Security
Click Here for further details

Fire Safety Standards:
Tackling Changes In Fire Safety Legislation
by National Security Inspectorate (NSI)
Many organisations have not tackled the changes in fire safety legislation introduced a couple of years previously, leaving themselves open to prosecution for failing to implement the regulatory requirements. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order in England and Wales and the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 came into effect in October 2006, and changes have major implications for owners and occupiers of commercial, public and multi-tenancy property.
Research by Norwich Union Risk Services has revealed that awareness of the new fire safety legislation has hardly risen since the regulations were introduced. Just 62 per cent of organisations questioned knew of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order one year after its introduction.
Yet, according to research by the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, over 43 per cent of businesses that experience a disaster never fully recovers. With commercial fires costing businesses a staggering £3.5 billion a year, insurance is unlikely to fully compensate for such interruption. How can you compensate for the loss of a business opportunity whilst your organisation is not fully operational?
Accountability for fire safety lies with the owners or occupiers of premises who must designate a ‘responsible person’. With Fire and Rescue Services no longer issuing fire certificates, the onus is on the ‘responsible person’ to conduct a fire risk assessment, implement the required fire precautionary and protection measures and maintain a fire management plan. The Fire and Rescue Services have a statutory duty to enforce the legislations’ requirements.
Those businesses that fail to fully comply with the fire regulations are put at risk and individuals in the organisation, including the designated ‘responsible person’, could face prosecution in the event of a serious fire. Failure to comply with fire safety requirements is also likely to result in an insurance company refusing to pay all or some of an insurance claim.
An essential fire safety measure that is required in any premises is a fit for purpose fire detection and alarm system (FD&A). If you have a new system installed or the existing system upgraded, the fire regulations require you to be able to demonstrate that the persons doing the work are competent. Third-party certification (TPC) is recognised as being the most effective way of ensuring your contractor is competent.
At present there are two recognised TPC schemes: BAFE SP203 and LPS 1014. The BAFE scheme is operated by a number of certification bodies, led by the National Security Inspectorate (NSI) and is accredited through the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). With around 150 approved companies and sites, NSI represents the largest proportion of all third-party approvals for FD&A systems. Contractors who are NSI approved will display the relevant approval logos, such as NSI Fire Gold and Fire Silver logos. Companies with NSI Fire Gold approval also meet the industry-specific ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management System Standard. NSI approval is only achieved if the company meets the required industry standards on a consistent basis. In the case of FD&A, companies must be approved for each of the areas of design, installation, commissioning and maintenance they are involved in.
Another reason for you to choose TPC companies is the recently updated new Chief Fire Officers’ Association (CFOA) Policy for reducing false alarms. Previously relating to remotely monitored alarm systems only, now all fire detection and alarm systems will need to have TPC in order to comply with the policy. Owners are required to obtain a Unique Reference Number (URN), entitling them to receive a Fire and Rescue Service response to their alarm system. URNs will only be issued for systems certified by specific TPC bodies, such as NSI. Ultimately all systems requiring response will need to have been designed, installed, commissioned and maintained by suppliers who are TPC approved in order to comply with the policy.
NSI focuses on encouraging companies to achieve the highest standard of service required by customers of fire and security contractors. To this end, NSI requires its approved companies to meet standards that exceed the minimum recognised level – a successful approach acknowledged by customers and specifiers for over 35 years.
No matter what fire safety work is required, customers should always use only those companies approved by officially recognised TPC bodies. In the case of fire detection and alarm systems, owners may be required to prove that their system is fit for purpose and the only recognisable way to achieve this is through TPC. To find out more about NSI,
visit www.nsi-fire.org.uk or call 0845 006 3003.

GMP: The Power to Protect
CNL, a leading global developer of Command and Control software, has provided its latest software, IPSecurityCenter™, to power the CCTV distribution and management elements within Greater Manchester Police’s new state-of-the-art control room. This was a direct result of CNL’s ongoing partnership with BT. The facility was put through its paces for the first time last week during Operation Protector; to safeguard the annual Labour Party Conference.
