In the world of cybersecurity, ethical hacking proactively identifies security vulnerabilities before malicious actors (i.e., unethical hackers) can exploit them. By simulating real-world attacks, organisations can strengthen defences, protect sensitive data, and maintain public trust. In the physical security world, ethical hacking can transform cybersecurity of security systems from a reactive struggle into a strategic safeguard. We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: What is the role of ethical hacking as it relates to physical security?

Next-generation (Next-Gen) technologies are products, services, or infrastructures that represent a significant leap forward rather than a small, incremental update. In the physical security industry, NextGen products are those that enable disruptive change, breakthrough performance, and a fundamental change that renders previous products obsolete. We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: What is the next generation of physical security solutions, and how will they change the industry?

Emphasising proactive rather than reactive security shifts the focus from dealing with crises and damage control to prevention. Advantages of a proactive approach include cost efficiency, better business continuity, and fewer crises that draw attention away from strategic improvements. Staying ahead of threats is a core mission of the security department, and technology has evolved to enable security professionals to deliver on that mission better than ever. We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: How are security systems transitioning from reactive to proactive, and what is the benefit?

Multiple technology trends are transforming the physical access control market. There is a fundamental shift away from physical cards and keys toward digital identities — mobile credentials, digital wallets, biometrics, and cloud-native access platforms. These next generation access solutions are radically reshaping how buildings operate, protect staff, and perform functionally. At the same time, AI and analytics solutions are being layered onto these physical access control systems to support predictive threat detection and behavioural insights. Access data itself is becoming an asset for sustainability, space optimisation, and smart building initiatives. Risk, impact operations and experience The annual HID Global Security and Identity Trends Report highlights these and other issues The annual HID Global Security and Identity Trends Report highlights these and other issues. The survey cites improving user convenience as a priority for nearly half of organisations, while 41% are focused on simplifying administration, and 28% struggle with system integration. These are not theoretical challenges, they are day‑to‑day friction points that add cost, increase risk, impact operations and experience, and, of course, must be addressed. HID Global’s commercial focus HID Global’s commercial focus is to help organisations digitise their access control — with mobile identities, biometrics, and cloud platforms — and then to use the data to deliver more value. “We are turning access control from an operational cost into a software-driven asset that improves efficiency, supports Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals and even creates new revenue opportunities,” says Steven Commander, HID Global’s Head of Consultant Relations. The impact of digital transformation Digital transformation is the method of moving access control from hardware and physical credentials Digital transformation is in the process of moving access control from hardware and physical credentials to a software-driven, integrated experience. The transformation strengthens security while also improving user convenience — transforming the “pavement to the desk” journey. HID enables this shift through mobile credentials, biometrics, cloud-native platforms, and solutions that allow third-party applications to run on door hardware. “This helps customers turn access data into operational and commercial outcomes, while also improving the overall user experience,” says Commander.  Digital transformation in access control is not focused on chasing the latest trends. Rather, transformation is about turning software, data and integration into outcomes that matter to customers, says HID. “Security becomes stronger and more adaptive,” says Commander. “Operations become simpler and more cost‑effective. Experiences become seamless and consistent. Sustainability moves from ambition to action. And the financial case becomes clearer as efficiencies are banked and new value streams emerge.” The challenge of futureproofing with long lifecycles Given that physical security technologies will be in place for 15 to 20 years, it is important to plan for how systems can evolve over time. Considering how rapidly security threats, compliance standards, and user expectations change, 15 to 20 years is a long time. The decisions made at the beginning of a system’s lifecycle can either limit flexibility later (which will be costly) or enable long-term adaptability. Support for open standards such as Open Supervised Device Protocol (OSDP) is therefore important Choosing products and platforms that are open, interoperable, and designed for updates can enable future-proof projects. Support for open standards such as Open Supervised Device Protocol (OSDP) is therefore important.  