Stories of successful installations, from London to Virginia, USA, and from Cambridge to Athens
Tunnel PA system goes live
Tyco Integrated Systems of Cambridge has installed the UK's first PA system for tunnels, supplied to Dartford Tunnel, part of the Dartford River Crossing and one of the busiest river crossings in Europe.

   Following this success, Tyco has also won another tunnel PA order to install a system for the nearby Blackwall Tunnel, giving the company a strong position in the growing PA in tunnels market.

   The new PA system was specially designed by Tyco Integrated Systems to provide high quality voice announcements in the confined space within the twin tunnels, to give motorists clear messages about traffic situations and accidents, and also to help ensure safe evacuation in case of emergencies.

   It uses well over 200 special loudspeakers mounted along the tunnel ceilings to achieve uniformly high sound levels of over 100 dB in each tunnel bore. Due to headroom restrictions, both the size and positioning of the speakers was important 鈥� the selected low profile speakers provide the same height clearance as the existing lighting units.

   They also feature a narrow sound opening designed to avoid the reverberation problems normally experienced in enclosed areas such as tunnels. They also meet stringent fire and other regulations.

   There's Merit in this system
Surrey-based Active Instore was chosen by Woolworth's to install a Merit LiLin system in its London head office. In the scheme, the High Street store used the Taiwan manufacturer's range of stainless steel high resolution fixed mini domes, high speed fully functional colour domes, PC-based networkable digital recording multiplexer, 15-inch high resolution colour monitors, colour Super Eye high-resolution cameras and new designer cable managed housings and brackets.

   "We are very impressed with the quality, the aesthetic look and ease of use of the products from LiLin. We plan to use these in the rolling project of ten sites in 2003," said Simon Edwards, the Risk Manager for Woolworth's.

   Active Instore has been established for 15 years and has been growing steadily. The company specialises in CCTV, PA intercom and background music systems with blue chip retail organisations in particular, and has worked all over the UK and Northern Ireland.

On course at Wentworth
Specialist installer Thamesside Gates and Railings, of Staines, has put in some specially commissioned gates at the magnificent Wentworth Manor, a private house in Virginia Water with views across Wentworth golf course. Gate automation systems from FAAC were used.

   As each gate leaf at Wentworth Manor is hand forged and features ornate silver foliage, FAAC 760 concealed swing gate operators were chosen for the installation, ensuring that a mechanism did not detract from the appearance. Installed underground, the FAAC 760 combines security and safety with built-in hydraulic locking and an oil bypass anti-crushing system.

   Thamesside's Steve Forrest commented: "The FAAC 760 was the obvious choice. It is concealed and compact, easy to install and ensures the gates swing shut quietly."

The FAAC 760 range is suitable for gates weighing up to 800kg and offers near silent operation and low electricity consumption.

   Slim profile
Star Mechanical and Electrical Services of Chandlers Ford have installed hard-wired smoke and heat alarms from Kidde Fyrnetics in recently completed luxury apartments at Gunwharf Quays waterfront development in Portsmouth.

   The 129 apartments in two five-storey blocks are the second phase of a Berkeley Group residential development.

   The Kidde units have a slim profile with only 39mm depth for smoke alarms (plus 20mm pattress where needed). They are also neat and circular in shape, avoiding alignment problems, with a matching style for different alarm types.

   For many major developers third party certification is essential, particularly in such a critical area as fire safety and Kidde "easily meets these stringent requirements". All Kidde Fyrnetics' smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are BS kite-marked.

Going underground
Bradley Lomas Electrolok has installed sophisticated digital recording technology from Verint Systems (incorporating Loronix) in the London Underground. The evaluation, based at Bermondsey on the Jubilee Line, is believed to be the first of its kind on the network. Loronix CCTVWare technology was chosen against two competitor products.

   Images from the cameras installed around the station are transmitted and digitally recorded onto AIT tapes using Loronix CCTVWare, 24 hours a day at two frames per second and kept for 31 days before automatically being re-written. All the information can be accessed and reviewed via a standard PC.

   The latest MPEG-4 compression technology enables recording of images up to 12.5 frames per second for near real-time recording of live events. But the most innovative aspect of the project is the live streaming of video from the Loronix system to an IPAC hand-held device. This enables guards around the station to view events as they are happening, and make critical decisions based on first-hand knowledge.

   BLE is an integrated fire safety and security products provider to the building services market.

Health & safety paramount
Scottish installer Alternative Systems Protection has installed a Norbain-supplied Paxton Net2 access system at Alcatel Optronics UK's headquarters in Livingston.

   The new system provides access not only for security, but also for health and safety purposes. Alcatel's production process involves the use of powerful laser beams and the system enables rigorous control of access to the manufacturing plant.

