Page 68 - Security Today, November/December 2020

CoverStory
allowed SVA to manage visitors and vendors entering the facilities that required a COVID questionnaire to be completed (either remotely or in person), scan a government issued ID card, and print a temporary badge. The last upgrade included an occupancy monitor- ing system that involved Density sensors being installed in every lobby, which allowed for real-time and historical data on traffic across all campus locations.
“Density is a people counting sensor platform that helps compa- nies monitor and manage the real-time usage of their buildings,” said Jay Bid, customer success manager at Density.
The latest product offering, “Safe By Density,” provides actionable data to visitors via the display, alerts and analytics features. By mak- ing real-time occupancy data easily available, users are equipped to make informed decisions about entering or exiting any given space. All data is anonymous and accurate; making it a concrete solution. With the risk of COVID transmission indoors being 19 times higher than outside, it’s important for SVA to identify the high traffic areas on campus and set limits on capacity.
Orchestrating a Successful Security Integration For SVA
As the COVID-19 requirements are quite complex, SAS assisted the college every step of the way and considered numerous factors when planning the upgrades. A main concern was the existing SCA infra- structure, and how the new security systems would integrate into the platform. In addition, the college was concerned about the ease of usability, accuracy of the data collected, reporting, speed of imple- mentation and project costs. SAS quickly put their minds at ease and brought together all the right technology partners. The installation consisted of 14 locations campus-wide and included installing LenelS2 Micronodes with Allegion MT15 card readers into security desks for student and staff verification. There are floor standing kiosks housing the iPads and Density sensors with custom brackets to overcome various field conditions. It also included configuration of all hardware and software that included new CAT6 cable runs.
“We are extremely proud that SVA put their trust in SAS to deliver the latest security upgrades within a three-month timeframe to help prepare for the fall 2020 re-opening of their NYC campus,” states San- dra Rocha, CEO of SAS Technologies. “We could not be more thrilled with the results and happy that we could help the SVA management team through such a challenging time as the COVID-19 pandemic.”
By bringing together the right technology partners, SVA was able to see demos of all recommended technology solutions prior to the installa- tion and felt comfortable moving forward with all the security upgrades.
“We had many online meetings, conference calls and discussions about all the technology and how it would work together,” said Michael Troiani, service and engineering manager at SAS. “During the pandemic many new product offerings were presented and we wanted to make sure that we were listening to exactly what the cus- tomer wanted and that we could provide those solutions. Our ulti- mate goal was providing solutions that could have been implemented prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and that would also be useful dur- ing and after this pandemic”
By having SAS orchestrating all the upgrades and training, SVA knew that it was prepared to have a successful re-opening. A huge benefit for SVA was having all the new technologies integrate seam- lessly with the existing security platform already at the school. Due to the online portal and all the new technology installed, the SVA Human Resources staff and Student/Health & Counseling Services
were able to handle the new task of contact tracing with their existing staff. SVA is able to track people across their campus seamlessly and did not have to increase internal personnel; thus saving the university money by not having to hire additional staff.
Clear Skies Ahead for SVA
With a quick deployment of the latest security technologies in the industry, SVA wanted to be proactive when it came to protecting their students’ and staffs’ health and well-being.
“We are all hoping for a return to normal after the COVID-19 pandemic passes; but in reality, nobody really knows when this storm will pass,” Troiani said. “No matter how long this lasts, SAS will con- tinue to be here for our customers and help schools figure out the right plan to ensure a safe environment for learning.”
For school executives, the pressure is on to clear the skies and make their campuses a safe haven for students and staff to come back. With an enterprise-level visitor management, contact tracing and ID scanning systems in place, SVA is fully prepared to have students and staff members return to campus. Their mission was accomplished due to the fast thinking of the team at SAS and the forward-thinking technology brought to the table by Density, Splan, and LenelS2. Mov- ing forward, SVA would like to continue deploying Density scanners in their 900-seat, 2-screen theatre and art gallery spaces. No matter what the future holds, SAS will be here to help advise and give a bird’s eye view of what safety and security should look like for schools in a COVID-19 world and when skies clear.
Monique Merhige is a freelance writer based in Florida, and is president of Infusion Direct Marketing Inc
COUNTING YOUR PEOPLE, STAFF ONE BY ONE
Density is a people counting sensor platform that helps companies monitor and manage the real-time usage of their buildings. The latest product offering, “Safe By Density,” provides actionable data to visitors via the display, alerts and analytics features. By making real-time occupancy data easily available, users are able to make informed decisions about entering or exiting any given space. All data is anonymous and accurate, making it a concrete solution. Density is a cloud-based solution, in addition to providing end users with additional analytics and mobile applications, the solution is easy to integrate and more importantly the data is easy to share. With the risk of COVID transmission indoors being 19 times higher than outside, it’s important for colleges like SVA to identify the high traffic areas on campus and set limits on capacity.
The Density data is real-time, anonymous and accurate; making it a valuable occupancy monitoring tool for schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“When SAS first looked at Density as a solution, we quickly realized this solu- tion requires detailed information of door height, size, opening, and if there are any obstructions such as exit signs, flood lights or other door hardware like automatic door openers,” said Sergio Rocha, installation manager for SAS Technologies.
Once all the specifics were provided to Density, the Design and Implementa- tion team at Density provided SAS Technologies with specific details on location of the height and placement of the sensors. “Essentially, we provided the SAS Team with a playbook for an optimized installation,” said Jay Bid, customer service manager at Density. Finally, after the sensors are installed Density per- forms an accuracy review to make sure all systems are a go. “We go through all the sites after they installed to make sure that we are getting accurate reads and not false indications,” Bid said.
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