 |
| SALTO Systems were awarded the contract to supply their fully integrated XS4 access control solution |
A brand new £6.3m retirement complex in Congleton, Cheshire, has created a totally ‘keyless' environment for residents and staff. SALTO Systems were awarded the contract to supply their fully integrated XS4 access control solution which includes perimeter online door controllers, and over 90 stand-alone proximity apartment doors all using a mix of RFID fobs and cards.
Owned by the Plus Dane Group, a Neighbourhood Investor (NI) and Registered Social Landlord (RSL) with over 15,000 homes with an asset value in excess of £500m in ownership and management across Merseyside and Cheshire, ‘Heath View' - which was named by the residents themselves - contains 45 self-contained apartments and provides on-site domiciliary care on a 24/7 basis.
The development also boasts an excellent range of communal facilities including a hair salon, IT suite, craft room and a bistro. There is a facility for local GPs and District Nurses to hold surgeries, and Plus Dane Group will also be working in partnership with the Primary Care Trust (PCT) on a range of healthy living activities for residents.
The access control system includes perimeter online door controllers, and over 90 stand-alone proximity apartment doors all using a mix of RFID fobs and cards |
"As the premier assisted living access control system, the XS4 solution was ideal for Heath View," comments Darren Wetton from Aspex UK Ltd, SALTO's local independent business partner.
"Working in consultation with Michael Watson, Development Manager of the Plus Dane Group, we designed and then installed a highly secure and flexible access control solution that was perfectly tailored to both the client and end user's needs. Given the age of residents and the fact that some of them suffer from visual impairments, secure key control was one of the primary requirements, so right from the start the design specification called for mixed use keying, with staff using Mifare cards and residents using Mifare fobs."
Backing this up was the equally important need to have full audit trail capability and provide everything that a secure hard-wired system would provide but more cost effectively and in a mix of online and offline stand-alone wire-free formats.
"Using SQL software we needed to have ‘exit on lever leaves outside handle un-locked' functionality. This was required to comply with Building Control and Fire Officer requirements so that the door could not re-lock behind the resident, ensuring they could get back into their apartment without their key fob should they need to do so i.e. in case of fire etc. We also needed to have the ability to have ‘audit on exit inside handle' controllability so that if a resident paid for ‘external services' such as a cleaner etc, any subsequent complaints bought to Plus Dane's attention over the number of hours worked by the external service provider could be addressed by the ‘audit trail' on the inside handle lever," Wetton continues.
Michael Watson, says: "An international reputation for fitting out retirement developments made ours an easy decision in placing our faith in SALTO. Their tried and tested solutions for such developments means we are able to manage the security needs of the apartments in a controlled and reliable way. We also like the flexibility of system, as we can get maximum benefit from the technology while providing a secure environment for both residents and staff."
