The client:
The Eden Shopping Centre in High Wycombe provides one of the most exciting retail and leisure destinations in the UK.
It contains an array of big name shops, a 12-screen cinema, bowling alley, library and exclusive restaurants. It provides secure car parking for 1580 cars and a brand new bus station for the town.
The situation:
The Eden Shopping Centre opened in March 2008 and now welcomes up to 0.5 million shoppers every week. It comprises five separate buildings linked together with ETFE-covered walkways and encompasses the previous and newly renovated ‘Octagon' shopping centre.
To find the security solution that would suit their needs, Brookfield Construction (UK) Ltd undertook a tender process to select a preferred supplier.
The system specification demanded an easy-to-use integrated solution that could provide discreet surveillance in this prestigious shopping centre. A state-of-the-art integrated access control and digital CCTV solution would provide video surveillance to all main public walkways, the multi-storey car parks, service yard areas and a new bus station. It would be possible to centrally manage door access throughout allowing a more efficient, manageable but secure process for staff access to all authorised areas.
In addition, there are several communal residential front door areas for private housing association apartments that are adjacent to the shopping centre. The surveillance and door access management would need to control these as well.
As the ETFE roof is an integral part of the shopping centre architecture, sunlight can make it difficult to capture clear images. These areas needed to be monitored by cameras that can produce sharp, colour-saturated images even in extreme back-lit conditions.
Finally, it was important that the design of the CCTV domes complemented the shopping centre's contemporary style providing effective but aesthetic monitoring.
In parallel, the surveillance system used by the Octagon shopping centre was aged and in need of modernisation. When considering the renovation and integration of the CCTV in this area, one of the biggest challenges to overcome was how to switch the security surveillance operation from the existing, old control centre to the new purpose-built function with minimum downtime whilst refurbishing the existing cameras.
The solution:
In conjuntion with Imtech Meica (the electrical sub-contrator), Total Security Protection (TSP) designed the system to provide a comprehensive solution that was within the budget. Having met with TSP, Brookfield felt confident in the company's skill and its ability to meet the project requirements and the strict deadline.
TSP recommended a Honeywell Security integrated systems solution as it offered the best match to the shopping centre's requirements. The system consists of a WIN-PAK™ Access Control system with PW5000 controllers, approximately 30 OmniClass™ readers which enable integration with the 200+ CCTV cameras, the Fusion Digital Video Recorder (DVR), Fusion Video Management System (FVMS), MaxPro matrix and Honeywell monitors to provide the control room video wall.
Using this software and hardware from Honeywell, the Eden Shopping Centre now has a state-of-the-art, cost-effective and user-friendly security solution that ensures the safety of staff, visitors and premises, while managing the movements of its staff.
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| A purpose-built security control room has been commissioned with images displayed on a bank of Plasma screens |
In areas of high contrast light conditions, such as in the bus station and service yard area, the Honeywell HCU484X wide dynamic camera was installed. The technology in this camera ensures excellent image detail in light and dark areas of a high contrast scene. Honeywell Orbiter PTZ cameras, vandal resistant mini domes and day / night box cameras (all with NVT built into the heads) were also installed to provide optimum surveillance angles - so that no area was left uncovered.
Perfect picture quality is achieved by advanced auto focus control to ensure that, no matter what the zoom position, the picture is in the sharpest-possible focus. A number of programmable camera ‘tours' encompassing pan, tilt and zoom sweeps of key areas in and around the shopping centre can be created using Honeywell equipment.
Covering the perimeter of the centre, Orbiter dome cameras have been positioned high up on poles. Images from these cameras are also used to link to the residential area. When the entry intercom is pressed, the image of the scene is displayed in the security control room.
All Orbiters are connected via a MaxPro (HMX32128) matrix with images recorded and stored on 14 Fusion III 16 channel DVRs, each with real time live display, thus enabling a quick reaction time when needed.
"We now have an affordable, sophisticated security solution that meets our needs now and one that is flexible enough to expand and meet our needs in the future," says Daniel Tomkinson, Centre Director, of Eden Shopping Centre.
Using the FVMS Management Software, security staff are in total control of the information being relayed via the system and can use relevant features of FVMS including; importing of maps, monitoring live video, monitoring alarms, exporting saved video and simple user management to pinpoint areas and activities of concern. In addition, 12 of the cameras are linked to the Wycombe District Council CCTV control room via a fibre-optic link. Robin Bennett, Security Manager at the Eden Shopping Centre comments, "In the event of an incident, images can be retrieved with ease, capturing the incident from all angles. It is intuitive, very easy to operate and is by far the best system I have worked with. The way in which the access control is integrated with the CCTV is excellent."
Access to all ‘non-public' door entrances is managed by the WIN-PAK system, PW5000 controllers and OmniClass readers. Any emergency exit doors are alarmed and are connected to cameras so that, in the event of a trigger, an alarm notification appears on the WIN-PAK control screen, enabling security staff to identify the location of the alarm and view live images from the camera monitoring that area via the Fusion DVR.
A new purpose-built security control room has been commissioned with camera images displayed on a bank of 42" Plasma screens and Honeywell 17" TFT monitors. In front of it, operators use Max-1000 keyboards and GUI interface to easily manage the operation.
The project was carried out under exceptionally strict and tight deadlines, demanding the highest flexibility from TSP. TSP completed the implementation and commissioning of the system on time and on budget and when security staff came into the shopping centre, TSP representatives were on-hand to ensure everything ran smoothly as well as providing training.
With commissioning complete, it was time to switch over the surveillance from the legacy system in the Octagon centre to the new system. Daniel Tomkinson, Eden Shopping Centre Director comments, "The transition from the legacy system to the new integrated system was seamless. Whilst the construction was taking place, the security system in the Octagon needed to be refurbished live. TSP made it look very simple."
Malcolm Baron of Brookfield Construction adds: "TSP's experience was invaluable during the design and planning stage. They met our brief precisely."
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| Covering the perimeter of the centre, Orbiter dome cameras have been positioned high up on poles |
The Benefits:
Whilst the Eden Shopping Centre's requirement was to have a cost-effective and reliable system, the additional benefits have been enormous, including reduced crime and improved customer service.
There is a high physical presence of CCTV cameras throughout which acts as a deterrent. However, when there is a need to supply evidence in order to catch shoplifters or search for suspicious activity, this can be done quickly and effectively. This is achieved via the easy to use ‘search and retrieve' facilities on the Honeywell Fusion DVRs and FVMS.
The result is that the in-store security teams are confident that any criminal activity can continue to be recorded outside of their store; resulting in reduced crime and a safer shopping experience for customers.
The comprehensive CCTV system also helps the Eden Shopping Centre offer a ‘Child Friendly' scheme to its customers. Should a child appear lost, CCTV is used to quickly locate the child and shopping centre customer service staff are alerted and take care of the child until he/she is reunited with its parent.
Via the integration of the access control with the CCTV, unauthorised door access has been eliminated and alarm events such as fire door opening can be responded to quickly and precisely.
Daniel Tomkinson, Centre Director, Eden Shopping Centre, expressed confidence in the system, "We now have an affordable, sophisticated security solution that meets our needs now and one that is flexible enough to expand and meet our needs in the future."
