Working in close partnership with installation partner CSG, TDSi has supplied a complete access control solution for the Royal Yachting Association's (RYA) multi-purpose facility in Portland that will be the hub of performance sailing in the lead up to and during the 2012 Olympic Games and an investment in the long-term future of the sport.
Portland House was built and fitted out to an exceptionally high standard and will provide accommodation and a conference centre for the British Olympic sailors during the 2012 Olympic Games. Class associations, RYA personal members, members of RYA affiliated clubs, as well as berth holder associations and Sailability will all have access to the facility for events, meetings, conferences; training and competition activities.
Located at Osprey Quay, it is ideally situated close to the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy (WPNSA) as well as the new Portland Marina.
Commenting on the access control solution for the building, Andy Galvin, IT Manager at the RYA, said: "Having worked closely with CSG and TDSi for a number of years at our headquarters in Hamble, we were very confident working with the companies on this prestigious project.
"Our primary requirement was to secure the building and various areas within it, including the conference rooms, gear room, laundry, kitchen and bedrooms. Whilst we considered a range of alternative solutions, the network and integration capability of the TDSi system as well as the need to issue just a single card for card-holders to access multiple designated areas were the decisive factors in our final specification".
The TDSi solution featured 15 EXcel4 network controllers, 42 EXprox² readers and the company's EXgarde Pro advanced access control management system.
Since EXcel4 features an in built TCP/IP port, connection of the controller to the existing network is easy and makes for simple installation and commissioning.
EXgarde Pro was already in operation at the RYA's headquarters; however the installation at Portland House necessitated a redesign of the software to enable the two sites (with four separate buildings) to be seamlessly networked.
The EXgarde software also allowed data to be shared between the RYA and WPNSA, allowing designated staff and members at each site to be given access to all locations with just a single card. CSG had also installed a TDSi system at WPNSA and so both sites are now linked with a common network, sharing installation data between them and significantly reducing the amount of data entry required across the two organisations.
Andy continued: "The complete access control installation took place in a remarkable four weeks and in some particularly harsh weather conditions over the winter of 2009. However we had so much confidence in the construction and installation teams, that a full, residential conference was booked for the 4 January 2010; I'm delighted to say that the facility was completed on time, ready for the delegates' arrival".
