COMMERCIAL SAFETY & SECURITY
UAP ’ s Locking Systems Provide the Key to Convenience and Security at the University of Hull
» WITH STUDENTS RELYING ON expensive laptops and mobile phones for both their social lives and their studies , ensuring student accommodation is safe and secure has become more important than ever . But , when planning the security strategy for student living developments , university estates departments must also consider issues of practicality , including emergency access , inspections , maintenance and the inevitable lost key and locked out scenarios .
Traditional locks and keys with a hierarchy of key control remain the most practical , secure and failsafe solution , this approach was taken as part of the refurbishment of 12 student accommodation blocks at the University of Hull .
Complex Simplicity
The University of Hull student blocks are arranged as clusters , with each apartment providing shared living , dining and cooking facilities , along with private en-suite study bedrooms for each resident . The entrance to each block is secured with an access control system and , within each block , the security strategy needed to ensure that residents could only gain access to their own apartment and to their own room within the apartment .
To achieve this , a lock solution was needed that would enable each resident to be issued with a single key to unlock both the front door to their apartment and their study bedroom . It was essential that the key could not be used to access any other apartment or bedroom . The refurbishment contractor was also keen to reduce the number of master keys required for the estates department to gain authorised access to any apartment or study bedroom across all 12 blocks . Refurbishment contractor Bristol-based Harris Evolution brought in Miles Architectural Ironmongery to supply a suitable system .
Explains Mark Read , project manager at Miles Architectural Ironmongery : “ We visited site to walk round the student accommodation blocks so that we could draw up a detailed specification of every lock required and the matrix of which keys needed to fit which lock .
“ The task was extremely complicated but the goal was to make the finished lock installation as simple and user-friendly as possible for the client and their residents .”
52
MAR / APR 2021
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