Digitalization is reshaping the way we live and work. Buildings should be at the centre of this change, streamlining daily interactions with homes, offices and other workplaces, making movement into and around them seamless. Everyone who uses a site also needs confidence in its security and safety, not just its efficiency and usability.
In addition, connected digital access is a fundamental block in constructing more intelligent buildings. As analysts Omdia note, “access control equipment continues to play a crucial role in leading end users to consider a transition to interconnected smart building system architectures”.*
Switching mechanical for digital access, then, can be essential to a future-oriented strategy. It can help organizations of every size and type to work smarter, collaborate better and maximize the productivity of their existing assets. “The building has an increasingly digital future,” says David Moser, SVP and Head of Digital Access Solutions at ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions EMEIA. ”So it’s crucial for all kinds of organizations to make their access ready for what’s ahead.”
But which major factors should be incorporated into the decision-making process for a switch to digital? The following five are critical to ensure an organization lands on the best solution for them.
5 strategic factors impacting your switch to digital access
Security is sometimes considered a given. But in a world of emerging and evolving physical security threats, it should never be taken for granted. Building users and managers need the reassurance of a secure access system to go about their working day productively and with peace of mind. As security converges, moving beyond traditional physical access and cyber ‘siloes’, the right digital access solution enables building management teams to define exactly who goes where, and when, across their site or sites.
Reliability of any digital solution has both financial and security implications. Robust hardware and secure software ensure that access solutions require minimal maintenance, for example. At specification stage, purchasers should also inquire about third-party certifications, including for green building schemes, whether for digital locks, electronic door closing solutions or for access provision compliance at sensitive locations where additional national and supra-national regulations may apply.
Innovation in the choice of solution does not simply mean picking the access system with the widest range of features and functions. Choosing a digital solution manufacturer with a track record of innovation, however, gives organizations the confidence that their solution will always prepare them for what’s ahead – not just the ‘now’. Systems should embrace
digital openness and customizability – which in turn provide the flexibility which genuinely future-proofs access management.
Convenience is about much more than just small-scale savings in time and effort. When employees, contractors and temporary visitors can come-and-go with ease, operations for building and security managers are streamlined. Digitalizing access provides a concrete ROI that a business can turn into a competitive advantage. For this reason, the most recent Wireless Access Control Report found the #1 factor driving the switch to mobile digital access was convenience**.
Sustainability as an ethos should be embedded within any future-proof digital solution. Motives go beyond just altruism and corporate responsibility – though of course, these are important. Incorporating sustainability into an access strategy can also directly benefit the bottom line. Both the business and the environment benefit from reducing power consumption by using innovations such as energy-harvesting technology, for example.
The benefits of a digital access solution
“At a new corporate headquarters for Canal+ near Paris, midsized Clockwise co-working spaces in the UK and northern Europe, and medical facilities in Dubai and Turkey, digitaliziation of access has brought tangible everyday benefits,” adds David Moser. “There’s a proven digital solution suited to historic buildings, brand-new hotels, and education facilities of every size and type. Digital access comes with a real operations management ROI.”
“At one Danish school, Vejle Friskole, digitalizing access management reduced the time they were spending on it every week from 5 hours to just 5 minutes. The results can be instant… and quite dramatic!”***
Digitalizing access instantly puts powerful tools in the hands of a building manager: Cloud infrastructure enables remote management of users and access from one convenient location; integrating intelligent sensors can help manage energy more effectively; credentials stored on a smartphone simplify and accelerate the process of issuing, amending and revoking access.
Digital access for offices, universities, hospitals, hotels, homes and much more
A vast range of digital functionality can be tailored to all kinds of applications. With real-time management, facility managers create audit trails or instantly change access rights for any door or user. In schools, real-time, online control enables rapid lockdown in an emergency. In hospitals, digital access shows who had access to drug stores or equipment.
At the Flint Hotel in Austria, digital access software integrates with self-service kiosks: Guests check-in from home, enter reception with a PIN and receive their keycard at the kiosk. At Munich’s historic Hofbräuhaus, digital devices work out of sight, securing doors and managing access without damaging the heritage interior. Tenants at Becorp, multi-residential housing in Barcelona, access apartments and common areas with a key stored securely on their smartphone.
“Physical key management for any large development puts severe pressure on operational costs,” explains Becorp’s project engineer, Xavier Casals. “Choosing wireless locks and mobile management helps us to minimize them.”
“ASSA ABLOY can help you digitalize and truly future-proof access at almost any kind of site or building,” adds David Moser. “Our vast range of innovative, reliable, convenient solutions showcase the value of the digital transition and can be tailored to meet individual business needs and goals.”
“We urge anyone thinking of making the switch from mechanical to digital access to speak to us first. We are happy to share our expertise to help you continue to thrive in a changing, digitalizing world.”
To learn more about Digital Access Solutions from ASSA ABLOY, download a free guide at www.assaabloy.com/group/emeia/campaigns/digitalwithconfidence
**: Download the full report at assaabloy.com/az/en/campaigns/2023-wac-report
***: https://www.assaabloy.com/dk/da/solutions/industries/education
