Access Control in Apartment Buildings
Access control systems in apartment buildings are essential for managing who can enter the premises, specific areas like parking garages, and individual apartments. Modern access control solutions not only enhance security but are also easy to install and use.
Methods for Controlling Entry Points
Access control can be implemented at all major entry points, including the lobby, front and back doors, garages, and sometimes even on individual floors or sections of the building.
Tenant Access Control
While tenant access control enhances security, it may be inconvenient for residents who need to provide credentials at various entry points. To address this, mobile and biometric credentials offer more convenient alternatives for residents.
Mobile Credentials
With mobile credentials, your smartphone serves as your access key, eliminating the need for physical cards. Systems like Isonas and Hartmann use apps that connect your smartphone to their readers via Bluetooth, making mobile credentials a cutting-edge solution for door access.
The intelligent door reader offers several entry modes:
- Slide Mode: Simply slide your hand across the reader; your smartphone effectively becomes a card you always have with you.
- Hands-Free Mode: Walk past the reader without any additional action. The distance between your smartphone and the reader can be adjusted to maintain security.
- Tap-Tap Mode: Open a door by tapping your smartphone twice, even while it’s in your pocket, for both close and remote access.
- Remote Mode: This allows you to open a garage door or gate from a distance by pressing a button in the app.
Biometric Door Readers
Biometric door readers offer a higher level of security compared to card or mobile credentials. These systems use unique human characteristics—such as fingerprints or facial recognition—to grant access, reducing the risk of unauthorized entry. Unlike card credentials, which can be lost, stolen, or shared, biometric factors are unique to each individual.
Various types of biometric readers include fingerprint, facial recognition, finger-vein, and palm readers.
Apartment Intercom Systems
Modern visitor management systems often feature intercoms that allow visitors to contact residents or a security center.
Apartment Intercoms: These intelligent panels with touchscreens enable guests in the lobby to communicate with residents. The wireless IP intercom panel provides both audio and video communication. Mounted in the lobby and connected to the network, these panels can also control the door lock, offering a straightforward installation process.
Intercoms for Service Personnel: In apartment complexes with centralized security, intercoms can be used to grant access to maintenance and delivery personnel. These intercoms can be audio-only, include a camera, or be part of a separate IP camera system. They offer a flexible and easily implemented solution for managing service personnel and visitors at various entry points.
Elevator Access Control
An elevator access control system includes a credential reader inside the cab and a controller box typically located in the elevator control room. This system regulates access to different floors based on the user’s credentials. For example, employees on the 5th floor can access that floor but not the IT department on the 3rd floor. Common areas like cafeterias or fitness centers are usually accessible to everyone.
The access control software can be customized to allow specific individuals to access certain floors only on designated days and times, while executives may have unrestricted access at all times.
IP Camera Systems for Enhanced Security
Access control systems are often paired with IP camera systems to monitor building access and identify unauthorized visitors or suspicious activity. These systems can also alert security personnel to potential threats.
AI-enhanced camera systems provide an additional layer of security by detecting threats such as weapons or unusual behavior. They can alert security staff to aggressive actions or other emergencies, automatically contacting security when breaches are detected.