   Installed in three phases over an 18-month period, the control of access to a new office building, a refurbished building and the manufacturing plant is all brought together under a single system.

   The separate buildings are connected by the LAN with Paxton Net2 software accessed from PCs on the network.

   The software controls the access of 160 staff through 44 doors and the system also provides roll call lists, reports by department and links to the fire alarm system.

   Charlie Brown, managing director of the Dumbarton-based installer commented: "We selected Paxton Net2 because the technology has a good clean system architecture, is easy to install with good technical back-up and has built-in flexibility for the future."

Olympic mission
Wackenhut Securities Hellas S.A has installed dome cameras and telemetry equipment from Vicon Industries at the Olympic Games Committee buildings in Athens.

   Surveillance of seven buildings will benefit from Vicon's Surveyor 2000 dome cameras and a 96 input by 16 output matrix from the Nova series. The project will use coaxial wiring and recording will be digital. Installers can test functioning of the cameras prior to permanent mounting since the dome design features a drive mechanism that can be operated independently from the housing.

Discreet system
Consultants W.S. Atkins advised Durham City Council (pictured below) on a 30-camera CCTV system using Pentax lenses.

   Ten of the 12-240mm 20x zoom lenses are in use along with a number of small varifocals in one of the country's most discreetly installed systems.

   The system has cut street crime, shoplifting, car crime and public disorder by between 30 and 50 per cent. The system is monitored from the headquarters of the City Community Services department and is paid for by the council, local traders and government funding.

Brussels sprouts CCTV
Chubb Belgium has installed Vicon's Surveyor dome cameras and Kollector digital recording stations across six Cora hypermarkets in Belgium. The Kollector stores video on a 60Gb hard drive and records from 16 cameras simultaneously.

   One of Cora's flagship Belgian stores is located in the Woluwe suburb of Brussels. An extensive car park surveillance system has been installed on the site using a mix of Vicon's fixed and dome cameras, as well as the Nova range of video matrix units.

Court integration
Verint Systems has installed its Loronix digital video security solution at the US Albert V. Bryan courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia, following other high profile installations at the US Capitol and Pentagon.

   The networked digital video recording system is fully integrated with alarm and access control systems, as well as existing security and IT infrastructures.

   It also incorporates video content analysis tools to help increase the efficiency of security staff.

And more Surveyors!
A&E Security of Bruges has installed Vicon's Surveyor dome cameras and the company's Aurora matrix system at a major Ikea store on the outskirts of Brussels.

   Vicon's 1344 video matrix unit provides a high-density 128 input by 24 output programmable control and matrix switching system. It features a built-in interface for control by a host computer with graphical configurator for a PC.

   The matrix offers extensive tour sequence support with comprehensive tilting.

Extensive portfolio
Scotshield Fire and Security Systems of Airdrie was awarded a contract for the maintenance of CCTV, intruder alarms, fire detection systems and access control at soft drinks producer A.G. Barr, makers of Irn-Bru.

   Premises at Gallowgate, Loanhead, Falkirk, Irvine, Wishaw and Kirkcaldy will have visits from Scotshield's service and maintenance engineers to ensure all systems are operating to their full potential.

   Scotshield's director John Hunter said: "We can offer Barr a Turnkey Solution which allows them to integrate all their security and fire arrangements. Over time we will introduce them to our extensive portfolio of gaseous extinguishers, emergency lighting, call systems and alarm monitoring."

Powerful installation
ADT's Liverpool branch based its successful proposal on an all-Bosch digital CCTV solution for a network at two major hydro-electric power stations in Wales.

   The latest networked video systems and cameras from Bosch Security Systems provided an innovative solution which allows remote networked surveillance covering two large power station some 30 miles apart.

   The system includes motion detection and alarms and provides improved surveillance by allowing remote viewing of any camera on any PC on the network.

   It uses three networked System4 video surveillance units from Bosch, connected to an existing LAN network serving the Ffestiniog and Dinorwig power stations, plus new Bosch AutoDomes and fixed cameras.

   The installation also included extending the existing coverage of critical areas such as control valves, as well as entrances and secure areas. It also provides digital alarm and event recording.

   "Bosch helped us supply a fully integrated and compatible networked system that allowed multi-location viewing," said David Bagguley of ADT.

   According to the project technical engineer for the power stations, the Bosch solution was chosen so that all the built-in features such as motion detection, pre-set cameras positioning, guard tour and digital recording, could be used without any of the compatibility and interfacing problems sometimes encountered when using equipment from different manufacturers.

Water solution!
Maidstone-based Secure Engineer-ing was commissioned to install six high-resolution cameras located at strategic positions around a wastewater treatment works in Slough.