In addition, systems built on open controller platforms — such as Mercury — enable organisations to switch software providers or expand functionality without replacing core door hardware. Architectural openness is key to system lifecycles and maximising the return on investment (ROI) from a chosen solution. Digital credentials and mobile access Flexibility and upgradeability should also be top of mind when it comes to endpoints like access control readers. While RFID cards are still commonplace, there is a clear trend toward digital credentials and mobile access. Readers that support both allow organisations to transition at their own pace, without committing to a full system overhaul. A long system lifecycle does not mean technology should remain static. Security, particularly cybersecurity, demands more frequent updates. Technologies that support firmware upgrades in the field extend the value of a deployment while helping organisations keep pace with emerging threats. In that sense, lifecycle thinking is not just about longevity — it’s about maintaining resilience and readiness over time. Applying biometrics and mobile identities Biometrics is becoming mainstream as a credential alternative, strengthening security without adding friction Biometrics is becoming mainstream as a credential alternative, strengthening security without adding friction. Many organisations are now deploying biometrics to support fast, seamless access journeys, with adoption already around 39% in access control according to HID’s recent research.  In addition, 80% of organisations surveyed expect to deploy mobile identities within the next five years. Full technology integration enables tap‑to‑access without opening an app; the user journey becomes faster, safer, and more convenient. “It is where the industry is headed and we are at the vanguard of this,” says Commander.    Ongoing challenge of cybersecurity At HID Global, cybersecurity is embedded into everything, from corporate processes and development practices to the solutions they bring to market. “Our approach ensures that customers can strengthen their overall security posture, not only by deploying secure products but by benefitting from HID’s commitment to the highest industry standards,” says Commander. HID holds multiple globally recognised certifications, including ISO 27001, ISO 14298, SOC Type 2 and CSA STAR, which demonstrate their robust information security and cloud security practices. In addition, HID’s SEOS® secure chipset is independently SEAL-certified, providing one of the most advanced levels of protection available on the market today. “Ultimately, this means organisations are not just purchasing isolated secure products; they are implementing solutions developed and delivered within a comprehensive, cybersecure framework,” says Commander. “When deployed according to best practices, HID solutions enable customers to achieve the highest levels of resilience against evolving physical and cyber threats.” Developing green and sustainable solutions A huge amount of waste is generated from the manufacture of plastic RFID access cards Digital credentials align with the sustainable solutions that everyone wants. A huge amount of waste is generated from the manufacture of plastic RFID access cards. Over 550 million access cards are sold annually. This creates 2,700 tons of plastic waste and 11,400 tons of carbon, based on a PVC card weighing 5 grams.  Therefore, digital credentials self-evidently reduce the reliance on plastic cards (helping reduce carbon emissions by up to 75% according to HID’s research), while leveraging access control system data supports energy optimisation by shutting down or reducing systems in unused spaces. Energy use and CO₂ emissions can be cut dramatically, showing how access systems can contribute to sustainability goals and green building certification. What is the latest in smart buildings? Smart buildings increasingly rely on mobile access control as the backbone for digital services. Real-time access data enables new services such as automated room bookings, HVAC control, lift/elevator calling, e-bike hiring, and so on. Smart buildings increasingly rely on mobile access control as the backbone for digital services The financial upside is clear; smart, digitally transformed buildings can deliver around 8% higher yields per square foot versus traditional office space. Operational savings accrue from reduced administration, the removal of card production and shipping, and lighter IT support. This creates a value cycle — better experiences drive adoption, adoption fuels monetisation, and monetisation funds further improvements. Achieving technology impact in the real world One standout project is One Bangkok – a $3.9 billion mixed used development in Thailand – which demonstrates the scale of what can be achieved when access control data is used for optimisation, particularly when it comes to monitoring facilities usage and occupier behaviours. By switching lights off or lowering the temperature in unused rooms, for example, the One Bangkok building demonstrates this potential with a 22% reduction in energy consumption, saving 17,000 MWh and 9,000 tons of CO₂ annually.  Sustainability is a key factor in contributing to how properties are valued. And sustainability extends far beyond digital credentials having a lower environmental impact than plastic cards.  Buildings with recognised sustainability certifications often command rental premiums of around 6%, and three‑quarters of security decision‑makers now consider environmental impact in their procurement assessments.

