In almost every language, security is defined by the need to protect people, property and assets. While different countries face varying compliance standards, economic conditions and threat levels, some of the most innovative examples of progressive security measures are found in the Middle East. Over the last 30 years, Dubai, one the seven United Arab Emirates, has transformed itself into a global business hub, focused primarily on the financial, tourism and real estate sectors. With a vision of progress and leadership, the city is setting new benchmarks for building efficiency in the region. Large-scale development projects have led to the construction of some of the tallest skyscrapers and largest projects in the world such as the Emirates Towers and most recently in January of 2010, the Burj Khalifa.

An emblem of a new, flourishing Middle East, Burj Khalifa stands more than 2,700 feet above the desert sand as the world’s tallest building and an awe-inspiring centerpiece to the Dubai skyline. This unrivaled feat of engineering is home to 160 floors of luxurious hotel, residential and office space. From excavation in January 2004 to completion in September 2009, it took EMAAR Properties over 22 million man-hours to construct the world’s tallest free-standing structure. Burj Khalifa was accomplished using over 58,900 cubic yards of concrete and 31,400 metric tons of rebar, enough to extend over a quarter of the way around the world if laid end to end. After less than six years of construction using visionary ideals and solid science, the building is now home to nearly 900 residential suites, hundreds of office suites, and the highest observation deck with an outdoor terrace in the world. Focus on Security Management at the Burj EMAAR Properties, the developer of Burj Khalifa, selected a security management system developed by Johnson Controls to secure the tower’s corporate, residential, hotel and public spaces.

The sophisticated system allows security personnel to act quickly during a security breach or threat. If an unauthorized person accesses a secure area, the building sub-systems, including cameras and intercoms, will immediately activate. If a fire is detected, the airflow system will automatically deactivate to confine or smother the flames. The interoperability of key building systems ensures a safe environment for all guests and tenants, providing security benefits as immense as the structure they protect. Additional features of the security system include:

l Installation of audio/visual systems, including project screens and video displays, and conferencing systems throughout the tower.

l A two-way radio system throughout the building allowing communication between facility and hotel management, and maintenance and security personnel.

Ensuring Comfort, Safety and Security for Tenants Nearly 900 residences and 324 hotel guest rooms inside Burj Khalifa also feature low-voltage systems that enable many of the high-end amenities enjoyed by tenants and residents. E-Home, a smart home technology installed by Johnson Controls, equips each residence and guest room with a single control system that interfaces lighting, curtains, HVAC, home theatre and security management.

Promoting Building Efficiency and Security in the Arab World.

In the current state of the global economy, business owners across the Middle East have been forced to examine their facilities and identify areas for cost reduction without sacrificing safety or comfort. Burj Khalifa is just one symbol of the Middle East’s expanding interest in energy-efficient buildings. Also sitting along the Dubai skyline is the Emirates Towers, rising 1,165 feet to its top. The office tower alone is host to numerous businesses and its five-star hotel tower offers 500 rooms, including 40 suites and three main theme restaurants. A five-level podium building connects the towers and includes more than 40 retail, restaurant, and parking accommodations. The vision for Emirates Towers was to create a state-of-the-art technological infrastructure, which could be scalable to future information and building management technology developments.

Emirates Towers’ officials understood that retrofitting and upgrading expenses often represent approximately 50 percent of the lifetime costs of a building and that the ability to upgrade is crucial to ensure that technology remains current. Additionally, scalable technology keeps the cost for installation, operation, and maintenance at a minimum.
The goal was to:

l Implement a state-of-the-art infrastructure which is scalable for future developments,
l Provide the latest available technologies and integrations to ensure Emirates Tower’s competitiveness, while ensuring a quality building environment,
l Complete the project with a limited budget and within a tight time schedule.

With this in mind early in the planning stage, the search began for one company to accept responsibility for the twin-towers system integration and network. Using Johnson Controls’ Technology Contracting approach, property management, guest-related systems, telecommunications, fire, security, and even multimedia applications could be tied together. Given the strict criteria for the towers, project managers introduced a single-seat operation solution through a total integrated IT and building automation system infrastructure with about 20 sub-systems, including a Metasys BMS, hotel management system, a facility and property management system, computerised maintenance management systems (CMMS), and telecommunications systems, such as digital video-on-demand (live TV, prerecorded programs, and audio), Internet, e-mail services, computer games, and e-commerce. Life safety systems include fire alarm, and closed circuit television (CCTV). Presentation media for conference rooms is available with videoconferencing capabilities, an audio system, and projectors.

An Assessment of Security & Building Infrastructure Needs These projects illustrate the importance of adaptable and versatile building management solutions that recognise the need versus want and ideally, address both. Any technology provider must have the ability to address technology standards, economic variances, threat levels and compliance requirements of different regions. A critical goal for any decision-maker in any country is to create a safe, secure and comfortable environment for employees and visitors. There are many approaches to reaching this goal, but managers first need to assess the current security strategy, evaluate and prioritise security needs and identify opportunities for improvement.

To address priorities for security, for example, it is helpful to think of potential solutions in a broader context. The following four application categories offer a helpful way to think about security solutions and safeguards at a higher level. Some questions to ask are:

l Event Management – What is the policy for management of alarms and events? How effective is the identification, assessment, and response to alarms and events? What is the cost of managing and responding to alarms and events? Can improvements be made?

l Identity Management – Does the organisation have sound policies in place for managing identities, creating and revoking credentials, and generally knowing who has access to what and when?

l Building Management – Do the various building subsystems and applications work together in a coordinated fashion for improved performance at lower cost? Do the energy management systems take advantage of occupancy information from the security systems to optimise energy savings?

l Compliance Management – Are internal compliance measures and external regulations supplemented with real-time data to automate enforcement and reporting?

Decision-makers need to address these core areas of security to develop the necessary solutions to create safe, secure and comfortable environments. Making security solutions a priority will help customers lower costs and risk through improved efficiency and streamlined operations. Increasing focus on building efficiency and security across Middle East The Burj project further illustrates the expanding focus on building efficiency within the Middle East. The state of the global economy has forced business owners in the East to take a close look at their facilities and identify opportunities to reduce costs without sacrificing security or comfort. Successful examples in the West, including the recent retrofit of New York City’s iconic Empire State Building, have made a lasting impression. Now the Burj Khalifa and Emirates Towers are blueprints for engineering in the Middle East and beyond. www.johnsonscontrols.com  
 

view counter