Notice Board
STANDING OUT IN A CROWDED MARKET: THE VALUE OF SECURED BY DESIGN
In a highly competitive marketplace, product differentiation is one of the greatest challenges facing manufacturers and suppliers of doors, windows, and hardware. With hundreds of companies competing for the attention of architects, developers, and specifiers, the question remains: how does a brand truly stand out?
» FOR MORE THAN 700 FORWARDthinking companies, the answer lies in Secured by Design( SBD). As the official UK police security initiative, SBD offers the only way for products to achieve formal police recognition. It serves as a powerful market differentiator- a clear statement to customers that products are engineered to the highest recognised security standards.
What is Secured by Design?
A boom in housing construction during the 1980s had left a legacy of poorly designed estates where criminal activity could thrive. Recognising that the police service needed to move beyond reactive enforcement, the SBD initiative was created to embed crime prevention directly into the heart of building and landscape design. The driving force behind this success is a national network of police specialists: Designing Out Crime Officers( DOCOs).
DOCOs are highly trained police staff who provide specialist guidance to architects, developers, and local authority planners. Engaging at the earliest stages of a construction or refurbishment project, they apply proven design principles to minimise criminal opportunity- ranging from optimising natural surveillance to specifying robust physical security products.
The value of SBD membership
Through collaboration with DOCOs, developers can achieve SBD awards for their buildings. Because these standards are now integral to satisfying the official security requirements of Building Regulations across the UK, SBDaccredited products are consistently in high demand.
SBD membership delivers several strategic advantages:
• Official police recognition: SBD is the sole route to achieving UK police endorsement for products
via its Police Preferred Specification accreditation scheme
• Specification: SBD-accredited products are the go-to choice for Police DOCOs. They are specified in new builds and major refurbishments daily, creating a consistent demand for your products
• Visibility: SBD members receive a dedicated profile on the SBD website, directly signposting buyers, architects, and large-scale developers to members products
• Industry connections: Membership grants access to the annual ATLAS conference, providing a unique platform to showcase innovations directly to these police officers who advise on security solutions at a local level
SBD does not merely award a logo; it maintains a strict partnership model. Ongoing requirements for re-testing and factory inspections ensure that the integrity of the brand remains protected, sheltering members from competition against substandard products.
The PSTI Act: Turning Regulatory Compliance into Advantage
The security landscape is no longer limited to physical barriers. For door and window manufacturers incorporating smart technology- such as keyless digital locks, status sensors, or smart home automation integrations- the regulatory environment has shifted.
The Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure( PSTI) Act is fully in force and while some manufacturers may not view their products as traditional IoT devices, the legislation defines‘ connectable products’ broadly. In addition, responsibility under the act extends across the entire supply chain, from manufacturers to distributors and retailers.
12
JUNE 2026
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