London, October 2019
– A sustainability ethos is embedded within procurement departments in many
modern organizations. Its influence cuts across sectors and functions. Less
well-known, however, is the contribution security and access control can make.
According to ASSA ABLOY’s latest
“Wireless Access Control Report*,” 73% of security professionals agree sustainability and energy efficiency
have become more important in procurement over the past 5 to 10 years. Asked if
the availability of a product lifecycle assessment in the form of an
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) would make a difference to a procurement
decision, four in five report survey respondents said it would. Over a third claim
it would make a “big difference.”
“Sustainability
offers three obvious benefits,” concludes the report, “better compliance,
enhanced reputation and lower energy costs.”
Another recent market
report also suggests sustainable buildings are more attractive to property
investors**.
Cut the cables to
save your business energy — and money
When measuring
sustainability, energy efficiency is a major factor, of course. Assessors for BREEAM
building sustainability certification have made almost 570,000 awards in more
than 80 countries***. Energy efficiency is a key category in their criteria.
Low power usage
is a big sustainability plus for wireless access control devices when compared
with equivalent wired locks. Because wireless locks are battery-operated, they
consume much less energy and emit less CO2 than comparable
mains-powered wired locks.
“Wireless, battery-powered
locks equipped with our Aperio® technology are very
energy-efficient because they are not connected to the mains,” says Antonina Realmuto, Sustainability Manager at ASSA
ABLOY Opening Solutions EMEA.
“They use minimal power when inactive — only to keep the device status alive
for remote operation and reporting changes for an online installation.”
“Paired
RFID card readers only ‘wake up’ either when presented with a credential or
controlled from the system software. As a result, one wireless lock uses a tiny
fraction of the energy a typical wired lock and reader consume.”
In
addition, the ease of installation that comes with a wireless solution has
further energy efficiency benefits. With less installer time spent on-site
comes less power use and lower installer mileage — saving a business time and
money in the process.
The future is
wireless, efficient, and sustainable
“A wide range of different wireless locking systems
from ASSA ABLOY can contribute to your company’s sustainability strategy,” she
adds.
“The CLIQÒ Connect solution is another example. Repair teams and other mobile workers use large quantities
of fuel, which increases any company’s carbon footprint. You make a business
more sustainable quickly when you reduce the mileage they travel. Programmable
CLIQ® Connect keys and
the companion app eliminate the need for workers to return to headquarters to
collect or return a mechanical key.”
The CLIQ® Connect app pairs a programmable CLIQ® key, via an encrypted connection,
with the Web Manager. To change a key-holder’s access rights, a system
administrator accesses the CLIQ® Web Manager — from anywhere — and updates it. A key-holder makes a secure
Bluetooth connection between their key and the app to instantly update access
permissions. There is no travel involved and zero fuel consumption — and thus significantly
lower CO2 emissions associated with this solution.
“Self-powered and energy harvesting locks are
another exciting area for sustainable security technologies,” adds Antonina
Realmuto. “Our new wireless, key-based access control technology PULSE from the Abloy
brand is a beautifully simple step towards building a sustainable ecosystem
around access control. The locking cylinder generates its own energy when a key
is inserted. No cables or batteries are needed.”
A
user inserts their PULSE key. Power generated by inserting and turning provides
energy for the lock’s encrypted electronic access control features. If the key
is authorised, the lock opens. Users carry one PULSE key programmed with their
cleared permissions, no matter how many doors they need to open.
“There
are so many ways an effective, efficient access system helps cut energy bills
by reducing waste and improving your organization’s environmental footprint,”
concludes Antonina Realmuto.
You can also download ASSA ABLOY’s free “Wireless Access Control Report” at https://campaigns.assaabloyopeningsolutions.eu/wacreport2018