With around 15,000 delegates, including the Prime Minister, high-profile MPs, global leaders and speakers from across the world, the week saw governance effectively moving from Whitehall to Manchester. Maintaining a world class level of security was crucial to the success of the conference. In fact Manchester was chosen as a venue due to the excellent reputation it has for hosting large scale events.
Colin Carey, Assistant IT Director at Greater Manchester Police said “As they say, preparation is everything; although the event only lasted a few days, it took months of planning. The first challenge was to ensure we had the right infrastructure in place. We worked closely with BT to ensure the best possible network, to deliver the high volumes of video required.
“The next step was to utilise the best software to effectively integrate the many disparate video systems already in place including, mobile video, Hele-Tele, fixed wing and CCTV from public space, stations and airports. Again BT was able to assist, introducing us to CNL and their IPSecurityCenter. This software is able to manage the copious amount of visual data, enabling us to provide the highest level of security possible by distributing data and video, wherever and whenever required.”
The system is technically superior to anything the GMP have ever deployed, with 40 dedicated operator workstations, a record 360 CCTV feeds and a Barco visualisation system powering twelve 65” NEC LCD displays and four 47” Barco displays; all managed through one intuitive interface.
The control room allowed officers to effectively police all aspects of the conference 24 hours a day, covering all of Greater Manchester; it is one of the most advanced control and command facilities in the UK. In the future, it will enable Greater Manchester Police and other partner agencies to effectively deal with large scale events or major incidents and improve the force's ability to protect the public and fight crime.
During the conference, the new control room was visited by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and Greater Manchester Police's new Chief Constable Peter Fahy who were all impressed with the new facility.
The 2008 conference was a success for Greater Manchester Police and the high level of the security provided ensured everyone was able to enjoy the event safely and securely.
Superintendent Chris Ullah, planning co-ordinator for Operation Protector, said: "The new events control room will create a legacy for the people of Manchester.
"Not only did it greatly help us police this conference successfully, but it has given the force a fantastic facility for future events such as football matches, multiple major incidents or operations.
"We will be policing political conferences for the next three to four years, so the new control room is a very important addition to our resources."
This year's conference passed without incident, which is testimony to the success of Operation Protector. Ensuring the right mix of technology and people was key to accomplishing this.
For more information on CNL and IPSecurityCenter visit www.cnluk.com or email info@cnluk.com.
About CNL
CNL is a leading developer of command and control software and is a pioneer in the open platform IP-based security solution market. The company’s combination of expertise and focus on delivering customer-value, gives it a pre-eminent position in the security market. Their flagship Integrated Situation Management software, IPSecurityCenter™, is acknowledged as one of the most innovative and transformational products to have emerged in recent years. www.cnluk.com.

Cyber-Ark Announces Inter-Business Vault 5.0
Inter-Business Vault® Introduces the World’s First Managed File Transfer Solution to Provide Governance Over Data Exchange Within Business Processes
Cyber-Ark Software, the leading provider of Privileged Identity Management (PIM) and Sensitive Information Management solutions, today announced the availability of version 5.0 of the Inter-Business Vault® (IBV), its widely-used Managed File Transfer solution that provides both business and IT departments with unprecedented governance over sensitive data exchange processes.
Today, enterprise organizations understand that traditional solutions such as Secure FTP or other home grown file-transfer solutions are not viable and have turned to Managed File Transfer (MFT) systems to accommodate the organisation's need for secure connectivity to third parties. Traditional MFT focuses on technical and operational aspects of file-transfers, such as multi-protocol support, secure communications, third party provisioning, administration and management. Cyber-Ark’s Managed File Transfer solution, the Inter-Business Vault, extends traditional MFT out of the IT/Security departments, allowing business departments to also apply their policies and govern file-transfer processes from their business perspective. IBV uses simplified business terminology to provide an intuitive way to build and govern business processes, and cross the chasm of mapping the business terminology to the technical level of files and protocols.