Commvault, delivering continuous recovery for the AI era, announced three new strategic partnerships with Zscaler, Databricks, and NVIDIA, designed to help businesses fully leverage the potential of their data for artificial intelligence, while ensuring the highest levels of governance, security, and cyber resilience. As AI agents transition from pilot phases to production environments, interacting directly with business data, enterprises face complex challenges related to visibility, access control, and recovery capabilities in the event of anomalous activities. To successfully address these obstacles, Commvault has joined forces with technology companies, creating an ecosystem capable of providing reliable and contextualised information to AI applications, while protecting workloads from potential threats. Enterprises comprehensive visibility To ensure that AI adoption occurs with confidence and control, the strategic partnership with Zscaler combines Zscaler’s AI security capabilities with Commvault’s cyber resilience solutions. This synergy offers enterprises comprehensive visibility to govern shadow AI, apply granular policies that prevent the exposure of sensitive data, and ensure a rapid and clean recovery in the event of security incidents or unwanted actions by autonomous agents. Through the new joint solution Commvault Data Activate for Databricks, companies will be able to make their enterprise data available within the Databricks Data + AI platform, keeping the business context, access permissions, and governance policies intact. This integration, based on OpenSharing and managed through Unity Catalog, eliminates the need to rebuild separate connections for each source, allowing AI agents to access constantly updated and reliable information to generate precise insights. Event of operational anomalies In parallel, the collaboration with NVIDIA aims to make data more accessible for AI, keeping it current and authorised as it flows toward applications and agents. By combining NVIDIA NIM microservices, NVIDIA Nemotron Retriever, and NVIDIA cuVS with Commvault Data Activate, businesses can efficiently extract and organise protected data, preserving the traceability, classification, and ownership of information, thereby reducing the effort required to support advanced AI workflows. “To adopt AI with confidence, companies require visibility, governance, and the ability to execute recovery in the event of operational anomalies,” stated Pranay Ahlawat, Chief Technology and AI Officer at Commvault. “By working together with premier partners such as Zscaler, Databricks and NVIDIA, Commvault is helping enterprises transform protected data into an active business asset, enabling them to innovate rapidly while mitigating risks and maintaining absolute control over their environments.” Protecting sensitive data Additional quotes: Dhawal Sharma, EVP of AI Security and Strategic Initiatives, Zscaler: “As AI interacts more directly with business data, organisations need to stay in control and be prepared to recover quickly if something goes wrong. Zscaler secures AI use across the enterprise, giving organisations the controls they need to manage risk and protect sensitive data. We’re proud to bring the expertise of Zscaler and Commvault together to help customers strengthen recovery and resilience." Stephen Orban, SVP Product Partnerships and Ecosystem, Databricks: “Customers tell us their data is most valuable in Databricks when that data’s context travels with it. Working with Commvault can expand the governed, trusted data available across Databricks, giving search, analytics, and AI applications more to work with across the business.” Pat Lee, Vice President, Strategic Partnerships, NVIDIA: “Enterprise agents need current, trusted data to turn business knowledge into action. NVIDIA and Commvault are working together to make protected enterprise data accessible to agents while preserving its context, permissions and governance.” Early access for Commvault Data Activate for Databricks is planned for December 2026 in select Azure regions. The reference design for NVIDIA SaaS and software is targeted for early release in December 2026, with general availability in 2027.

CodeWall is accelerating its expansion to make autonomous offensive security a permanent enterprise capability. Following its $4 million pre-seed round, the company is scaling engineering and expanding what its autonomous attack agents can investigate, today announcing former Orca Security VP of Engineering Peter Spellward as Chief Technology Officer to lead that effort. Spellward brings experience building security technology and the organisations behind it. At cloud security unicorn Orca Security, he served as VP of Engineering, led UK research and development and helped scale its engineering organisation. He also co-founded Innovode, whose technology was acquired by CloudLock, subsequently acquired by Cisco. Enterprise security teams "AI is giving attackers extraordinary speed and reach. We're building to put that advantage in the hands of enterprise security teams," said Paul Price, founder and CEO of CodeWall. "We intend to move aggressively: hire exceptional engineers, expand what our agents can take on and bring this capability to more enterprises. Peter brings experience building the products and engineering organisations that make that expansion possible." Spellward leads technology strategy and engineering, with a focus on accelerating delivery, broadening platform coverage and strengthening how agents coordinate complex investigations. Coordinate complex investigations "The engineering challenge is to turn sophisticated attacker behaviour into a capability enterprises can depend on continuously," said Peter Spellward, CTO of CodeWall. "That means agents that can safely reason through unfamiliar systems, build on each other's discoveries and produce evidence defenders can trust. We're building the team and architecture to deliver that at scale." CodeWall's agents investigate enterprise environments from an external attacker's perspective. They share discoveries and follow weaknesses across connected systems to establish what could actually be compromised, supporting continued investigation and retesting as customer environments change. Autonomous offensive testing The company is already working with large banks and fintech firms, including Axos Financial, to deliver autonomous offensive testing and verified evidence of exploitable attack paths. "Every enterprise will have an attacker working for it. It will be as essential as a firewall or endpoint protection," added Price. "We intend to make CodeWall the standard. That's the scale we're hiring for, building for and going after."

