Electronic access control systems allow communities to record who went where and when.
When it comes to security and key control, having the most effective locks for every access point is just part of the puzzle.
To provide the top level of security possible throughout the entire community, some apartment owners are using a single electronic access control system with software that can monitor and record activity on all electronic locks and exit devices.
Roseland Property Company, a Short Hills, N.J.-based apartment management company that operates 25 communities, uses programmable electronic locks in every building that it has constructed since 2007. All apartment unit and common-area entry doors are secured electronically, as well as the back doors of mechanical, utility and storage rooms.
Tim Narvell, Vice President of Maintenance for Roseland Property Company, says the electronic locks are capable of accommodating up to 1,000 different user keys, each of which have a different identification number. The locks are integrated into the communities’ electronic access control management system and can generate an audit trail of the last 1,000 users should Narvell’s staff need to see who went where and when.
“The keys can be programmed to work for a certain period of time, so we will give third-party contractors working onsite a key that is good for one hour, for example, and after that time, it no longer works on the electronic lock,” Narvell says. “This allows them to go into a utility room and do what they need to do without one of our employees escorting them in and out every time they need to gain access. When a third-party contractor is finished with a job—or a resident moves out—the keys are returned and reprogrammed.”
If there is a security concern, Narvell can take a programmable handheld tool to the lock or locks in question, upload the information, and then download that into the software program on the property manager’s computer through the USB interface. “The system will run a report and we’ll be able to track someone’s whereabouts through an entire building, if we need to,” Narvell says.
With electronic locks on every apartment unit front door, Roseland Property Company is able to monitor and control access, thereby minimizing property liability.
“The system assists us in tracking entry into apartment homes by recording the exact time and date of entry, regardless of whether or not the unit is occupied or vacant,” Narvell says. “We can also see who entered the unit—based on the key’s unique identification number—and determine whether or not there is a security problem.”
Narvell says another electronic access control software program feature is its ability to determine who made each key. This prevents residents from creating duplicates—unbeknownst to staff—which is a concern for many apartment communities that use mechanical keys.
Kaba Access Control and Ingersoll Rand Residential Solutions contributed to this article.