“IBV 5.0 is unique in providing a single platform supporting all methods of business file-transfer including automated, ad-hoc and collaborative processes, resulting in a centralized and fully governed file transfer solution,” said Adam Bosnian, VP of products, strategy and sales at Cyber-Ark Software. “Banks, Insurance companies, and other financial institutions, as well as Telco, Pharmaceutical and government institutions worldwide, use IBV to exchange sensitive information with their partners and customers on a daily basis. This assures business activity and continuity, and gives users added confidence that files will be delivered to their destination on time, and in an auditable and highly secure manner.”
There is no denying the growing demand for secure file transfer among customers, partners and subcontractors. In a recent report, Gartner estimates that the market for MFT suites and services is approximately $450 million and is growing at a rate of 21 percent to 26 percent year over year. As organizations understand the need to open up for communication with third parties, however, they cope with significant challenges, such as managing multiple protocols and file-transfer methods with no centralized management, providing secure connectivity to third parties, and minimizing IT overhead for each new third party connection, which also causes business process delays.
IBV fully addresses the IT and business concerns and regulatory mandates for the exchange and sharing of sensitive information within and between an enterprise and its business community and enables enterprises worldwide to conduct faster, more efficient and more reliable business processes by automating and streamlining file-transfer processes with high performance and a highly secure solution. IBV also reduces operational costs of managing and operating file transfer processes and reduces the business risk of disclosing sensitive information.
The new features of IBV 5.0 include:
Secure File Exchange (SFE) web-portal – A new web-based web application offers an intuitive UI for business users and third party users to exchange files. This new web portal provides seamless, worldwide, 24x7 connectivity while maintaining the highest level of security. It is completely brandable, so its look and feel can be easily changed to fit in any existing customer facing website.
Management of file-transfer processes is simplified – Provides intuitive mapping of business processes into governed file-transfer services, resulting in secure, reliable and auditable information exchange.
Streamlined third party enrollment – Enables “ad-hoc” secure connectivity with third parties without IT involvement, yet with IT governance.
“In today's ever more complex IT and business environment, it is critical to have governance capabilities in place that can assist, streamline and improve cross-enterprise business processes. Managing and carrying out file-transfer processes need to be accompanied with governance of not only the IT and security departments, but also the business departments that need to control the business aspects of carried out file-transfers. IBV stands out in this capacity and for its simplicity, ease of use and productivity capabilities, all while providing the most secure infrastructure platform based on the patented Digital Vault™ technology,” added Bosnian.

Improving Duty of Care with Masternaut live monitoring of staff on the road
Masternaut Three X is to help companies provide better Duty of Care to their employees. The Leeds-based vehicle tracking and mobile working specialist has developed a series of online services based around its live satellite tracking services that provide vital protection to staff who are on the road or working in the field.
Masternaut tracks each journey showing the vehicle speed, position, distance travelled and duration, with special ID keys to identify the driver where vehicles are shared. The company has now added a host of Duty of Care features that include automatic alerts to warn if employees are at risk. This might be due to excessive hours on the road, failure to take required breaks on a long journey or speeding. Alarms also protect loan workers and can alert when vehicles are being used without authorisation.
Masternaut Three X also offers extensive reporting facilities showing data such as miles driven, hours worked and speed on a day by day, weekly or monthly basis. Trends can then be easily spotted such as poor driving and excessive hours on the road. The solution can also incorporate HourTrak, Masternaut’s Working Time Directive solution to ensure employees are working within the law.
Other features to improve Duty of Care include improved routing and optimisation with traffic information allowing realistic schedules to be set, driving at safer times and on safer routes, together with guidance for drivers on route. Staff working on their own can also benefit from personal GPS alarms allowing companies to pinpoint and communicate with field staff needing assistance.