Security 101, a national provider of commercial electronic security solutions, announces the acquisition of LVSI Corporation, a Springfield, Virginia-based systems integration firm specialising in electronic security, information technology, wireless communications and audio-visual systems. The acquisition expands Security 101's presence in the Mid-Atlantic region and adds technical disciplines that are increasingly important to how customers design, deploy and maintain their security programs. Mission-critical environments LVSI provides full-lifecycle systems integration from engineering and procurement through installation, commissioning, operations, and maintenance. Its teams work across physical and electronic security, IT infrastructure and cybersecurity, tactical systems, wireless communications, and professional AV systems. The company has extensive experience supporting federal and other mission-critical environments, as well as commercial and institutional facilities. "Physical security doesn't operate in isolation anymore. The networks, IT infrastructure, and communications systems behind it are just as critical as the security technology itself," said Greg Daly, CEO of Security 101. "LVSI brings a depth of technical expertise that complements our core business and strengthens our ability to support customers across increasingly connected environments. Their experience supporting federal and mission-critical operations, combined with their capabilities across security, IT and communications infrastructure, makes them a strong addition to our growing organisation.” Strong customer relationships "At LVSI, we've always believed that successful systems integration starts with technical expertise, integrity and doing right by our customers," said Bryan Thomas, President of LVSI Corporation. "Joining Security 101 gives our team the opportunity to build on that foundation with the resources and reach of a national organisation. We're excited about what this means for our employees, our customers, and the future of the business." Thomas will remain with the company as General Manager, providing leadership continuity and overseeing LVSI’s operations as part of Security 101. The acquisition follows Security 101’s acquisition of Silverstrand Technologies earlier this year and continues its strategy of joining with established regional integrators that bring specialised capabilities, experienced teams, and strong customer relationships.

Cequence Security, the pioneer in application, API, and agentic AI protection, publishes Agentic AI Runtime Security, Governance, and Control, a report on governing AI agents as they act. The report has been developed with input from KPMG in Singapore, examining how organisations can govern and secure Agentic AI as agents move from generating content to autonomously taking consequential actions. The findings of the report will be presented to senior business, technology, and policy leaders at a joint event hosted at KPMG’s office in Singapore on 19 November. Multi-factor authentication AI is shifting from answering questions to taking action, with agents now issuing refunds, updating records, and moving money. The report sets out how to govern those actions as they happen, for agents deployed by organisations. What Cequence’s analysis and data show: Agents already act for customers: In one week of October 2026, Cequence’s CQ Prime research team tracked more than a quarter million AI agent visits across five industries. About one in seven booked, bought, signed in or managed an account for the customer. Many never say they are agents: At a Tier 1 telecommunications carrier, traffic from agents that didn’t identify themselves as agents grew from about 100 requests a day to as many as 32,000 within three weeks of a major consumer AI agent’s launch. They signed in as the customer and passed multi-factor authentication. A trusted name proves nothing: At one online marketplace, more visits claimed to be Google-Agent than all the genuine agent visits Cequence tracked that week. Every visit went straight to the sign-in page and failed, a sign of attackers testing stolen passwords in bulk under a legitimate agent’s name. Google was not involved. Harmless-looking steps What Cequence recommends: Give each agent a specific job, not open-ended authority: Each agent should work from a plain-language job description turned into hard limits, so it can’t decide on its own to do more. Check every action in real time: A separate control outside the agent should approve, escalate, or block each action in real time, since harmless-looking steps can add up to something the agent isn’t allowed to do. When it blocks an action, it should point the agent to the allowed route so the work still gets done. Measure success by work completed, not actions blocked: Good governance and security let agents get more legitimate work done without the organisation losing control. Real business outcomes In a controlled study using a Cequence research prototype, agents with only logins and fixed permissions tried to act outside their job in 44% of runs. When each agent was given a defined job and every action was checked against it, those attempts fell to 1%; task completion rose from 76% to 95%, and agents used about 35% fewer tokens per run. “Organisations across Asia-Pacific are moving from experimenting with AI to deploying them to achieve real business outcomes. Traditional controls such as identity verification and fixed access permissions are important, but they may not be sufficient when an agent can carry out a sequence of actions on behalf of a business or customer. Organisations need governance that considers the agent’s role, the