Author Archives: tensor_accesscontrol

1. Development work starts on £66m project in Liverpool

   11 November 2014 12:04 pm Leave a Comment

   Building work has started on a £66m development on Liverpool’s Kings Dock, a recent news report in the local media was able to reveal.

   The new area is set to become the first purpose-built inter-connected arena, convention and exhibition centre in Europe.

   Scheduled to open in September 2015, Exhibition Centre Liverpool will more than double the existing exhibition space at ACC Liverpool to 15,225 square metres.

   It will link to the Echo Arena and existing convention centre via a pedestrian link bridge, and will create the an ambitious venue for consumer and trade exhibitions, global conferences, concerts and international sporting events. In its first year of operation, it is expected to host about 50 events and attract more than 250,000 visitors.

   Having benefitted from significant public sector support in the past, including approximately £74m from the Homes & Communities Agency (HCA) and former English Partnerships, Kings Dock is now a successful destination boasting two hotels, restaurants and residential apartments alongside the Echo Arena and the convention centre.

   Taking into account the size of the new development and the range of activities that will be carried out within, implementing a very solid and reliable access control system across the entire site is a must, especially for those specific areas where access should be restricted.

   Access Control UK employs a variety of access control technologies in order to create advanced solutions, enable users to exert solid, reliable and accurate control over the access to specific premises or zones.

   If you’d like to find out more about the range of solutions supplied by Access Control UK, both in terms of hardware (smart card readers, biometric readers, turnstiles, etc.) and software (access rights management software solutions, etc.), just contact us, we’ll be more than happy to answer any queries you might have.

2. Eastbourne’s Arndale Centre to undergo £85m extension

   4 November 2014 2:36 pm Leave a Comment

   The Arndale Centre in Eastbourne is set to undergo a major extension worth an estimated £85m, a recent media news report on the matter was able to reveal.

   Under the proposals (which were already approved by the local authority earlier this year), seven restaurants units would be constructed, as well as 175,000 sq ft of new retail space, more than 300 car parking spaces and a new pedestrian link, as well as a new 31,000 sq ft cinema on the second floor of the new build with a seating capacity of up to 1,250.

   Simon Russian, Head of Retail Development at Legal & General Property, commented: "As the regeneration of the heart of Eastbourne continues to gain momentum, this deal is a significant endorsement of the move of leisure operators back into town centres.

   "The accessibility of the Arndale Centre to all modes of transport is a key factor and this major letting to Cineworld will act as a catalyst to boosting the town’s evening economy, bringing with it a wide range of quality, family based restaurants. This is a significant step forward in the re-positioning of one of the South Coasts most successful shopping centres."

   Taking into account the size of the new development and the range of activities that will be carried out within, implementing a very solid and reliable access control system across the entire site is a must, especially for those specific areas where access should be restricted.

   Access Control UK employs a variety of access control technologies in order to create advanced solutions, enable users to exert solid, reliable and accurate control over the access to specific premises or zones.

   If you’d like to find out more about the range of solutions supplied by Access Control UK, both in terms of hardware (smart card readers, biometric readers, turnstiles, etc.) and software (access rights management software solutions, etc.), just contact us, we’ll be more than happy to answer any queries you might have.

3. Super-school set to be built near Ceredigion

   27 October 2014 2:08 pm Leave a Comment

   A new super-school that will see five different schools merge into a single, “all-through” educational establishment, is set to be built by Willmott Dixon on behalf of the Ceredigion County Council, a recent news report was able to reveal.

   The "super school" will incorporate Ysgol Dyffryn Teifi, Aberbanc, Coedybryn, Llandysul, and Pontsian schools, and the work will also involve the construction of a new two storey 11,200m2 facility to accommodate 1,000 primary and secondary school pupils.

   The new school, which is yet to be named, will provide facilities including a large hall, sports hall, kitchen and catering facilities and 47 classrooms including science laboratories and IT facilities. External landscaping of the surrounding area will also create four sports pitches, a full sized 2G synthetic sports pitch and onsite parking.

