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What’s Trending in the Fire Alarms and Evacuation Market?

With the rapid rise in popularity of building automation systems, the integration of fire alarms and evacuation systems is seeing a strong rise in demand. Here is a look at the current market trends, challenges and opportunities.
Izvor: a&s International
E-mail: redakcija@asadria.com

With the increasing awareness on the need for safety and prevention, fire alarm and evacuation solutions continue to see higher market demand. According to a report from the research firm Technavio, the global emergency alarm and evacuation market is expected to reach US$5.3 billion by 2021, growing at a CAGR close to 7 percent. Increasing awareness, government regulations and end-user demands are expected to be the major reasons for this growth.

The rising popularity of building automation solutions is also expected to fuel growth in this sector. However, Technavio pointed out that the current uncertainty over ideal wireless solutions and lack of awareness will hamper expansion for two more years. The market could see a rapid pick up after that.

In the fire alarms solutions market alone, the industrial sector is expected to see the most growth because of government regulations becoming stringent in developed and developing economies. Technological advancements such as wireless sensors, advanced detection systems and human machine interface (HMI) solutions are also among the factors encouraging customers to adopt solutions and boost the market.

Mass notification and evacuation systems are widely seen in the commercial sector. They make use of announcement systems, messages, emails and phone calls to provide real-time information in the event of an emergency. Some experts have pointed out that the recent developments in the field of the Internet of Things (IoT) have transformed the market, with the integration of business systems with emergency systems giving greater flexibility in operation. However, a major issue that still hurts the industry is the lack of standards for different structures that could lead to possible failure of control systems during an emergency.

A technology close to this market, and imparting significant influence on its development, is the digital addressable lighting interface (DALI). DALI is a wireless protocol and software integration that makes the lighting systems digital. Its deployment complements fire and evacuation solutions, and has proved to be extremely useful during an emergency situation.

The Current Trends Seen in the Market
Bringing the fire alarm and evacuation systems under one technological roof and integrating them to work together seamlessly is the main trend that is seen in the market. According to Thomas Parrish, VP of Integrated Systems at Telgian, more and more fire systems are being installed with voice systems so that there is no need for two separate setups to be put in place.

“We are seeing a lot of integrations,” Parrish said. “We are also seeing, in certain markets and verticals, the uptake of using the communication systems for other purposes like telephone, paging and background music.”

In fact, the integration of mass notification systems with fire alarms is widely seen as the most significant trend by many in the market. Some suggest that the need for intelligibility and clarity is crucial in this regard to managing audible as well as visual notification systems. The role of mobile technology is also becoming more and more important. Features like Real Time Location Services (RTLS), widely found in smartphones these days, can be integrated with security systems to expand the reach and effectiveness.

Rex Lam, Senior Consultant at Guardian Forest Security, stressed that the change in trends is reliant, to a significant extent, on the regulatory policies of a region. Depending on how proactive a particular government is towards meeting the requirements in the field, the market demands and trends could change. Speaking specifically of major Asian markets like Hong Kong, Singapore and Mainland China, Lam said that he could not see much change over the years.

“The trends have not been changing much because there are fire codes in different jurisdictions, regardless of where you are, may it be Hong Kong, Mainland China, Singapore, etc.,” Lam said. “This is because the fire system needs to be compatible with the local regulations first before other things can come into play. So, the trend has been to first meet the regulations and then try to integrate the solutions with building management systems. Of course, there are different ways to do this, there are several industry-wide protocols out there for you to integrate with other systems, but the key thing is before you apply the technology, you must understand what is the value of an integration. This will help the client understands why they are spending the money.”

Speaking of developments in technology, Lam added that solutions are becoming more and more sophisticated than before in reducing false alarms.

“Traditionally you would detect fire either by temperature or by smoke,” he said. “I have recently seen newer types of sensors that are also using CO as part of their detection technology in an effort to reduce false alarms. In any alarm system, false alarms are something that you are trying to avoid at all costs.”

