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FEBRUA RY 2016 | 45 Security & Life Safety Systems T Security and life safety systems are more sophisticated than ever by ROBIN BRUNET The economy may be returning to some semblance of normality, but security and life safety budgets for many companies in the commercial and industrial sec- tors are still constrained. Therefore, those charged with maintaining those budgets are looking for a lot more features and a greater return on their investment when it comes to purchasing products. "Within large companies, there's a growing movement to do more with less," says Peter Redfern, commercial sales leader for Tyco Integrated Fire & Security (IFS) in Canada. Specifically, they are looking for solutions that can be accessed across different departments. They've also come to expect scalability, no matter what type of system they purchase. Compatibility has become an almost universal requirement, and of course every end user seeks ease of use and, depending on the nature of the product, ease of installation. All these factors are addressed by the best manu- facturers, including Tyco IFS, a leader in fire protec- tion, security and life safety solutions that protect employees, customers, facilities, inventory, processes and operations. "People are looking for better efficiency, and given that the Internet of Things has revolutionized fire and safety systems over the past few years, we're con- stantly striving to fulfill their needs while determining and planning for what they might need down the road," says Redfern. "To take one example of forward-think- ing, each and every product we make now has a sensor imbedded that can gather and share data on a common platform. This follows our practice for the past few years of deploying remote diagnostics in our panels as well as GPS technology in our service vehicles on behalf of our clients, which enables us to send the right person with the right training and the right part at the right time to perform first-time fixes for clients' systems." As part of a company that helps protect over three- million customers globally, Tyco IFS is adept at cre- ating effective security systems that are also geared towards user convenience. One example of this is the mobile security management solution, unveiled in Canada in July, in which one's iPhone, iPad, Android, or other web-enabled devices give users live video look- in, real-time alerts, remote arm/disarm and access management. Single or multiple locations can be mon- itored and managed with this mobile device, and auto- matic alerts can be programmed when alarms are triggered or other conditions are met. Compliance management is one of the more compli- cated aspects of fire/security management, but Tyco IFS makes the task relatively easy with Electronic Inspection Reporting (EIR), which automates the documentation of testing and inspections and simplifies record-keeping for fire alarms, sprinklers, suppressions, security, and emergency communications systems. Video verification is another new service that Tyco IFS will release in Canada this year. With this service, Tyco will either design a custom security solution and install cameras at strategic locations inside and/or outside a business, or it will utilize existing surveil- lance cameras. These cameras will allow special oper- ations security professionals at a monitoring centre to observe and record activities at any business facility. With video verification, operators can observe activities via a live video feed upon receipt of an intru- sion alarm signal. Based on what they see, they can accurately determine if a security breach or criminal activity is occurring and then follow the clients' secu- rity protocols. While Tyco is global, regional companies too have developed an equally impressive capability to be many things to a single client. When smart and mobil- ity technologies were still experiencing birth pains, Vancouver-based Houle Electric foresaw the massive proliferation of integration of multiple systems in the security and life safety realm. To accommodate this shift it evolved from providing a full range of electri- cal services to also specializing in technologies inte- gration, with formidable expertise in security, building automation and data networking. Specifically, and thanks to an extensive network of partners, Houle can integrate Avigilon video man- agement, Camden door controls, Crestron boardroom solutions, FST motion identification and Axis camera systems into any building. Levis Veilleux, Houle's account manager – integrated system, says while just a few years ago the big trend in security was advanced intruder alarms, today there is a huge and growing need for real time locating systems. "They're used mainly by staff in health care for protec- tion against patients," he says. "However, the ultra-sonic systems we use have a far greater range of potential applications: for example, we're currently looking at prisons and inmate tracking as a potential opportunity, and there are many other avenues to explore." For all the attention paid to computer and elec- tronic systems to advance effective security and life safety, at a very basic level, keeping people safe is still a low-tech proposition, with superior design, materials and manufacturing techniques distinguishing effec- tive products from problematic solutions – as anyone with a passing acquaintance with doors, windows and locking hardware will attest. For example, an unwavering dedication to quality led to Aluflam's main claim to fame of using aluminum frames for fire-rated glazing applications – some- thing that was long thought impossible. The company achieved this by developing a technique that combines insulated aluminum framing and glass that is intumes- cent fire resistive, and the result is also advantageous esthetically; unlike traditional hollow frames, Aluflam frames are narrow, sharp and can be finished in a wide range of anodized and painted colours, meaning they blend much better with existing designs. Aluflam manufactures windows, doors and curtain walls, and its products are delivered as complete units. This saves contractors considerable time and effort, especially since building design overall tries to max- imize glazing in order to bring as much natural light into interior spaces as possible. In terms of fire rating, Aluflam windows are a remarkable product: its store- front window frames are constructed from thermally The Next Generation Avigilon video management provided by Houle Electric. Mobile security management solutions from Tyco IFS.

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