The Abu Dhabi Global Market Square (ADGMS), located on Al Maryah Island, in the United Arab Emirates capital, Abu Dhabi, is a high-profile, architecturally compelling business and hospitality hub. Many of the most globally prestigious companies inhabit the buildings, in the award-winning financial centre.
Abu Dhabi Global Market Square
ADGMS also hosts frequent international dignitaries and large-scale public events, including the Abu Dhabi national New Year’s fireworks display. Abu Dhabi Global Market Square was the first project in the UAE, to achieve LEED Core and Shell (LEED-CS) Gold pre-certification, by the US Green Building Council (USGBC).
The Abu Dhabi Global Market Square (ADGMS) consists of:
- 450,000 sq. m of office space, a lavish retail section and luxury business hotel offerings,
- 4 Grade-A commercial office towers with 30 floors each,
- 4 km waterfront promenade,
- Over 2,000 cameras, and
- Over 1,000 doors.
Unconnected security systems and situational awareness gaps
Because of its iconic status, the Abu Dhabi Global Market Square faces many unique challenges to security, including:
- Political pressure - Because of ADGMS’s status and frequent high-profile international visitors, any disruption to operations - be it natural disaster, activism, terror or other critical events, could cause issues on a national scale.
- Protection for VIPs - Regular visits from prestigious VIPs, such as sheikhs, the royal family, and global business leaders, elevates security risks and the need for executive protection.
- Unobtrusive security - ADGMS is a public space with tenanted offices, meaning that security must be robust, but unobtrusive and follow all global data, and privacy regulations.
- Physical location - Being situated on an island is an extra security risk, complicating the ability to enter and exit the space, during planned and unplanned critical events or emergencies.
- Architecture - The buildings in ADGMS are mostly glass, with many levels, making it difficult to secure.
Previously, a number of systems were deployed to help with security and life safety, such as CCTV, access control, fire detection, and building management. However, these were not connected and left gaps in situational awareness, which ADGMS found unacceptable. In light of the above challenges, ADGMS building managers felt it essential to harden security, across the market square, within these buildings and in connecting areas.
Risk intelligence & integrated control of physical assets
Martin Grigg, Principal Consultant and Project Lead for PTS Middle East was selected to design and oversee the project
Abu Dhabi Global Market Square approached PTS Middle East (PTS Consulting Group Ltd.), a multi-national security and digital transformation consultancy, which carried out the threat, risk and vulnerability assessment, designed the mitigation measures, and provided oversight of the installation and commissioning of the entire system.
They were also tasked with ensuring that the system met the operational requirements and was fit for purpose, and proportional to the risks, faced by ADGMS. Martin Grigg, Principal Consultant and Project Lead for PTS Middle East was selected to design and oversee the project, right from concept to completion.
Everbridge Control Center deployed
Following the assessment, G4S, a British multi-national risk consultancy company, headquartered in the United Kingdom, was selected to deliver the project, based on its experience in helping secure many of the region’s most prestigious locations. G4S is also a global partner with Everbridge, and together, they have secured people, assets and infrastructure for numerous organisations.
G4S selected Everbridge Control Center to integrate and manage all the technology, which is coming into their Security Command Centre (SCC). Everbridge Risk Center was also deployed to provide real-time threat intelligence to ADGMS.
Critical issues solved by Everbridge technology:
- Consolidation of four control rooms into one, reducing the office space needed for security - This premium space is now free and able to be re-purposed as rentable office space,
- Reduction of man guarding costs, as fewer resources are needed to secure the facility,
- Real-time situational awareness allows for reduced risk, accelerated response times and keeps stakeholders informed,
- Everbridge Control Center provides event driven, unified interface and automated SOP presentation,
- Everbridge technology provides flexibility to adapt, as requirements change,
- Reduction in time taken to identify a security incident and resolve it,
- Intelligence from the facial recognition systems is proactively used to welcome friends and identify known criminals,
- Risk intelligence to identify events, such as sandstorms, allows ADGMS to act faster, enabling them to reduce the risk to people and operations, and
- Automated reporting capabilities save huge amounts of time and resources - A report that took 20 minutes can now be automated in seconds.