   Councillor Ellen ap Gwynn, Leader of Ceredigion County Council, said: "This has been in the planning stages for almost a year and it’s fantastic to celebrate the first step of this journey for a new state of the art school in Llandysul. We have established a great relationship with Willmott Dixon, as we’ve worked with them in the past on the construction of the Council’s Canolfan Rheidol Offices in Aberystwyth.

   "We look forward to being a part of the construction process and providing the students in Ceredigion with some of the best learning facilities in Wales."

   Any modern building of this type should also be equipped with a suitable range of access restriction systems. Access Control UK employs a variety of access control technologies in order to create advanced solutions, enable users to exert solid, reliable and accurate control over the access to specific premises or zones.

   The access control systems supplied by Access Control UK also support an effective Fire Roll Call feature, which will enable employers to evacuate the personnel off the premises in a very orderly and clear manner, should a fire, explosion or some other type of catastrophe occur.

   If you’d like to find out more about the range of solutions supplied by Access Control UK, both in terms of hardware (smart card readers, biometric readers, turnstiles, etc.) and software (access rights management software solutions, etc.), just hit the contact button at the top of the screen, we’ll be more than happy to answer any queries you might have.

4. How to control site access using the contractors’ CSCS cards

   21 October 2014 2:50 pm Leave a Comment

   Access control systems designed to fully integrate building contractors’ CSCS cards will become more widespread on the future, especially since the whole industry is set to grow 23% by the end of 2018, according to the latest Construction Products Association (CPA).

   Dr Noble Francis, Economics Director of the Association, commented: "Our Forecasts reflect a welcome, recurring theme as growth continues and begins to broaden. Short-term activity is still led by private housing, infrastructure and commercial, and areas of public sector construction are showing the first signs of increasing strength. We believe the expansion will continue through 2018.”

   Dr Francis continued: "The private housing sector’s rapid growth since early 2013 has been sustained by consistent levels of demand, the general UK economy’s return to health and government policies such as Help to Buy. We forecast starts to rise 18.0% in 2014 and 10.0% in 2015. In order for such projections to be met, however, increased capacity is necessary, particularly from SME house builders. In addition, there remain serious questions about affordability and higher mortgage repayment costs, together with uncertainty around the future of housing policies given the pending election. With this in mind, we forecast private housing growth will moderate in the longer term to 5.0% per year from 2016.”

   Construction workers and other people who hold a CSCS card can use their existing card gain access to a construction site or similar, or use the CSCS card to gain access through turnstiles or car park barriers.

   The software running on all of the access control systems developed and manufactured by Access Control UK also includes a CSCS card wizard. This allows system users to quickly grant contractors access to their clocks and access control system. The wizard will handle three different scenarios when granting access rights to contractors and for each different scenario, it will initially guide the user through the enrolment procedure.

   The Contractors CSCS card is read using a USB card reader attached to a PC running the software.

   Details are extracted from the card to update the contractors “employee” details within the system.

   System objects such as a company, site, shift group and department, are assigned to the cardholder, either through selection or by default.

   Templates for badges can be previewed by the user to see how their badge will appear, populating it with their personal details. Previewed badges can then be printed to any windows supported card printer.

   If you’d like to find out more about the range of solutions supplied by Access Control UK, both in terms of hardware (smart card readers, biometric readers, turnstiles, etc.) and software (access rights management software solutions, etc.), just contact us, we’ll be more than happy to answer any queries you might have.

5. Enhance site security by replacing old mechanical master key systems

   14 October 2014 11:48 am Leave a Comment

   Individuals and organizations looking for a way to enhance the level of security at their sites or premises should seriously consider removing their older mechanical master key systems and replacing them with modern, high-end proximity smart card-based access control systems.

   While using a key system is extremely easy, the truth of the matter is that, on the long-term, it can cost a lot of time and money. For example, should one employee lose his assigned set of keys, the company would have to replace all locks on the site, at a considerable cost.

