10 | DECEMBER 2019
News
Read online at www.proinstaller.co.uk
BOLSTERING SECURITY
WITH DATA-DRIVEN
FACILITIES MANAGEMENT
Trevor Ball, business development manager
UK & Ireland at Allegion UK, explains how
facilities can improve security with big data.
Ever since the inception of
the internet, data has been used
to improve processes across the
globe. Since the turn of the mil-
lennium in particular, the storage
and use of data has expanded
considerably.
A 2018 report by IBM found
that 90% of the data in the world
(at the time of the report) was
created in the previous two years
alone. As technologies develop
and new devices become availa-
ble to new users – the collection
and analysis of data is unlikely to
slow down anytime soon.
This is no different for facility
management. As the IoT contin-
ues to change the landscape, new
tech-driven solutions that adopt
a data-driven approach offer new
ways to manage buildings. From
healthcare facilities to commer-
cial and residential properties,
these intelligent devices can offer
added security and a host of oth-
er benefits. So, in future years to
come, as access control becomes
more IT-led, how do we use data
to improve security?
Data-driven decisions
Despite new technologies
becoming available to market,
the future of the construction
industry and its adaptation to
digital tech is a topic that is hotly
debated.
Intelligent access control, such
as cloud-based systems, can track
a host of useful metrics, all with
the potential to improve both
security and processes in general.
Once integrated, these systems
track both users and access
points, collecting and storing
what is known as big data, on
information including approved
access, declined access and
lockdown instances. Collecting
and using this information can
present facilities with a myriad of
security improvements. At a basic
level, knowing which (and more
importantly when) access points
of a building are being used
helps determine whether those
areas are being used correctly.
Take the healthcare sector as
an example. Most healthcare en-
vironments are designed to house
open-plan areas, but all contain
‘off-limit’ areas that house confi-
dential medical records, equip-
ment and pharmacuticals. Some
of these areas, such as medicine
cabinets, require stringent securi-
ty. By collecting data on medicine
cabinets access, a facility can
detect any instances of declined
access or wrongful access (think
unusual after-hours activity). This
information can then be used
as the rationale for changing or
revoking access rights, adding an
extra layer of security when it is
most needed.
A facility’s physical environ-
ment can also be optimized with
this approach, from process effi-
ciencies to budgeting. Collecting
and analyising data on footfall
for example, allows a facility to
understand more about the flow
of movement within the building
and then necessary adjustments
can be made based on data
trends. Optimising these areas
can not only impact processes
but also provide a knock-on
effect for both patient and staff
satisfaction and outcomes. This
isn’t to mention the potential of
driving positive financial results.
Lacking information
on data
Understandably, we must then
question why more facilities
aren’t using data as a key com-
ponent in their security efforts.
If data-driven facilities manage-
ment can enhance security and
processes, why aren’t we seeing
widespread use of it?
Well, it’s fair to say that the
integration of big data analytics
comes with its challenges. Until
recently, the UK has been slow
to move on the use of data in
facilities management, meaning
information has sometimes been
limited, even for those interested
in adopting the practice. The lack
of information has left a hovering
ambiguity over the topic, leaving
both installers and end users un-
clear as to how data-driven man-
agement could be helping their
facilities. Accountability is also a
potential issue for those who do
implement it into their systems,
with IT teams and facility manag-
ers needing to agree on a system
that works for everyone.
With this in mind, it becomes
transparent as to why many
are reluctant to adapt to these
moving technologies. Without a
clear understanding of intelligent
systems and how to use data,
decision makers are reluctant to
leave their comfort zones. For
some, the old mantra rings true -
‘If it’s not broke, don’t fix it’.
However, this stance could
be seen as backwards thinking.
While it’s true that this approach
may not be beneficial to each
and every facility right now, it
seems that this progressive trend
could one day leave them in the
dark. Is it not better to be more
proactive than reactive when it
comes to security? Right now,
sectors such as healthcare and
education, could be taking advan-
tage of tailored, intelligent access
control systems. Those that are
under security pressures or are
subject to budget issues could
benefit in both the short and long
term by adopting a data-driven
approach.
The bigger picture
Data-driven facilities manage-
ment provides us with a new-look
method when ensuring our facili-
ties are secure. We can no longer
afford to use intuition or wait for
potentially serious incididents to
push us in to making the correct
security decisions. Instead, the
use of data now presents us with
a structured, strategic option -
securing facilities with the use of
analytics and evidence.
So, education is the key. Where
required, certified training days
could help provide a clearer un-
derstanding of these systems and
their possibilities. Highlighting
what’s available, how to integrate
these systems and the end user
benefits will widen the horizon of
access control options for install-
ers and subsequently the facility
managers that adopt them.
www.allegion.co.uk
Sources: https://public.dhe.ibm.com/common/ssi/ecm/wr/en/wrl12345usen/watson-customer-engagement-watson-marketing-wr-other-papers-and-reports-wrl12345usen-20170719.pdf,
https://www.ukconstructionmedia.co.uk/features/digitisation-construction-industry/, https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/big-data.asp