Arts University Bournemouth - AUB (formerly the Arts University College Bournemouth and the Arts Institute at Bournemouth) is a university that specialises in art, performance, design and media, which is based in Dorset. Initially established in 1885 as a specialist institution, the university is one of a small number of higher education institutions in the UK devoted solely to creative arts courses, enjoying a strong reputation both nationally and internationally.
As an institution with over 3,000 students based on one campus, AUB runs a number of its own student accommodation facilities along with the myriad private accommodation options available to students in the popular seaside town. The latest student accommodation developed by AUB is based in the Lansdowne area of Bournemouth, which by offering 378 rooms is also its largest accommodation facility. To ensure secure and convenient authorised student access to the facility, AUB turned to expert security installer Network Security and security solutions from specialist developer and manufacturer TDSi.
The requirements
With the brand-new accommodation blocks under development, AUB, the site developers and the facilities management team wanted expert advice on potential security solutions. Any solution needed to offer the best combination of protection, user-friendly access and value for money, so AUB turned to local specialist security installation expert Network Security.
Working closely with AUB, M&E experts Morgan and Sindall, M&E contractors Lorne Stewart and Derwent Facilities Management, Network Security drew up detailed suggestions to protect the facilities, residents, staff and visitors – whilst making it simple for authorised persons to enter and leave the buildings with a minimum of disruption. The accommodation blocks were designed to enhance the shared living and communal areas, aiding social interaction amongst the residents and visitors, so access control needed to reflect this as well as guarding against unauthorised trespassers.
With a 40 minute walking distance to the main campus, the new facilities also accommodate students wishing to use a bicycle as this reduces travel time to just 15 minutes. As well as protecting the main blocks, the solution needed to allow simple authorised access to a secure external area used to safely store bicycles and prevent their potential theft.
The solution
Steve Grant, Sales Engineer at Network Security commented, “In many ways specifying and installing security systems for a new facility is the ideal situation, offering a ‘blank canvas’ for the new solutions. At the same time it means that the solution needs to be perfect, future-proofed and exactly right for the operator and users to rely upon. Having worked with TDSi on a number of other projects we were confident its products would offer the reliability and peace of mind, along with excellent ROI, that were needed for this project.”
Working behind the readers are TDSi MICROgarde l and MICROgarde lI controllers which administer the controlled access to secured doors |
Network Security specified and installed a number of TDSi systems to provide a full access control systems for the AUB accommodation site. Starting at the main entrance, TDSi’s PANELgarde access control readers are used to activate automated doors. The readers are a robust solution for use with standard EM proximity cards, providing a 90mm read range and are specifically designed to deal with the weather and usage rigours of being mounted outside.
For access to each housing block and cluster of flats Network Security installed TDSi’s EXprox card readers. These readers can be mounted internally or externally, offering an unobtrusive solution which can equally be tailored to suit different aesthetic requirements (with plastic or stainless steel housings options supplied to suit the particular location).
Working behind the readers are TDSi MICROgarde l and MICROgarde lI controllers which administer the controlled access to secured doors, working with the readers and reporting back to the centrally hosted TDSi EXgarde PRO security software. MICROgarde controllers can automatically release or secure doors in the event of a fire and can administer variable locking times to ensure access outside normal hours is restricted. With a high degree of flexibility and compatibility with many other security systems, it is straightforward to fit new or different equipment to meet the evolutionary needs of facility.
Overseeing all of the security systems is TDSi’s EXgarde PRO situation management software which integrates the different security components through a central, intuitive Windows-based IT portal. Using the software, the security team at AUB is able to monitor that only authorised people are entering restricted areas. In the event of an emergency, such as a fire for example, the security team can ensure a rapid exit is available and also to check that nobody is stranded within the building. Equally, EXgarde PRO can schedule access by day or time, or can be used to restrict access to certain cardholders or groups to guard against misuse at unauthorised times.
Additionally EXgarde PRO can give detailed reports of access by area and time, so if a situation occurs (such as a theft or vandalism) it can be fully investigated in collaboration with surveillance systems. If an intrusion is detected EXgarde PRO can present the security team with a site plan (which can be shared over a smart device to authorised personnel) so that the problem can be swiftly located and investigated.
Results
As a new facility it was imperative that effective security was installed at the Madeira Road site as soon as it was operational. TDSi’s PANELgarde and EXprox readers provide highly secure, reliable and user-friendly access to the facilities. They also allow AUB to use the flexible and cost-effective MIFARE cards that can be used for identity approval for many other uses upon the campus (such as canteen and vending machine payment, library registration etc.) Students are able to gain access to the main facility and their individual rooms, safe in the knowledge that their living quarters and possessions are protected from unwarranted attention or theft.
Jacqui Olive, Facilities Manager for the AUB Madeira Road site commented, “We needed a solution that fully secured the student accommodation and protected student property and safety. But at the same time these buildings are home for many students so they need to be readily accessible and the security needs to be as unobtrusive as possible for users. The TDSi security solutions successfully guard the facilities, but they also ensure that our students and authorised visitors and personnel can easily move around the buildings, so they feel comfortable living there. We are proud to encourage friendly social interaction amongst the residents which is highly conducive of the creative nature and friendly atmosphere of our university. ”