Architect and Builder January/February 2016 | Page 9

BOUTIQUE HOTEL CHOOSES TRELLIDOR CLEAR GUARD TO SECURE LOBBY The newly refurbished Humansdorp Boutique Hotel in Humansdorp on Eastern Cape’s Sunshine Coast had a security upgrade along with its recent facelift. The hotel dates back to 1858 and renovations have been sensitive to the hotel’s long history. The town is the gateway to the coastal villages of Jeffreys Bay and St Francis Bay and a base for visitors to the Baviaanskloof Wilderness Area and Tsitsikamma Forest. It is also the commercial centre for the local farming community and light industry. “There is a small casino on the hotel premises and the reception area had been raided by a group of robbers who got away with computers, amongst other items,” said Morné Schutz, the Trellidor Jeffreys Bay franchise owner who advised the proprietors on how to avoid a future incident. “Physical security is seldom top-of-mind in the hospitality industry as hoteliers don’t want their establishments to look jail-like. They also don’t want to give guests the impression that their property is unsafe. Robberies are a reality, however, and we can always find a solution that ticks all the boxes including aesthetics.” Schutz and his team installed a Trellidor Retractable security gate at the hotel’s front door with an electric lock to control access into the lobby and a second trellis-style gate to the side passage that leads into the reception office. “Our Clear Guard security screens were the perfect solution for the reception desk because guests and staff can clearly see each other through the screen but robbers would have their work cut out for them trying to get through the woven stainless steel mesh panel,” said Schutz. “We custom-designed the Clear Guard aluminium frame with a gap large enough to exchange documents and cash but small enough to avoid being a security risk. The seethrough Trellidor Clear Guard screen gives receptionists clear views of guests in the lobby requiring assistance.” The unit is powder coated to co-ordinate with the hotel lobby’s colour scheme. The Trellidor in-house powder coating process includes a pretreatment to improve resistance to corrosion even in coastal areas. www.trellidor.co.za News Watch NEWSWORTHY LEARN ABOUT ALUMINIUM APPLICATIONS & OBTAIN CPD POINTS IN CAPE TOWN As part of the International Aluminium Conference & Exhibition in Cape Town, the Aluminium Federation of South Africa will present a 1 day course on aluminium applications in the Building and Construction industry on 18 March 2016. Architects and Quantity Surveyors can earn 1 CPD point by completing the course accredited by the Cape Institute for Architects. The course costs R1,450 and covers: • The unique properties and benefits of aluminium • Fenestration selection to meet the SANS standard • Sustainable cities • The zero emission house • The importance of surface finishing • How to specify surface finish to ensure a long life • Importance of a care and maintenance routine • A workshop during which the course material will be applied To register, visit: www.afsa-aluminium-conference.co.za 7