The importance of local regulations was also stressed by Paul Wijnstra and Mirre Veerman, Fire Safety Consultants at Royal HaskoningDHV, as they spoke about the market conditions in the Netherlands. In most cases in the country, fire alarms and sounders for evacuation are integrated into a single control panel. But the integration of voice alarm systems is not permitted as per Dutch standards and hence has to be maintained on a separate control panel.

The Current Requirements in the Market
Needless to say, more and more verticals are interested in installing mass notification systems integrated with fire alarms. According to Parrish, sectors like healthcare were the early adopter of this but now establishments like schools are making it a requirement. There is also demand from other industries like the retail.

“More demand from what we would consider non-traditional markets,” Parrish said. “[For instance] in large single-story buildings we would use systems that would be useful for both paging as well as for emergency communications.”

According to Lam, the major requirement is to meet the government regulations. In many countries, regulators impose stringent checks on fire safety. Non-compliance with the rules could lead to problems for commercial as well as non-commercial establishments.

Going a bit more in detail on this, Wijnstra and Veerman added that the Dutch standards NEN 2535 and NEN 2575 define the requirements for fire detection and evacuation systems in the Netherlands. “For the fire detection system in the recently published 2017 edition, it is now allowed to have digital mimic panels,” they said. “This is due to the recently proven reliability which the Dutch fire detection standard prescribes to. For evacuation systems, sounders with programmed messages are now available.”

Technological and Market Challenges
As solutions become increasingly sophisticated and their integration requires multifaceted expertise, challenges in their implementation are also prone to rise. According to Wijstra and Veerman, for an evacuation alarm system with sounders to function effectively, the sounders and detectors should be combined in the same loop. Everything depends on programming the correct cause and effect to ensure proper integration.

“Voice alarm systems cannot be integrated into the same control panel,” they added, highlighting the Dutch standards again. “However, they are allowed to be connected into the same network. The challenge is to have both systems talk the same (software) language. Most of the time this is not possible and therefore they are connected with I/O modules.”

Lam noted that ensuring the devices work on a common protocol is a challenge in the field. For instance, there are several popular protocols like Modbus and BACnet. At the design phase itself, the consultants need to clearly specify the required protocols so that the integration can be completed without hassles.

Sometimes, infrastructural limitations too become a challenge in implementation, according to Parrish. Especially when it comes to older buildings or even historic architecture for that matter, installers will have to work around structures that are already in place. They will have very limited scope for making changes to the building. Parrish added that 3D design can be a solution to this to a large extent, as it helps in eliminating conflicts when running conduits, piping, and integrating with other devices. Quite often, there is a small space in the ceiling where you are looking to run all these together. If space is calculated and planned in advance through 3D design, there will be no conflict when it comes to the installation.

Limited Intrusion of Technological Advancements
Recent developments in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have had an impact on the security surveillance industry. However, the fire industry still largely remains immune to such changes, sticking to traditional systems. A potential space where AI can be useful is in video-based fire detection. The analytic software required to detect smoke and fire from a video can make use of AI to become more efficient.

“Fire tends to be a little bit conservative with newer technologies,” Parrish said. “What we are seeing is systems like alarm verification, multidetector detectors, and so on. I see AI and other emerging technologies mostly in facilities that are getting systems like gunshot detection solutions.”

He added that there are also solutions such as smoke screens that are becoming popular in some areas. But the use of AI is largely limited to other security areas like facial recognition.

Lam agreed to this. However, he added that AI is a loosely defined term. Whenever we talk about AI, there are three factors that come into play. First is processing power, second is the sensor that captures information, and the third is algorithm powered by a software. Since fire solutions may be integrated with systems like access control and surveillance, AI can play a role in the larger purpose of the system – to get people to safety in the event of an emergency.

What the Future Holds
That integration is critical to better fire and emergency management is beyond question. What systems integrators and installers would need to look into, however, is how the integration technology evolves to bring in more devices in the future. As the trend of building automation systems and smart buildings pick up, fire alarm and evacuation systems could increasingly become a crucial part of the bigger picture. Finalizing standards and protocols would remain a hurdle in reaching this stage, but once this is done, market growth in this sector could see a rapid pace.