“Caring for your employees has become a big issue for companies in recent years and with our live monitoring technologies for employees on the road, we discovered we already had everything in place to offer a very effective solution for significantly improving Duty of Care. We really can provide unrivalled levels of protection and safety for employees” says Martin Port, Managing Director of Masternaut Three X.

Why intelligent buildings?
A Definition
Over the past 20 years, there has been much debate and discussion around the concept of an “intelligent building.” Work has gone on in many forums to define and quantify what the term really means, and yet the term ‘intelligent building’ still means different things to different people. These definitions can range from, for example, just a programmable heating system, to a fully automated solution that controls and monitors every one of a building’s functions, however we feel that the description below is the most concise:
“An intelligent building is an integrated building — a building where all elements (such as lighting; heating; security, CCTV and alarm systems; access control; audio-visual and entertainment systems; ventilation, filtration and climate control, etc), talk to one another over a common platform and have the ability to respond to the real-time needs of occupants.”
An Intelligent Building can incorporate a huge range of technologies, and the potential of this technology is endless. Our lives are changing as a result of Intelligent Building developments in living and working environments. The impact on facilities planning and facilities management also has the potential to be huge, and all managers considering premises development or site relocation should seriously consider the opportunities offered by intelligent buildings technologies and concepts.

Drivers for intelligent buildings
Increased pressures on connectivity, energy efficiency and marketplace competition now force developers and property managers to consider investing in intelligent buildings to differentiate themselves, or even to stay in the game. A whole set of drivers exist that make Intelligent Buildings an economic and business necessity rather than something that is just "nice-to-have". The most important of which are as follows:
Legislation: Facilities managers and developers are being put under pressure by requirements set out by EU and UK Government legislations, such as Part L and the proposed expansion of the Emissions Trading Scheme, to improve the environmental performance of buildings and reduce carbon emissions. As a result, lower energy usage is fast becoming a key part of real estate and facilities management, and an intelligent building represents an ideal way to adhere to these requirements.
Green agenda: Intelligent buildings have a key role to play in reducing carbon emissions from buildings, and this is important not just from a political point of view as described above, but also from a social consciousness aspect. Increasingly, potential buyers or tenants are looking for developments that can limit their impact on the environment as well as reduce their operating costs. Integrated buildings can operate more efficiently, i.e. by ensuring that the major energy sources in buildings - namely lighting, cooling and heating - operate only when necessary
Cost reduction: Reduced operational and maintenance costs are another driving force encouraging the growth of the intelligent buildings market. Intelligent buildings require fewer operational staff as all building subsystems become automated and this can considerably reduce the running cost a building
Desirability: A better experience for the occupant and increased productivity are often cited by supporters of intelligent buildings as additional benefits, both of which attract tenants to a development.
How to achieve an intelligent building
To create an intelligent building, each of a site’s building management systems (BMS) need to be fully integrated with each other to make an efficient solution. Although this is common practice in new developments today, the majority of existing developments have disparate building management systems, for example, no interconnection between, say, a CCTV circuit and intruder alarms. Traditionally, multiple proprietary systems were installed in a building, each of which has to be individually manned and has no ability to interoperate with other systems. As a result, buildings are complex to manage, incur high operating and maintenance costs and have little automatic functionality. These problems can be alleviated by installing a system that is fully integrated, so just one person can monitor each separate aspect from just one screen.
What many facilities managers do not realise is that it is not just new-build developments that can be equipped with an integrated intelligent building system, nor is it necessary to install totally new BMS’. Estates with a legacy system can easily have their existing systems integrated, furnishing them with the same benefits and is not as expensive as many might think.
To amalgamate legacy systems and create an intelligent building a technology solution is required that can integrate all disparate BMS and voice and data networks across a site.