   Thames Water needed 24-hour monitoring of vehicle access to the site to prevent unauthorised vehicles using the site for illegal dumping.

As it is a very large site, Secure Engineering recommended that the cameras transmit their images to the control room via a wireless link.

   At the heart of the security system is a REG number plate recognition system. REG 鈥� in any weather conditions and in complete darkness 鈥� captures and records details of all vehicles entering the site, even when headlights are on.

   All activity is then stored on a Dedicated Micros DS2 digital video recorder and date stamped. Video evidence can at any time be copied on to a CD or alternatively the images can be exported as JPEG files and inserted into emails.

   Iain Coleman of Thames Water said: "We are extremely pleased with the equipment configuration. It provides us with an effective solution to what could be a major problem of illegal and at times dangerous dumping. The installed system allows us to identify any unauthorised vehicles entering the site and prosecute the drivers."

DM goes back to school
Security Management Plus was consulted when Burnage High School in Manchester was looking to upgrade its CCTV installation to a modern digital system.

   Steve Clews of Security Management Plus explained: "We have been involved in security in the education sector for nearly ten years and in that time we have seen a marked drop in classroom vandalism and bullying.

   "The latest networked digital systems with instant image retrieval and multiple control points make monitoring hundreds of pupils throughout a busy school much easier than before.

   "We recommend the Digital Sprite system from Dedicated Micros because it is extremely easy to use without compromising on performance.

   "Whereas in the past CCTV cameras would be set up outside the school gates and perimeter monitoring was often in place to help prevent out-of-hours problems such as vandalism and theft, most schools today are turning to monitoring systems that deploy most cameras within the school buildings.

   "These are proving highly effective in combating the growth problems relating to daytime management issues such as property damage, general behavioural matters, truancy and bullying."

Mr Clews pointed out: "The DM system's event log lists every piece of action against the time it occurred."

BPT provides the extreme security needed

Reeskail have installed BPT鈥檚 Multi-Scan II proximity access systems, along with Nova monitors and vandal resistant panels, in a new development in Earls Court Square, London. The Multi-Scan II system, which is best suited for single or two-door applications, was the ideal product for this development, as access to the hallways of the blocks had to be extremely secure as there is no concierge or reception area. Multi-Scan II simply grants or denies access to tag holders through the front and rear entrances where it has been installed. BPT door entry systems were also installed to control entry to individual properties. These primarily consisted of Nova monitors internally and vandal resistant panels externally. The Nova is one of the smallest colour monitors in the business. The sleek, minimalist design is said to be unique: the neat four-inch screen provides clear colour images, can be flush-mounted and comes in a variety of colour surrounds. George Kail of Reeskail said: 鈥淚 chose BPT as supplier for this project as I have worked with them for 25 years and have always been satisfied with the quality of products and service received.鈥�

University challenge passed by Lifesaver

Lifesaver (Cambridge) helped the local university鈥檚 Wolfson College to complete a major upgrade of its campus security system. Dubbed 鈥渢he most cosmopolitan college in Cambridge鈥�, Wolfson was the first college to be established for both men and women. It has more than 700 students. Following a freak accident last summer when lightning struck the previous surveillance system, the college was looking for an alternative to the previous digital set up. Jason Powell of Lifesaver explained: 鈥淲e selected a number of alternative digital multiplexer options to suit the college needs and left them with the porter鈥檚 lodge for a week for them to try out the various operating systems. 鈥淒M鈥檚 Digital Sprite emerged as the most popular choice for one simple reason: it is simple to use. It is also robust and offers many popular functions such as activity search and telemetry at an affordable price.鈥�

Designed to have the look and feel of a traditional CCTV system, Digital Sprite combines digital multiplexing, digital recording, multiple-user network viewing and in-built dome control in a single easy to use and install package.

Twin towers help in detecting intruders

Kent & Sussex Security has installed a CCTV system at Ling Metals of Canterbury which, when it senses movement on the site, automatically directs the camera lenses towards the intruders. The system is fitted on to twin high towers that overlook the entire site. When intruders are detected, the system is programmed so that it simultaneously dials up Ling Metals鈥� security company, on a fast and secure ISDN line, and notifies them that there is a problem. The company can then remotely operate the cameras to track the intruders while the police or Ling Metals staff members are contacted. Alternatively it can use double loudspeakers to warn off the intruders. Geoff Hilton, managing director of Kent & Sussex, commented: 鈥淚t is like having a permanent guard on your site, one who never sleeps but costs you just a fraction of the normal expense.鈥�

Ling Metals is involved in the recycling of redundant refrigeration plant, including air conditioning, domestic fridges and freezers. It is also active in the recycling of abandoned cars and old tyres.

Source

Security Installer