Access control and intercom solution specified for Northern & Shell Building

The Northern & Shell Building located, which is located at 10 Lower Thames Street, London EC3, offers dramatic panoramic river views and boasts an on-site restaurant, a ten-storey glazed atrium and glass wall climber lifts. Among its tenants, the Northern & Shell Group itself occupies approximately 110,000 sq ft of space spread over the ground floor as well as the fourth, ninth and tenth floors.

As part of a phased office refurbishment programme, the owners of the building reviewed the tools available to the security personnel to enable them to maintain a safe and secure environment for approximately 5,000 people who work in the building, as well as contractors and visitors.

“The existing access control system had been in use for over 20 years and, although it was still operating effectively, its functionality was limited compared to more modern solutions,” explained Russell Morgan, project manager for Essex based Isecurity Systems, who have had a long-term association with the Northern & Shell Group. “A decision was made to invest in the latest generation Vanderbilt Security Management System (SMS) which enables end users to efficiently manage alarms, lifts, visitors and the photo ID badging process from a single software platform.”

Morgan and his colleagues at Isecurity Systems worked with the Smart R Distribution team to supply a Vanderbilt SMS access control system and are also in the process of replacing the 140 magnetic stripe readers on site with all-new CIDRON access control readers which support securely encrypted DESfire EV2 contactless smart cards from Cambridge-based Authenticard.

Video entry system

Smart R Distribution also supplied a new Comelit ViP video entry system comprising eight door stations and two control desk positions. This has been installed by Isecurity Systems to allow operators within the building’s 24/7 Control Room to communicate and remotely open doors for contractors and couriers who need to gain entry via, for example, a basement entrance. The Comelit video entry system integrates seamlessly with the SMS control system.

“We now have a highly efficient access control solution which helps us to manage the smooth movement of large numbers of people through turnstile-controlled speed lanes located in our reception area, while the solution also enables us to control who can gain access to other restricted areas within the building,” commented Dave Wratten, facilities manager for the Northern & Shell Group. “Isecurity Systems and Smart R Distribution should be applauded for working in partnership to ensure that all of the equipment was delivered to site exactly when it was needed and then installed to our complete satisfaction.”

Established back in 2010, Smart R Distribution is focused on providing quality product and expert advice to thousands of professional-level installers and systems integrators operating throughout the UK. The company distributes and supports a comprehensive range of access control, door entry and CCTV products and solutions from a wide range of manufacturers, among them ACT, Authenticard, Comelit, Farpointe Data, HID, Intratone, Vanderbilt and Vivotek.

With a showroom that is regularly updated to ensure the business is able to demonstrate the very latest advances in technology, Smart R Distribution encourages installers and system integrators to visit its head office in Haverhill and take advantage of its manufacturer-associated training courses. The company regularly hosts technical presentations and demos conducted by the industry’s leading manufacturers.