Tips for Systems Integrators in Fire and Evacuation

As market demand increases, systems integrators (SI) should ideally be able to find more business in this sector. However, we all know how this is easier said than done as factors like competition and market awareness continue to affect the business. So, what can SIs do to move ahead?

Ensuring a strong relationship with designers, developers, and solution providers is one major factor that Thomas Parrish, VP of Integrated Systems at Telgian, pointed out. There are a number of manufacturers out there now offering a variety of options to SIs, but the latter needs to know who has the best support in the region they work in.

Rex Lam, Senior Consultant at Guardian Forest Security, is of the opinion that SIs should begin to think more like consultants. When a client approaches you with a requirement, you should make them understand how the solutions can help reduce costs for them. For instance, what are the costs that the client would incur if a fire breaks out? How can they be mitigated with the right solutions in place? SIs should be able to get this point across to their customers effectively.

However, governmental regulations remain a hurdle for SIs in this field when it comes to innovation. According to Paul Wijnstra and Mirre Veerman, Fire Safety Consultants at Royal HaskoningDHV, as of now it is difficult to move beyond traditional systems in the Netherlands due to the way regulations work. However, moving forward, there are possibilities of technologies like video smoke detection systems getting regulatory approval and this should help SIs widen their offerings.

 

Global ANPR market on target for 800 million USD by 2022

According to the latest research by IHS Markit, the global market revenues from sales of intelligent ANPR devices are forecast to reach $800 million by 2022 and increase at a compound annual growth rate of 16.4 percent.

The types of applications where automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) can be used has increased and so has the range of offered functionalities. Advances in video analytics and processing power used in modern ANPR devices are reshaping the market says the research company.

(R)evolution in the industry

Speed enforcement devices can now offer more functions than ever before, such as seatbelt detection in vehicles and helmet detection for motorcyclists. The more advanced algorithms used in these devices rely on machine learning and deep-learning techniques to analyse recorded images for seatbelt or helmet presence. This recognition process is very complex, because the ANPR camera needs, for example, to differentiate the image of the seatbelt within an image with a lot of background noise, such as light reflections from the car windshield and shading and obstructed views caused by a driver using a sun visor. The advanced algorithms allow for real-time accurate object detection.

Detection of dangerous driving, which can tell whether a car is tailgating an emergency vehicle or whether it is driving between two lanes of traffic, is another important add-on feature enabled by analytics powered with artificial intelligence (AI).

Red light enforcement is another key ANPR application that has benefitted greatly from advances in analytics. Traditionally there was a need for two separate devices to be deployed in one location – one to read the licence plate of the car and another to record the red light. Modern devices with improved analytics are increasingly able to perform both tasks with a single device, which helps lower system cost and speed up the ticket processing for violations.

ANPR devices are now more likely to have analytics deployed on the camera. They do not require back-office processing software to perform their functions, which reduces the overall system set-up costs and lowers adoption barriers across many industries. Processing power improvements have allowed ANPR devices to become much more compact, further simplifying installation. Advances in video analytics have had a big impact on modern ANPR solutions, which has led to increasing adoption in access control and parking applications, including at hotels, hospitals and airports. These advances allow hotel chains, for example, to offer free parking to their guests at all associated hotels, not just the one where the guest is booked for their stay.

More data, more privacy concerns

Despite the great promise of advanced analytics, regulatory and practical considerations are the two main barriers to broader adoption of ANPR systems.

On the regulatory level, concerns over privacy will play an important role. As ANPR systems gather more data across industries, and additional devices are deployed in more locations than ever, the concerns over privacy of vehicle drivers run high. People are questioning why ANPR images are being recorded, as well as where they are stored and how secure they are. These concerns will have to be proactively addressed by manufacturers and installers alike, to help prevent a public backlash against these technologies.

