Planning Access Control for Commercial Buildings

Access control decides who can go where, and when. Done well, it makes buildings safer and easier to run. Done poorly, it frustrates staff and leaves gaps.

Start with zones, not doors

Group the building into zones — public reception, general office, restricted rooms such as server, records or cash areas — and decide which groups of people need each one.

Choose credentials that fit the risk

• Cards or fobs for general areas
• PIN plus card for sensitive rooms
• Face recognition where hands-free entry or stronger identity checks are useful

Plan for visitors

Decide how visitors are registered, where they wait and how they are escorted. Video intercoms at entrances let reception see who is at the door before opening it.

Connect access with video

Linking access events with cameras means every alarm, forced door or denied entry can be checked against footage straight away.

Think about growth

Choose a platform that can add doors, floors and sites without replacing what is already installed.

Next step

Explore our access control solutions or talk to a security solutions expert.