What’s a safe and practical way to enhance security for an educational facility? Wireless access control. The BEI Connect team is installing doors with wireless access control at universities and high schools today. These doors provide a way to control entry to (and exit from) buildings without inconveniencing students or staff. Clients turn to BEI Connect for our combination of door hardware and security technology expertise. BEI Connect is a division of BEI Construction.
“We work with campus safety staff and other personnel to outline needs,” says Chris Franza, general manager of the Security Division at BEI Connect. “Wireless access control is a good fit for a variety of uses. That’s especially true in education and for businesses with a campus setting. You get convenience and security without the expense and hassle of installing wired access control across a campus.”
Higher education: Student safety and no-touch access
A university in the Bay Area had four different access control methods, which proved cumbersome to manage. Campus safety leaders decided to switch to one method: wireless access control from a single manufacturer. The BEI team is installing this method across the university’s 106-acre campus. Prior to implementing the system, BEI helped write the school’s new standards for access control.
“Wireless access control adapts to just about every type of door or use case,” says Franza. “We see an example of that at one of our university clients. The school set up automatic doors while moving to wireless access control. These doors allow for no-touch entry, adding COVID-19 safety to access control.”
High school district chooses wireless
A Bay Area school district opted to install wireless control access at high schools after testing four products. Wanting to choose the right product, the district used its mobile classroom to try access options. Now, BEI will help the district install its new access system.
According to Franza: “Many school districts want more-efficient ways to control school access—without the high expense of wired controls. Just as importantly, schools want a centralized way to quickly lock down entire campuses should the need arise. Wireless can deliver an almost 3-to-1 cost savings compared to other options—while supporting campus safety needs.”
Advantages extend beyond education
According to Franza, educational settings are just one use case for wireless access control. “You get so much flexibility with these wireless systems. The leading technology works with just about any door. Batteries provide power, and they connect to communications technology and security software. Wired systems will continue to dominate high-security environments. But wireless brings a new level of security and safety to places where wired isn’t an option.”