context of each action, and the cumulative risk created across an entire task. KPMG’s contribution to this report brings together our experience in governance, risk, regulation and cyber security to help organisations put appropriate oversight around AI agents while enabling legitimate work to continue,” said Gerry Chng, Partner, Head of Cyber, KPMG in Singapore. Building local teams “An approval at step one shouldn’t carry into step five,” said Shreyans Mehta, CTO and co-founder of Cequence Security, who co-authored the report. “Runtime governance means checking what an agent does at every step. When the answer is no, it means telling the agent why, so it gets back on track instead of looking for a way around. It has to work the same way for an agent your customer sends as for one you built yourself.” Cequence’s presence is growing in Asia-Pacific, where it has established its regional headquarters in Singapore. The company has a regional team, including senior leadership in Australia, with plans to build local teams in the Philippines, Singapore, and South Korea over the coming months. In the region, its customers include NTT DOCOMO in Japan and Philippine Airlines. Governing AI agents “AI agents are already acting for customers across the region, and boards want to know they can trust them,” said Ameya Talwalkar, CEO and co-founder of Cequence Security. “KPMG has a deep understanding of how boards and regulators think about risk, and Cequence sees what agents actually do on our customers’ applications and APIs every day. Together, we can show organisations how to give agents real work without losing control. Singapore is setting the pace on governing AI agents, which makes it the natural home for our Asia-Pacific business.”

Corps supports a diverse range of high-profile, publicly accessible and high-risk environments, including an international cricket ground, scientific institutions and high-profile religious venues. Across these settings, their role is to protect people, property and operations while enabling normal activity to continue safely and effectively, whether that involves live sporting and public events, specialist scientific research, or nationally significant conferences and gatherings. Services are delivered through a com-bination of professional guarding, access control, event-led security, monitoring and flexible resourcing, tailored to the specific risk profile of each site. This consistent, proportionate approach allows each organisation to operate with confidence, balancing public access, safety and business continuity within complex and often high-footfall environments. Enhanced screening solution Challenge - Across live sporting and public events, clients required an enhanced screening solution to strengthen weapon detection and deterrence, while maintaining a positive and familiar spectator experience. Traditionally, screening focused heavily on manual bag searches, meaning attendees without bags were not always subject to the same level of scrutiny. This created: Inconsistent screening standards Limited deterrence for visitors attempting to bring prohibited items concealed on their person Increased reliance on manual searching alone The objective was to deploy a non-invasive, efficient metal detection solution that could be integrated into existing entry processes without causing disruption, congestion, or negative public perception. Secondary screening stage Solution - RISK P1 Portable Walkthrough Metal Detection (WTMD) Knife Arches were deployed in the live event environment. The units were positioned across two entry gates and operated as a secondary screening stage. Previously, there were no designated queues for attendees with or without bags; all visitors queued together for screening and ticket validation. This configuration provided valuable insight into flow management and queuing considerations for future deployments. Supplier-recommended standards The WTMDs were configured with sensitivity levels set at approximately 200, in line with supplier-recommended standards for stadiums and large event spaces. Officers observed that: The left-middle and left-bottom zones were particularly sensitive to metallic items worn on the chest and foot areas Jewellery and certain footwear triggered alerts, prompting targeted secondary searches in these zones Officers adapted quickly, conducting proportionate and professional follow-up checks where activations occurred. Result - Enhanced screening and deterrence The introduction of WTMDs marked the first time visitors without bags were routinely screened, addressing a key security gap Both officers and members of the public openly praised the added layer of security The visible presence of the knife arches acted as a strong deterrent against bringing contraband such as alcohol or weapons onto site Positive Public Perception Members of the public reported feeling safer and reassured, noting that the process felt familiar and aligned with other major venues and events The screening process was viewed as professional and proportionate, rather than intrusive Operational Benefits The RISK P1 units are fully portable, quick to assemble, and easy to store Set-up and dismantling take less than five minutes, making them ideal for temporary or multi-use event deployments Officers were able to operate the units confidently with minimal adjustment time Conclusion - The RISK P1 WTMD trial demonstrated clear value in enhancing entry screening, improving deterrence, and increasing public confidence, without negatively impacting the event experience. The solution provides a scalable, portable, and highly visible security uplift, suitable across sports and live event environments.