On the practical level, the biggest barrier to adoption is still system cost. In countries where labour costs are quite low and the concepts of smart cities are not very well developed, the law enforcement agencies may prefer to continue conducting manual checks. Private businesses might not be willing to invest in training their staff in how to operate ANPR devices.

Onward and forward

Advanced analytics are transforming ANPR devices into multi-purpose detection systems, which fit very well with the concept of safe cities and smart cities, despite many other competitive technologies at the core of these systems. The next stage for ANPR systems, according to IHS Markit, is to integrate facial recognition with number-plate recognition. While these two functions have already been combined in some access control applications, the detection is still performed by two separate cameras, mostly due to installation angles and other practical factors. However, in the future, improvements in camera features and analytical algorithms could open the door to these two features combined into one single system, which would greatly improve the investigative capabilities of these devices.

Nedap Identification appoints new MD

Joost van der Willik, Managing Director of Nedap Identification Systems
Nedap – a leading specialist in long-range identification and wireless vehicle detection solutions – has appointed Joost van der Willik (35) as the new Managing Director of Nedap Identification Systems.

“For many years, Nedap Identification Systems has delivered cutting edge technology in various markets and verticals. I’m excited to team up with a global team of knowledgeable professionals, eager to pursue new heights by further inspiring our partner network and the clients that benefit from our technology on a daily basis.” said Joost van der Willik, Managing Director of Nedap Identification Systems.

Since the company’s founding in 1929, Nederlandsche Apparatenfabriek ‘Nedap’ N.V. has been manufacturing smart technical applications for the challenges of today and tomorrow, and selling them all over the world. Headquartered in Groenlo in the Netherlands, Nedap boasts a workforce of approx. 680 employees and operates on a global scale.

LET THE COUNTDOWN BEGIN: SICUREZZA AND SMART BUILDING EXPO WILL BE BACK AT FIERA MILANO NEXT YEAR

Innovation, training, and renewed synergy between the two shows. SICUREZZA is ready to consolidate the leadership of an event with an increasingly international appeal.

SMART BUILDING EXPO extends its offering to the photovoltaic industry and smart cities. Milan, 30 November 2018 – the next edition of SICUREZZA will be back in less than a year, from 13 to 15 November 2019 at Fiera Milano.

This is Italy’s leading trade fair in the security & fire sectors and a must-attend international event for European players. Next year’s edition is going to be legendary, as many major companies will showcase their best solutions. As a matter of fact, there will be an additional pavilion and it will be an opportunity for focusing on training in the security and fire-fighting industry.

Security technologies are everywhere, from our homes – the residential sector has been growing consistently in the past few years, also thanks to government incentives – to our cities and workplaces. And SICUREZZA is getting ready to provide an overview of the current market.

Video surveillance, which has always been well represented at the trade fair, is already a widespread industry, but video cameras are enhancing their performance and are more and more sophisticated, smart, and an integral part of complex systems. This is leading to the multiplication of settings that are becoming testbenches for the most innovative technologies, providing HD images and being effective with any kind of lighting and weather condition. The recent debate in Italy about the possibility to install video cameras in kindergartens and hospices says it all. The aim is to turn this technology into a tool that can be a deterrent and a defence for weaker categories, while respecting everyone’s privacy.

The spotlight will be also on other new developments in the security industry. The access control sector is getting smarter, thanks to electronic locks and increasingly sophisticated biometric solutions, which can archive and monitor thousands of different users. On the other hand, the anti-intrusion segment is becoming progressively more oriented towards the integration of home or office management functions that can be controlled remotely via apps.

State-of-the-art modular solutions and data transmission systems allow for the transfer of vast quantities of information in real time from all the various types of sensors, with the possibility of identifying anomalies and immediately monitoring situations and activities.