The easiest way to do this is to take advantage of the IP network, together with middleware technology that can provide the interface between all BMS, voice & data systems and an Internet Protocol (IP) network. Using a comprehensive range of IP communication drivers, all information from disparate BMS, voice and data systems pass to a centralised IP network and vice versa, enabling data to be managed via a single interface, resulting in improved estate efficiency, decreased running costs and increased safety and security. For example, CDC’s Integra Intelligent Building Framework can form a strong backbone for an intelligent estate.

Benefits
By creating an intelligent building, a site can benefit from increased efficiency, decreased running costs and increased safety and security, as set out in the below points:
tCentralised management: Via the implementation of a single point of focus for management and maintenance, staffing levels required to manage each disparate system dotted around the estate can be reduced. In addition, the access control alert system can be streamlined, for example, security guards are better equipped to spot and react only to genuine alerts and security levels can be increased thanks to the interoperability possible between previously disparate CCTV, access control and other defence systems such as automatic number plate recognition.
tIncreased efficiency: Adding intelligent features to a building allow it to operate more efficiently reducing both energy usage and expense, for example, energy bills can be reduced by around 20 percent. In addition Intelligent Buildings provide tools to optimise the staffing and operations of the building allowing for improved efficiency. For commercial developments, these facilities are expected to result in above market rents, improved retention, higher occupancy rates, and lower operating expenses.
tCompliance with Legislation: Energy consumption is reduced in line with government requirements
tImproved Security: Monitoring of CCTV can be improved, as footage from cameras can be integrated into the management screen, providing an increased level of efficient security for the site
tEmergency planning: This can be improved by mapping out the best evacuation route in case of emergency. By logging the characteristics of the event, the Integra software can indicate the fastest and quickest route to safety.
With the benefits of an integrated intelligent building so clear, it is no wonder that it is becoming an essential aspect of large scale developments today - a trend that can only continue.
In order to compete in this competitive market, developers not in the know must sit up and take notice, and quickly!

Workplace Futures
The credit crunch, rising energy prices and the need to economise will affect the way we work forever
Research conducted by Johnson Controls Global Workplace Solutions amongst the world’s leading businesses has showed how changing economic conditions will transform how we work forever.
More than 97 percent of those surveyed agreed that the biggest challenge ahead in business is the prospect of tackling energy supply and the increasing cost of energy – making the need to reduce energy consumption in the workplace a priority.
Today’s tough economic conditions combined with the ever increasing costs of running and maintaining a major property portfolio mean many businesses are now looking at ‘sustainability’ from a fresh perspective – whilst good for the environment, it’s now also seen as being good for business.
How we make our workplaces more efficient, both the buildings themselves and how the space within them is used, is now a major priority for businesses around the world.
Taking these trends and developing them further, Johnson Control’s ‘WorkPlace Futures’ research has looked at how the workplace will be in 2030 and has predicted a scenario where we must adopt new ways of working and change our behaviour towards work in order to reduce the total cost of occupancy, increase efficiency and improve productivity within the workplace.
This research has shown that:
77 percent of businesses agree multi use office complexes will be commonplace
83 percent agreed flexible working will lead to the most significant value return
66 percent agreed increased technology costs will not restrict the drive for mobility and that technology will not be a barrier to mobility
83 percent agreed that engaging employees with future workplace planning, strategies and solution could provide an answer to sustain tomorrow’s workplace
In the future, we are likely to see individuals being increasingly networked - connecting virtually and reducing the need to come into the office or meet in person. These virtual networks will increase business efficiency, reduce the need for travel and cut down on costs.
Home working will become increasingly common place and offices will be designed as a hub to meet and share ideas. ‘To go to work’ will no longer mean going to the office on a regular basis.
As offices increasingly become communal meeting points, the workplace of the future will comprise a large proportion of collaborative spaces rather than individually allocated desk space. Accordingly, the size of the average corporate property portfolio is likely to reduce, as is the footprint of the average office.
Green office policies will be the norm and a business energy management strategy will sit along side the marketing and sales strategy with equal priority.