Corps has delivered a 24/7 security service at a pioneer scientific company with specialised on-site labs since early 2023, supporting a live innovation and research environment shared by academics and commercial partners. The service balances open access and collaboration with rigorous safety controls, specialist laboratory security and strong front-of-house engagement. This approach enables the site to operate as a safe, secure and highly functional centre for innovation. Challenge - The site is a centre of excellence for science and technology innovation. One of its tenants, operates a first-floor laboratory conducting cutting-edge human trial medicine, involving hazardous chemicals and gases. The tenant required: Hourly security patrols overnight (Monday - Friday) 24-hour coverage at weekends Personal safety risk However, as the site operates with a single security officer out of hours, delivering this level of patrol coverage was not feasible. At the same time, the tenant raised serious concerns around lone working, given the inherent risks associated with laboratory equipment, chemicals and gas exposure. Previous attempts by the tenant to introduce a lone worker solution were unsuccessful due to low stakeholder engagement and poor suitability to the lab environment. Key risks identified included: Lab technicians working alone with harmful substances and gases Unreliable access control, meaning staff could enter while officers were on patrol No mobile phones permitted in the lab Reliance on gas and fire alarm systems only, which activate after an incident No CCTV coverage within the lab Together, these factors created a visibility gap for security teams and an elevated personal safety risk for staff. More informed responses The solution - To address these challenges, beespace occupancy sensors were deployed throughout the laboratory to provide accurate, real-time visibility of out-of-hours presence. Unlike traditional occupancy solutions, beespace sensors are fully compatible with sensitive lab environments. They require no interaction from staff, no wearable devices, and no mobile phones: their presence alone is enough to detect occupancy. How it works: When occupancy is detected out of hours, the security team receive an immediate notification Officers can then carry out targeted wellbeing checks, rather than routine or reactive patrols Sensors identify exact locations, enabling faster and more informed responses Occupancy data highlights duration of stay and unusual activity, supporting security and compliance monitoring This approach removed the reliance on staff engagement while significantly improving oversight and safety. Significantly improving oversight THE RESULTS - The introduction of beespace sensors has transformed how out-of-hours security and lone worker safety are managed within the lab. Key benefits achieved: Targeted, intelligence-led response - officers are alerted only when presence is detected, enabling timely and proportionate action Improved lone worker safety - security can actively monitor and check on technicians working alone at night or over weekends Enhanced situational awareness - exact location data allows officers to respond confidently, even in a multi-room lab environment Reduced reliance on reactive alarms - sensors provide early visibility rather than waiting for gas or fire alarms to activate Seamless deployment - no behavioural change, training, or additional equipment required for lab staff The security team now has a holistic, real-time view of laboratory occupancy out of hours, delivering peace of mind for both operational teams and the tenant. Personal safety for technicians Feedback from both the client and the security team has been incredibly positive, with particular emphasis on: The accuracy and reliability of detection The significant improvement in personal safety for technicians working alone Increased confidence that someone is always aware of lab occupancy, even in high-risk conditions Beyond lone working, beespace also provides holistic building oversight, enabling site managers to understand: Out-of-hours usage patterns Unexpected access or prolonged stays Opportunities to optimise security resources and patrol strategies