Besides efficiency, new security technologies are asked to face an important challenge, especially in view of the recent enforcement of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Data processing is even more challenging because securing data goes beyond protecting them and preventing risks. In the Internet era, the security of data, things, and people is a strategic asset to ensure the benefit and effectiveness of any type of technology. Security is no longer just a technical matter, but a corporate governance responsibility. Whether we are talking about companies, cities, or shopping centres, security-related decisions are a value on which clients base their idea of reliability.

In this ever-changing context, players’ competency becomes essential, because security has become a topic for many people: constructors, designers, and installers (who must comply with the GDPR), as well as major users and private citizens, who can now integrate their security systems, thus being a resource for the entire community. The security culture is something that any constructor and representative of the supply chain are asked to feed continuously.

SICUREZZA 2019 will be back to consolidate all this with its rich panel of high-profile meetings, organised in collaboration with associations and publishers, and inform and update all the players of this industry.

SMART BUILDING EXPO: A STRONGER SYNERGY

After the success of this first edition, Smart Building Expo, the event organised by Fiera Milano and Pentastudio, will be back stronger than ever to provide designers, system integrators, facility and energy managers, as well as public administration, a richer and more complete offering, which includes smart building.

The two events will be very synergetic (Smart Building will take place in pavilion 6 together with a part of the SICUREZZA trade fair) and will have shared contents, thanks to a schedule including cross-cutting topics.

Smart Building Expo has always focused on the market’s evolution, and the 2019 edition will add new product sectors to those traditionally covered in the home and building automation field. The world of electricity self-production, especially using photovoltaic technology with a natural opening towards e-mobility infrastructure will join energy efficiency and smart lighting. The concept of Audio Video Control will extend to the outdoors, as an integral part of a smart city.

The design and start-up areas will be implemented thanks to the collaboration with some major Italian business incubators and accelerators. The smart city area will be the newest introduction of the 2019 edition, which will put the limelight on 5G deployment as an infrastructure enabling new applications in an urban environment.

To mark the investments in this strategic area, which is open to future developments, Smart Building Expo, together with a few institutional partners, is organising an importantInternational Conference, which will take place during the trade fair. The conference is going to attract a highly qualified international audience, who will help enrich the event through best practices.

 

THE ROADSHOW CONTINUES: A NEW STAGE IN THE SOUTH

After Spain, Germany, and Romania, the SICUREZZA and Smart Building Expo promotional roadshow stopped in the South of Italy, in Bari for the Smart Building Levante event.

To present the latest developments of the next edition to the players from the South, SICUREZZA has promoted a conference on Integrated Safety with the service provided by professionals and industry players.

To learn more, visit: www.sicurezza.it and www.smartbuildingexpo.it .

 

Fiera Milano Press Office

Rosy Mazzanti, rosy.mazzanti@fieramilano.it

Mariagrazia Scoppio, mariagrazia.scoppio@fieramilano.it

T +39 024997.6214 F +39 024997.7174

FUJIFILM Optical Devices Europe GmbH: Binoculars for a Stable Field of View at High Magnification

Kleve, November 2018

FUJIFILM has released Fujinon binoculars with exceptional performance: the TECHNO-STABI TS 12×28 has an image stabilizer, which can be used without a tripod, even at high magnification.

When normal binoculars are held by hand, distant objects can appear to tremble and blur. This is particularly distracting when working with high magnifications and dark scenery. The TS 12×28’s image stabilizer provides stable images even at 12x magnification. The vibration correction works precisely at an angular range of ± 3°. This makes it very possible to observe moving vehicles or ships.

Furthermore, the TS 12×28 has an extraordinary light intensity, which also produces sharp and high-contrast images for astronomical observations. This is achieved through multi-coated optics and phase-coated prisms. The focus is adjusted by means of a central focus wheel, which can be operated with one finger.

Thanks to the fiberglass-reinforced and compact plastic casing, the binoculars are lightweight, easy to handle, robust and waterproof. The power consumption is so low that one battery charge lasts up to 12 hours. The power saving mode also switches the device off automatically after 10 minutes. Therefore, the TS 12×28 is recommended for very long observations.

