locks and strikes, innovative door closers and access control solutions tailored to the office sector,” adds Marc.

Campus Acciona is equipped with ASSA ABLOY Door Closers (DC340, 500, 700 and 840); TESA TOP mortise panic exit devices; CF60 series fire rated mortise locks; Cubo single lever handles; and TX80 Euro profile high-security double cylinders.

To learn more about partnering with ASSA ABLOY’s BIM consultants, download case studies here https://campaigns.assaabloyopeningsolutions.eu/hubfs/AA_BIM%20CS%20references_final.pdf