Author of the research, Dr Marie Puybaraud, comments: ‘We do not need to look far to see that many of the changes predicted in the ‘WorkPlace Futures’ research have already started to take place.
‘The cost of ‘running’ a business has never been so high and many leading organisations are already starting to rethink the ‘workplace’. Reducing the need for travel, changing the function of the traditional ‘office’ to reduce its size, and implementing comprehensive energy management strategies are all increasingly commonplace and have set us off down a road that will transform our daily working lives.’

Top of the class
The largest of the schools set up as part of the Government’s Academies Programme, the multi-award-winning Thomas Deacon Academy is a pioneering new learning environment that aims to reinvent the traditional school model.
The Peterborough school, which specialises in science and maths and has a student population of 2,200 11 to 18 year-olds and staff of 300, was designed by architect Foster + Partners and comprises two ‘streams’ of classrooms encircling a central concourse beneath a curved roof pitted with triangles of natural light. Sarnafil’s single ply system was selected by main contractor Laing O’Rourke to complete this dynamic design.
Laing O’Rourke then commissioned roofing contractor Fenland Flat Roofing (FFR) to install the multifaceted steel diagrid concourse roof’s membrane. “It was a complicated project,” recalls Andy Bacon, FFR’s managing director. “The roof was curved in plan, comprising three linked domed areas, and curved in elevation also. It was a three-dimensional shape that needed a versatile, three-dimensional covering.”
Sarnafil’s single ply system was chosen as the ideal membrane. The sweeping curves of the 7,000m sq roof, however, required two slightly different roof build-ups. Areas of concrete structural deck feature a bituminous felt vapour control layer insulated with Kingspan Thermaroof TR27 Polyisocyanurate bonded with Sarnacol 2162 PU adhesive and finished with an adhered Sarnafil membrane in G410-12EL Light Grey.
The profiled metal structural deck areas, meanwhile, consist of a Sarnavap 1000E Polyethylene vapour control layer, Sarnafil SBT tube fastener-attached Kingspan insulation and, finally, an adhered Sarnafil G410-12ELF Light Grey membrane.
Andy says that the versatility of Sarnafil single ply has been fully demonstrated on the roof’s undulations. “In the right hands, Sarnafil is a very versatile material. It required lots of cutting and shaping in order to get the Sarnafil covering to fit the curves, but it worked very well and the finished roof looks great.”
The roof’s complex shapes also presented access and health and safety challenges. “It was challenging working around the slopes, especially at those heights,” Andy continues. “But Laing O’Rourke was very proactive when it came to safety, so together we overcame any obstacles.”
As well as meeting the architect’s aesthetic requirements, Andy believes that the Sarnafil system offered additional advantages increasingly sought by today’s educational clients. “It’s a cost-effective choice, which is important for a school, so the price as well as the visual appearance fitted the bill.” Andy also adds that “it’s durable and long-lasting” largely thanks to Sarnafil’s BBA-certified life expectancy in excess of 40 years.
Sarnafil’s Mark Golder, southern regional sales manager and technical advisor on this project, agrees that such benefits are essential to schools, especially in light of the Government’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) initiative. “BSF encourages the construction industry and its educational clients to look more closely at designing, building and maintaining schools in a way that takes whole life costs and environmental performance into account,” Mark explains.
“Sarnafil is committed to the BSF initiative and strives to meet its challenges by assisting in the design, procurement, installation and facilities management phases of a BSF project. Thomas Deacon Academy is the embodiment of the BSF vision, so I’m delighted that our market-leading product and support services have enabled the academy and its architect to meet BSF’s objectives and lead the way in cutting-edge school design.”
A new ‘Building Better Learning Environments’ brochure outlines Sarnafil’s support for the BSF initiative. Free copies are available by calling Rebecca Crossfield on 01603 748985, emailing crossfield.rebecca@sarnafil.co.uk or requesting it online at www.sarnafil.co.uk.