The application areas are unlimited, for example in sports, in nature, at concerts or on the high seas.

Links:

Product:
https://www.fujifilm.eu/eu/products/optical-devices/binoculars/techno-stabi-series#techno-stabi-ts12x28

Data sheet:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/pdcctgx3ljo3msy/TS12x28%20sell%20sheet%201PP_FINAL%201-12-18.pdf

Images:

Techno-Stabi TS12x28 (white background)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/9cxtse5c9cw5icu/FUJI-224_3QL.png

Techno-Stabi TS12x28 (black background, stylized)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/hhtfqhmjztpcvwu/FUJI-224_Style_2.png

Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjLw2m8_HAQ

 

Contact:

FUJIFILM Optical Devices Europe GmbH

Fujistraße 1

47533 Kleve

Phone: +49 2821 / 7115 400

E-mail: bino_eu@fujifilm.com

www.fujifilm.eu/fujinon

 

About FUJIFILM Optical Devices Europe GmbH

FUJIFILM has been producing award-winning lenses for many decades. It develops and produces innovative, cutting-edge solutions for almost any application in the entertainment industry, for security systems and in industrial image processing.

FUJINON binoculars are known worldwide. FUJINON binoculars are particularly popular in professional nautical environments, as well as in scenarios related to water sports, security forces, and nature/sky observers. Users will appreciate the optical quality in combination with the robust, lightweight and waterproof casing. For special requirements there are also sophisticated features, such as night vision and electronic image stabilization.

FUJIFILM Optical Devices Europe GmbH in Kleve is responsible for the sales, services and marketing of professional FUJINON lenses for TV and film productions, CCTV and Machine Vision as well as of FUJINON binoculars in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Global critical infrastructure spending to reach 125B USD by 2023

Critical infrastructures are radically transforming on an unprecedented scale, boosted by a rapid adoption of ‘smart’ operational technologies. Cyber security is a growing part of that evolution. ABI Research, a market-foresight advisory firm providing strategic guidance on the most compelling transformative technologies, forecasts security spending for the protection of critical infrastructures will hit US$125 billion globally by 2023.
Currently, defence contractors (Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, Harris, Northrop Grumman), industrial OEMs (Honeywell, Siemens, Airbus, Rockwell, Boeing), tech leaders (IBM, Amazon, Microsoft, Verizon), and energy companies (Shell, Total, Exxon) are the big security spenders.

Three primary drivers are pushing better digital security in sectors such as utilities, transport, and healthcare: digital transformation and increased connectivity of operational technologies; democratisation of cyber attacks targeting critical infrastructure; and a maturing market for industrial and IoT security.

“Connected OT has enabled optimisation and greater efficiency for decades-old legacy systems, cutting costs and vastly improving operations for operators,” said Michela Menting, Research Director at ABI Research. But it has also introduced new vulnerabilities and opened new threat vectors to previously air-gapped technologies. The first specialised attacks against industrial control systems are over a decade old, and the attack tools and methods are accessible to even the most common cyber criminals. Fortunately, the cyber security industry has been working in parallel to address that security gap between IT and OT.

As a result, security solutions for industrial control systems and IoT have been fast maturing, rendering them more widely available and affordable. “So, while critical infrastructure operators face an expanding threat landscape, they also have greater choice and support in terms of digital protection of their OT and IT systems. Security budgets have increased significantly, which is encouraging news for those sectors which have long lagged in digital security,” Menting explained.

However, these positive developments face-off against several obstacles plaguing critical infrastructures: a macro-focus slowdown by governments regarding national cyber security strategies, especially in the U.S., and the E.U., continued resistance to cyber security regulation and sectoral information sharing, and cyber threat fatigue leading to general apathy regarding cyber security by the private sector. Many stakeholders view cyber security as a check-box exercise for one-time spending rather than investing on a continuous basis. “Consequently, while current security spending levels are significantly higher compared to just a few years ago, there is still significant room for further investment, both from an awareness and an implementation perspective,” Menting concluded.

