Wohngroup Bauträger GmbH & Co.KG, Erfurt

Based in Erfurt, WOHNGROUP is a medium-sized, owner-managed company with almost 30 years of expertise in the construction of innovative owner-occupied and rental apartments. The buildings are heated with renewable energies and achieve energy standard A+ thanks to heat pumps and photovoltaic systems. All apartments have a smart home system and particular emphasis is placed on ‘green mobility’. The company already works digitally and offsets its CO2 emissions through recognised climate protection projects alongside ClimatePartner. As a member of the DGNB, WOHNGROUP creates valuable real estate together with its partners.

Climate protection, socio-cultural quality and sustainability – these are also the hallmarks of the Wohncampus project currently under construction in Halle-Neustadt. Of the ten buildings planned with a total of over 500 residential units, the first four will be completed and ready for occupancy by the end of 2024. The bright apartments with large terraces and some with fitted kitchens are modernly furnished and equipped with smart home technology. The pyramid-shaped terrace houses with pergolas and inner courtyards create spectacular architecture in Halle. The buildings are equipped with a digital locking system. WOHNGROUP placed high demands on the access system. ‘The system had to be secure, easy to understand and operate, offer fast access, be scalable, flexible, reliable and robust,’ explains Denis Sternkopf, Smart Home & IT Project Manager at WOHNGROUP. Particular importance was attached to encrypted communication between the digital key (e.g. smartphone, transponder) and the locking unit. The right to privacy in the home was to be ensured by granular access rights, so that only residents had access to their apartments, but also to the communal areas. A user-friendly, mobile app to control access was also required. The system had to be able to manage a large number of doors, entrances and residents. Administrators should be able to assign, change or revoke access rights quickly and easily, e.g. when tenants change or keys are lost. It was also important to be able to grant temporary access authorisations for visitors or service personnel.

In the end, the property developer opted for the cloud-based access solution resivo from dormakaba, which met all requirements. ‘With dormakaba, we have chosen an established provider in the access solutions and building security industry that has a broad product portfolio with online and offline components and works with a local partner as a point of contact and for services. We were also impressed by the low running costs, as resivo does not require any complex maintenance or high operating costs,’ explains Denis Sternkopf.

Flexible assignment of access rights

With resivo, the housing company can flexibly organise all access rights via the Web Admin Portal. This allows them to conveniently manage and assign access rights for communal doors such as entrance doors, doors to the underground car park, communal rooms or for third-party companies providing services in technical rooms, all from the comfort of their office.

The entire system was installed by Reiche Sicherheitstechnik GmbH & Co.KG. The nationwide company specialises in property security and plans and builds locking systems, locking systems and access control systems in all types of buildings. As an experienced and competent partner for general contractors, builders, construction planners and architects, Reiche attaches great importance to providing its customers with expert and individual advice. The specially trained electronics specialists also ensure that electronic systems and time recording and access control systems are professionally integrated into locking systems. The planning and installation of escape and rescue route systems, door controls and guidance and signage systems round off the range of services.

Reiche Sicherheitstechnik installed c-lever pro electronic fittings with SVP 5000 locks on the doors to the communal areas, e.g. cellar doors, and the door manufacturer fitted TS 93 door closers. All apartment doors were equipped with a digital cylinder. An access control system, an electronic reader 90 01 and a door closer were installed on each of the building entrance doors. The entrances to the bicycle storage rooms, underground car parks and waste disposal areas are also secured with online readers. Doors with automatic swing door drives ensure barrier-free access to the bicycle storage rooms, rooms with prams and from the underground car park to the stairwell. Escape route security is also integrated, with SafeRoute escape door terminals installed on the basement doors leading from the underground car park to the stairwell.

Advantages for residents

Residents of the apartments on the Halle residential campus benefit from increased comfort and fast access management. They no longer need a physical key and can conveniently open doors using their smartphone or transponder. With a single app or transponder, they can control multiple access points (e.g. apartment door, entrance gate, underground car park, communal areas), which simplifies everyday life. The app also allows them to grant temporary access to guests, tradespeople or cleaning staff without having to be physically present or hand over keys. The access system provides increased security because access rights can be blocked immediately if a medium is lost. If a smartphone or transponder is lost, residents can have access deactivated immediately to prevent unauthorised access. The system can be managed centrally by the operating company, so there is no need to replace physical locks.

The resivo digital locking system thus offers residents of the residential complex considerably more convenience, security and flexibility. The simple management of access rights, contactless access and integration with modern technologies make life more comfortable and safer for them. Since WOHNGROUP trained residents on the smart home system before they moved in and set up the Resivo app on their smartphones together with them, usage of the app is quite high.

Cost savings for property management

This saves time and money for property management. If additional access is required, there is no need to make duplicate physical keys. Digital keys can be issued easily and immediately. If an access medium is lost, there is no need to replace the lock. This saves both time and money compared to conventional locking systems. Assigning access rights to tradespeople ‘remotely’ also saves time and effort, as it eliminates the need for time-consuming trips to the properties. Fewer trips and less production of physical keys also protect the environment.

Significantly improved security and convenience

The collaboration with dormakaba has been positive for WOHNGROUP from the very beginning. “We were impressed by dormakaba’s expertise and professionalism in planning and implementing our digital access solution. From the initial consultation to the final installation, we felt well supported at all times. Above all, our direct contact Daniel Ecke always responds quickly to questions or requests for adjustments and provides first-class customer service. We greatly appreciate the well-thought-out planning, the high quality of the products and the sustainable orientation of the company. Particularly noteworthy is the flexibility and adaptability of the solutions to the specific requirements of our residential area.

Thanks to the modern technologies offered by dormakaba, we have been able to significantly improve security and comfort for all residents. The simple management of access rights and the option of expanding the system at any time also make dormakaba a long-term, reliable partner. Overall, we are extremely satisfied with the professional and cooperative partnership and can highly recommend dormakaba as a reliable provider of digital access solutions,” emphasises project manager Dennis Sternkopf.

The resivo digital locking system will also be used in the five other buildings planned for the Halle residential campus. The same applies to the buildings in Europakarrees II in Erfurt, where 84 apartments have already been built and occupied and a further 170 units are under construction.

Author: Petra Eisenbeis-Trinkle