   Furthermore, each key can represent a security vulnerability in itself – a copied key can be used to access the site at any time, particularly at night and during weekends.

   The best solution to tackle this issue is the implementation of a secure and affordable access control and restriction system, and this is specifically where Access Control UK could put its extensive experience in the field to very good use.

   We employ a variety of access control technologies in order to create advanced solutions, enable users to exert solid, reliable and accurate control over the access to specific premises or zones.

   The access control systems supplied by Access Control UK also support an effective Fire Roll Call feature, which will enable employers to evacuate the personnel off the premises in a very orderly and clear manner, should a fire, explosion or some other type of catastrophe occur.

   If you’d like to find out more about the range of solutions supplied by Access Control UK, both in terms of hardware (smart card readers, biometric readers, turnstiles, etc.) and software (access rights management software solutions, etc.), just hit the contact button at the top of the screen, we’ll be more than happy to answer any queries you might have.

6. New emergency centre set to be built in Wales

   22 September 2014 3:02 pm Leave a Comment

   Access control systems are a must have for any public services’ buildings where the safety and security of personnel is of utmost importance, such as fire and rescue, ambulance or emergency centres.

   Included in the above category is also the new £15 emergency centre that’s currently being built in Wrexham in Wales. The facility will house a six-bay ambulance station and eight-bay fire station, a recent media news report on the matter was able to reveal.

   The Health Minister Mark Drakeford l praised the government for its "significant investment" saying that the new centre will "allow greater coordination when it comes to responding to incidents and improve response times."

   Access Control UK employs a variety of access control technologies in order to create advanced solutions, enable users to exert solid, reliable and accurate control over the access to specific premises or zones.

   If you’d like to find out more about the range of solutions supplied by Access Control UK, both in terms of hardware (smart card readers, biometric readers, turnstiles, etc.) and software (access rights management software solutions, etc.), just contact us, we’ll be more than happy to answer any queries you might have.

7. Biometric systems to help track vaccination records in developing countries

   15 September 2014 4:45 pm Leave a Comment

   Biometric systems are typically used for restricting access to sensitive, high security areas, but their actual range of uses can extend much further, as researchers from Michigan State University have recently proven.

   The team of scientists managed to develop a fingerprint-scanning system for children under five years old that could replace ineffective paper vaccination records in developing countries around the world, a news report on the matter was able to reveal.

   Until now, experts in the field of biometrics believed fingerprints of babies and toddlers were too unreliable because image sensors are designed for the ridges and valleys of adult fingertips. Nevertheless, researchers developed software that makes it feasible to accurately match fingerprints of children under five with off-the-shelf equipment.

   The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation funded the research specifically for recording vaccinations, but the patient-identifying system has broader applications, says Anil Jain, a distinguished professor at Michigan State University’s Computer Science and Engineering Department and coauthor of the paper.

   The technology could be used “in any health-care scenario where you have the potential for fraud, such as insurance fraud,” says Jain.

   Recording fingerprints from infancy into early childhood and adulthood would also allow countries to link civil registries, such as birth and death certificates to health care records, school enrollments, and voter registration.

   Access Control UK employs a variety of access control technologies (including biometrics) in order to create advanced solutions, enable users to exert solid, reliable and accurate control over the access to specific premises or zones.

   If you’d like to find out more about the range of solutions supplied by Access Control UK, both in terms of hardware (smart card readers, biometric readers, turnstiles, etc.) and software (access rights management software solutions, etc.), just contact us, we’ll be more than happy to answer any queries you might have.

8. New Engineering Innovation Centre is to be built in Manchester

   12 September 2014 11:47 am Leave a Comment

   A new £60m Graphine Engineering Innovation Centre is to be built in Manchester, a recent news report in the local media was able to reveal.

   The new facility will be added to the £40m National Graphene Institute that BAM is currently building for Manchester University.

   Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: "The announcement of the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre in Manchester, to complement the existing National Graphene Centre, is a highly significant one.

   "It is another compelling illustration of Manchester’s ability to attract foreign investment in a competitive global market. This announcement is another manifestation of Abu Dhabi’s commitment to working with Manchester and the network of constructive relationships which have been built up over the last five years."

   Given the specific nature of the activity set to be carried out on the site’s premises, it would certainly require the implementation of a very solid and reliable access control solution.

   Access Control UK employs a variety of access control technologies in order to create advanced solutions, enable users to exert solid, reliable and accurate control over the access to specific premises or zones.

   If you’d like to find out more about the range of solutions supplied by Access Control UK, both in terms of hardware (smart card readers, biometric readers, turnstiles, etc.) and software (access rights management software solutions, etc.), just contact us, we’ll be more than happy to answer any queries you might have.

9. New student accommodation in Portsmouth gets planning permission

   8 September 2014 5:05 pm Leave a Comment

   Plans to build new student accommodation in Portsmouth have been approved by the local council, with construction work set to start shortly, a recent news report in the local media was able to reveal.

    

   The site located in Portsmouth’s Greetham Street is being acquired from Portsmouth City Council. Unite Students, the developer, will provide a home for 836 students, due to be completed for the the 2016/17 academic year.

    

   The development represents a £42 million investment, and is projected to have a development yield of 9.5%.

    

   Richard Simpson, Managing Director of Property for Unite Students, said: "We are very pleased to have received planning for this development in a prominent city centre location in Portsmouth. The acquisition forms part of our regional development strategy where there is a growing demand for student accommodation. This year we have seen university applications continue to outstrip available places and there is a growing need for safe, secure purpose built student accommodation."

    

   Any modern building of this type should also be equipped with a suitable range of access restriction systems. Access Control UK employs a variety of access control technologies in order to create advanced solutions, enable users to exert solid, reliable and accurate control over the access to specific premises or zones.

    

   The access control systems supplied by Access Control UK also support an effective Fire Roll Call feature, which will enable employers to evacuate the personnel off the premises in a very orderly and clear manner, should a fire, explosion or some other type of catastrophe occur.

    

   If you’d like to find out more about the range of solutions supplied by Access Control UK, both in terms of hardware (smart card readers, biometric readers, turnstiles, etc.) and software (access rights management software solutions, etc.), just hit the contact button at the top of the screen, we’ll be more than happy to answer any queries you might have.

10. Ex-Brewery to become university technical college

    5 September 2014 3:35 pm Leave a Comment

    The site of a former brewery is set to be redeveloped and become a University Technical College (UTC) for West Midlands Construction in Wolverhampton, a recent news report in the local media was able to reveal.

     

    The former Springfield Brewery site is to become home to the new multi-million pound, West Midlands Construction UTC (WMCUTC) for 14 to 19 year olds.

     

    The new educational establishment will provide an education with a focus on construction and the application of IT in the built environment alongside core GCSEs and A Levels. Once graduating, students will then have the option of going into construction-related higher education, apprenticeships, or into employment.

     

    The curriculum will provide access to qualifications that open the doors to further and higher education in non-construction subjects.

     

    Any modern building of this type should also be equipped with a suitable range of access restriction systems. Access Control UK employs a variety of access control technologies in order to create advanced solutions, enable users to exert solid, reliable and accurate control over the access to specific premises or zones.

     

    The access control systems supplied by Access Control UK also support an effective Fire Roll Call feature, which will enable employers to evacuate the personnel off the premises in a very orderly and clear manner, should a fire, explosion or some other type of catastrophe occur.

     

    If you’d like to find out more about the range of solutions supplied by Access Control UK, both in terms of hardware (smart card readers, biometric readers, turnstiles, etc.) and software (access rights management software solutions, etc.), just hit the contact button at the top of the screen, we’ll be more than happy to answer any queries you might have.