Pieter de Vlaam person of the year

The ESSA International Leadership Award, which was introduced for the first time last year, was once again awarded to an important person in the international security industry this year. The award honors people, who have made a special contribution to the continuous development of the industry due to their extraordinary commitment.
This year, Pieter de Vlaam from Gunnebo was honored with the award. “Pieter de Vlaam has dedicated his entire career to the industry. He is one of those rare people whose dedication and motivation have really made a difference in our field. Above all, his analytical way of dealing with difficult topics with little emotion and full of confidence is impressive.”, says Wolfgang Bruna (Wertheim Betriebsberatungs) in his laudatory speech.

Pieter de Vlaam shaped the industry mainly through his extraordinary commitment to standardization. Since the beginning of the 1990s he took over the management of ad-hoc group tools. Furthermore, since 2003 he has been the convener of Working Group 2 for “Fire Resistance”. In this capacity, he quickly introduced the standard for light fire storage cabinets. In addition to these positions, he also heads the Certification Board of the European Certification Body since 2016.

“We are very pleased that the award is so well received by all our member companies. We are already looking forward to the submissions for next year.”, states Dr. Markus Heering, Managing Director of ESSA. The next ESSA International Leadership Award will be presented at the next ESSA General Assembly on the 13th and 14th of November 2019.

Hikvision Joins FIRST

Hikvision, the world’s leading security equipment manufacturer, announced that its Hikvision Security Response Center (HSRC) is now a member of the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST), a recognized global leader in incident response.
FIRST is an international confederation of trusted computer incident response teams who cooperatively handle computer security incidents and promote incident prevention programs. Full membership in FIRST will augment Hikvision’s ongoing efforts to enhance its incident response and communicate best practice, and enable HSRC to collaborate with more than 400 FIRST member teams from 90 countries. FIRST members include companies such as CISCO, Intel, IBM and Microsoft.

“Hikvision is proud to join the concerted cybersecurity global effort and contribute our knowledge, skills and experience to promote a safer and more secure electronic environment worldwide,” said Dr. Wang Bin, Chief Officer of Hikvision’s Network Information Security Laboratory and Network Security Department. “Hikvision is committed to constantly improving its efficiency and performance in incident response, and to providing global customers with the safest products and services.”

Hikvision takes cybersecurity seriously and abides by all applicable laws and regulations in the countries in which it operates. With a record of strict regulatory compliance, Hikvision products meet industry leading standards for safety and security that include ISO 270001, ISO 9001:2008, CMMI Level 5, and AICPA SOC. Additionally, Hikvision encryption module of IPCs and NVRs has been granted certification for Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2, a U.S. government standard established by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

Hikvision upgrades video surveillance at London’s Kew Gardens

When the iconic and hugely popular Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in London needed to expand and upgrade their outdated analogue CCTV surveillance system, they turned to security experts The ITS Group, who provided a powerful HD video system from industry leader Hikvision.
Nestled on the banks of the river Thames, Kew Gardens in southwest London is home to the most diverse collection of living plants anywhere in the world. At 330 acres in size, it’s London’s largest UNESCO world heritage site, and has a history stretching back more than 250 years.

The Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, attracts more than 1.6 million visitors every year, coming to see the 30,000 different kinds of plants, and to visit the Herbarium, which has over seven million preserved plant specimens. Because of the sheer volume of visitors and the multitude of public and trade entrances to Kew Gardens, the site requires around the clock video surveillance coverage, seven days a week. Kew’s CCTV control room operations team works to monitor the safety and security of the park, but a need was identified to upgrade the existing legacy analogue CCTV system to one capable of transmitting and recording in true High Definition. Security specialist firm The ITS Group was called in to help.

ITS Group Director Tim Dyer said the Kew project required upgrading equipment in the Gardens’ security control room, and providing site-wide cameras which view all entrances for both public and trade, as well as various strategic locations throughout the Gardens. “Because the control room needed to be in operation 24/7, close co-ordination was required between ITS and the security team on-site,” he says. “We needed to maintain the CCTV in line with the changing site requirements on a daily basis. This, coupled with access issues and working in a public environment, was very challenging, and the fact that we were able to achieve such good results is testament to the close co-ordination between the site team and Kew security.”

