London, January 2025 – Managing access digitally is often considered more secure, more flexible and more convenient than traditional methods. However, as with any investment decision, businesses must weigh up both costs and benefits before upgrading. The costs attached to the access solution they choose can be affected by many different factors – including building size, shape, type, location, national regulations and so on.
Fortunately, within this potential range of differences, the choice between a wired or wireless solution has a mostly uniform impact. Going wireless reduces the total cost of solution ownership during installation, operation, and when it comes to expanding or reconfiguring access, should a business’ needs change.
Wiring buildings is often expensive. Therefore, the potential cost savings from choosing wireless digital access begin at the very start of the process. In calculations for one report, digital access experts at ASSA ABLOY projected costs for a fictional 100-door installation. Labour savings for those who chose wireless over wired locks were over 80%*.
Wireless installation is faster and less intrusive. Most wireless locking devices require little or no drilling of the door, whereas wired security needs cabling through and partly around a door – which means not just door damage, but specialist electrical contractors and perhaps multiple site visits. These costs add up.
In Poland, for example, developer Torus targets the highest level of LEED certification for all their new properties around Gdansk. Where possible, they choose products with Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and Green Circle documentation, favouring solutions which reduce their carbon footprint. Wireless digital access technology is a natural choice.
“The lack of wiring significantly reduces materials use, reduces costs, and ensures quick installation,” confirms Torus’ Roman Sokolowski. There’s no cabling, which cuts power consumption. There’s less damage to the building fabric and fitters make fewer journeys to and from the site.
Energy efficiency improves cost efficiency
Choosing wireless over wired locking can play an important role in reducing energy costs. Businesses have little control over unit energy prices, so it is critical that they control usage. The fact that battery-powered locks consume much less energy than traditional wired solutions remains relevant and important.
Traditional wired door access devices often work via magnets connected permanently to mains electricity. These doors draw power to remain locked. Wireless locks work differently. They only “wake up” when presented with a credential, to make an access decision. This translates to an additional saving on energy costs during operation: more than 70%, or thousands of euros over a typical access system’s lifetime.
Related energy and materials costs during in-use stage are also lower. Wireless locks only need a change of their standard battery – which may be rechargeable – typically once every two years. No complex maintenance is required, saving on specialists as well as their travel to and from site(s).
By choosing wireless digital access, businesses help protect themselves against the rising costs and price volatility of energy. And if they choose to extend an existing system wirelessly with ASSA ABLOY’s Aperio® device range, for example, they do not add administrative complexity. Security managers still control their entire site from a single interface.
Implementing flexible working to reduce costs
The financial benefits of a wireless digital solution are also felt in the increased convenience and efficiency of daily operations. In the co-working sector, for example, flexible access to offices is a priority. As “fixed” office space rented by corporations continues to fall, co-working spaces keep growing, with one estimate suggesting almost 18% CAGR to 2030.**
To stand out from the competition, the founders of ULab in Alicante sought the latest innovations in access and design to create their 21st-century business centre. Also part of the suite of digital access solutions from ASSA ABLOY, a SMARTair® system gave ULab real-time access control via battery powered locks and Openowä, the Mobile Key solution for SMARTair, without any need to wire doors or other openings.
With SMARTair and Openow, workspace residents can carry virtual keys on their own smartphone. ULab’s security team update everyone’s access rights from the SMARTair TS1000 Web interface; the mobile app collects usage data from the doors. In case of an emergency, office managers can even lock-down the site or open doors remotely. It makes operations convenient and efficient – and boosts ULab’s security, benefiting users and managers.
Because of SMARTair’s flexibility, they can comfortably welcome many more than their usual 100 daily users. “In addition to regular daily traffic, weekly traffic can almost multiply by 10 if an event is held,” says Enrique Burgos Pérez, Director at ULab. “We needed an access control system as flexible and convenient as SMARTair.”
Office moves and redesigns made easier with wireless digital access
Choosing wireless locks adds further flexibility – and can reduce costs – when an organization reconfigures or expands their commercial space. High-quality wireless devices like SMARTair or Aperio can typically be reinstalled at another opening without impacting their reliability. They move to wherever is convenient.
So, if a business is rethinking workspace to encourage flexible or hybrid working, for example, cost efficiencies could be significant. Typical savings on office relocation or expansion are estimated at around 30% with wireless over wired locking, according to the ASSA ABLOY benchmarking report.
The financial benefits of reducing total cost of ownership, alongside improved security and control, greater user convenience and product reliability, bolsters an already compelling case for the digitalization of access without wires — whether for new-builds or on retrofit projects.
To learn how you can digitalize with confidence and reduce total cost of ownership for your access solution, visit www.assaabloy.com/group/emeia/campaigns/digitalwithconfidence