Hochiki Europe has completed a new fire detection system at 334 Oxford Street, a mixed-use retail and office development on one of Europe’s busiest shopping streets. Hall & Kay Fire installed the system, which is based on Hochiki’s ESP open protocol. It protects 11 storeys and a site capacity of 7,915 occupants. The installation had to be completed within a tight programme while fire protection was maintained across the building’s basement, ground floor and nine upper floors. Hochiki’s electronics-free YBN-R/3 common mounting base accepts the majority of the ESP range, which helped Hall & Kay cut cabling time and stay on schedule. Where cabling would have affected the finished interior, Hochiki’s hybrid wireless system was installed. It connects to the ESP loop and forms a self-configuring mesh network, routing each signal through the strongest available path. Hybrid wireless system “With the project having a specific deadline, we understood all the requirements needed to deliver a fully functional fire system on the site,” said Rikki Farrah, Project Manager at Hall & Kay Fire. “Hochiki’s systems simplified installation and reduced downtime, which enabled more time for testing.” The ESP open protocol allows Hochiki addressable products and a wide range of third-party devices to share the same loop, which helps keep maintenance costs down. Each device reports its precise location when activated, so building management can identify the device in alarm on any floor and respond quickly. All devices were installed in white to suit the building’s interior and keep detection discreet. Keeping detection discreet Nine networked Latitude panels with graphics software monitor the whole system. Latitude is certified to EN 54-2, EN 54-4 and EN 54-13, which met the end user’s requirement for full standards compliance. Its plug and play peripherals, such as relay cards and repeater panels, allow the system to be extended as the building’s retail and office spaces grow. Neil Eves, Head of Major Projects and Specifications at Hochiki Europe, said: “This prestigious building demanded the highest level of protection, and its new integrated open protocol system will ensure the building is future proofed for years to come and fully upgradable as the building’s retail and office spaces expand.”

Digitalising access presents a specific challenge in heritage buildings: how to protect these premises against 21st-century threats while preserving the unique building fabric? Choosing a programmable smart key system provided the solution at a historic Prague monastery. The Franciscan Monastery is a living space which, in addition to its spiritual mission, hosts exhibitions, baptisms, and community meetings. Managers must therefore effectively control access to individual parts of the building, to retain an overview of the movement of people, and at the same time react flexibly to events. Streamline key management The original access system could no longer meet their requirements. Key management was complex; there was a lack of clarity; and risks associated with the loss or non-return of site keys increased. They wanted to upgrade access security to streamline key management and minimise risks associated with missing keys. Another essential element was that any software for this enhanced control over key and space management should be user-friendly and operable even by non-technical staff. Above all, preserving the historic character of the building was non-negotiable. No invasive installation process was possible. Leaning into ASSA ABLOY expertise in the heritage sector helped monastery managers to identify the right solution. Combining mechanical robustness Based on these requirements, a CLIQ system was the preferred choice. The ASSA ABLOY eCLIQ smart key solution combines mechanical robustness with intelligent electronics; it enables modern access management without any need for cabling. “Even in historic buildings, our eCLIQ smart key system can be implemented efficiently while preserving safety, aesthetics, and flexibility,” explains Ondřej Gajdoš, Acquisition Sales Manager at ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions. Thirty-five wire-free cylinders were installed and 90 programmable keys distributed, with everything now managed in intuitive software which allows staff to easily set and edit access rights according to evolving needs – whether for employees and visitors, or to stage one-off events. One CLIQ advantage for the monastery is the ability for staff to respond immediately to any risky situation. If someone loses their key, for example, its authorisations are quickly blocked without any need to replace cylinders – saving time and money while also safeguarding security. Streamlining daily operations The CLIQ solution is also wire-free, so installation took place without interfering with the historic structure. It fully respects the architectural value of the building. By deploying CLIQ, the monastery has gained a modern access management tool that significantly increases security while streamlining daily operations. The solution brought not only a higher level of security and more efficient key management, but also the necessary flexibility for more dynamic use of space around the site. If needed, expansion of their system in the future is totally seamless: the CLIQ system’s reach can scale as the monastery’s needs evolve.