Those results were achieved in the process of implementing a Hikvision IP High Definition video surveillance system, which included new 43-inch and 22-inch HD monitors for the control room, along with new touchscreen network keyboards and joysticks.

Control room operators monitor images from a number of different Hikvision cameras. These include an initial 48 DarkfighterX network speed domes, which provide colour HD images in light levels as low as 0.001 Lux. And when it gets darker still, they provide black and white images in light levels down to 0.0001 Lux. When there’s no light at all, the Darkfighter cameras switch to IR mode and record black and white images at 0 Lux. In addition, they offer 25x zoom capabilities and deep learning-powered target classification for automatic tracking and perimeter protection. They’re complemented by 29 Darkfighter 2 megapixel motorised varifocal lens cameras, 21 ultra-low light smart bullet cameras, and six low light smart cameras.

Images are recorded to Hikvision 16-channel Turbo HD digital video recorders which support analogue, HD-TVI, and IP cameras, H.264, H.264+ and dual-stream compression, and can output at up to 4K resolution.

The resulting system is not only powerful and effective in the short-term, it’s purposefully planned to incorporate forthcoming changes. “The Gardens now have a full HD system which can be expanded with additional cameras in the future,” Tim Dyer says. “It allows them to take advantage of technology advances and newly developed functionality on any cameras or devices they add to the system in future.”

The HD surveillance system has been received exceptionally well by those whose opinion matters most: the security team at Kew Gardens. John Deer, Head of Security, said: “I am delighted with the installation of Hikvision cameras at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. They are of the highest quality, which has enhanced the overall security across the 330 acre site.”

Arecont Vision Costar targets Europe, ME and India

Arecont Vision Costar has promoted a key staff member and added skilled new sales resources to improve customer and partner support across several international growth regions.
The company, a business unit of Costar Technologies, Inc is increasing its presence in Europe, the Middle East, and India through strategic hiring. The international sales organisation has its regional headquarters in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and is responsible for all worldwide Arecont Vision Costar sales and support activities outside of the Americas.

“We are truly excited to promote and add these skilled and experienced team members and sales partners to both enhance our presence and deliver improved sales support to our end user customers, systems integrators, consultants, and technology partners,” stated Sanjit Bardhan, Vice President – International Sales, Arecont Vision Costar. “The new Arecont Vision Total Video Solution and its component megapixel cameras, video management system, video recorders, and cloud-based web services offer valuable new choices to the market, and our expanded team will help bring these products to our customers around the world.”

Vineet Panwar has been promoted to Technical Director – International, leading all technical support activities across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, India, and Asia-Pacific. Mr. Panwar first joined the company in 2015, as Regional Technical Manager for the Middle East, Africa, and India.

The European sales organisation has added Sergej Piculin as Regional Sales Director. Based in Slovenia, Mr. Piculin’s responsibilities include the DACH and Benelux regions, as well as Eastern Europe and Russia. He rejoins Arecont Vision Costar from his most recent role at Indigovision, and is a graduate of the University of Ljubljana.

In the Middle East, Khaled Shehata has been appointed as Regional Sales Manager for the region. An experienced sales leader, Mr. Shehata previously served in similar assignments with Harco Group for Egypt and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and most recently at SNB Middle East FZC, Dubai.

Vani Jeevan has been added to the regional team as Inside Sales Manager – International. Since graduating with an MCA degree from India’s Osmania University, Ms. Jeevan has had a successful career in sales, customer service, quality assurance, and client management in assignments in India and most recently Dubai where she is now based.

“These promotions and additions to the team bring new skills and capabilities to our entire international sales organisation,” said Mr. Bardhan. “We look forward to recognising their success in supporting Arecont Vision Costar customers and partners in the future.”

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