What Is Building Access Control?

Keeping your commercial building safe and secure can be stressful, but installing a building access control system can help. Adding the right access control solution to your commercial building provides many benefits. In this article, we’ll take a look at what building access control is, how it works, the various types of access control, and the advantages it can provide your organization.

Do you need assistance increasing your company’s security? Contact U.S. Protective Services today to learn more about how we can assist you in choosing an access control solution for your business.

What Is a Building Access Control System?

Controlling access into your building is critical to maintaining security, avoiding theft, and protecting all individuals and personnel who enter your property. While traditional locks and keys have been used to control building access for decades, these solutions are inconvenient, inefficient, and outdated. As a result, many building owners and building managers have turned to advanced access control solutions for an innovative way to control and monitor access to their properties.

Access control systems ensure that only authorized people enter your building. While some of today’s building access control systems allow you to manage access at specific entry points, other systems will enable you to manage access into specified rooms at particular times and monitor access to areas where secure information is stored.

Access control systems are ideal for buildings with a high volume of traffic coming in and out, but they can also be helpful for smaller properties and give you an extra layer of security and safety for your employees, tenants, visitors, and data.

The Basic Components of an Access Control System

There are four major components of access control systems.

• Credentials
• Credential Reader
• Control Panel
• Door Release Mechanism

Credentials

Access credentials are used by individuals attempting to gain access to a building. They contain user identification information and access permission data. Access credentials can take various forms depending on the type of access control system used, such as key cards, key fobs, Personal Identification Numbers (PIN), mobile/smartphone devices used for mobile access and mobile access control, biometrics through biometric authentication, which typically uses fingerprints or facial recognition, and mobile credentials in mobile access control systems. Digital options also reduce physical credential management by replacing physical keys, while still accommodating sites that rely on physical keys.

Credential Reader

Credential readers are placed on the outside of an entry door, with each reader serving as an access point. They are used to scan a user’s access credentials before sending the encrypted data to the access control panel as part of a broader system that includes readers, electronic locks, and software to determine if the individual is granted access.

Control Panel

At the core of every access control system is the control panel, which works with door controllers to process credentials and apply permissions while storing and maintaining user information and access privileges for the entire system. Administrators use software from the panel to configure access levels and manage credentials, whether the panel is a physical device or cloud-based software that can be managed from any location with access to the internet. In cloud-based management systems, this also supports remote management and can reduce on-site hardware requirements significantly, while some organizations still prefer on-premises setups for complete control.

Door Release Mechanism

After the control panel has determined the individual is allowed access, it then communicates with electronic locks or smart locks at the door. This hardware stays secured until proper credentials are presented, then unlocks for approved entry or remains locked if access is denied, helping enforce security protocols.

Benefits of Building Access Control Systems

As a building owner, you want your property to be safe for everyone, and access control provides you with a quality solution. There are various advantages to installing a building access control system on your property.

Increased Security

Building access control systems are part of a broader security infrastructure that uses modern access control systems to deliver enhanced security for commercial properties by deterring potential crime, vandalism, and stolen assets. With access control, building managers can give personnel clearance based on where they can go in a building and when they are allowed to enter, and administrators can use role based access control or rule based access control to determine access by role, time, or area. They can also align access control policies with each space’s security requirements, whether using based access control models or other permission settings within modern access control.

If an event occurs, administrators can determine who was in the building at the time of the incident, instantly revoke credentials, and easily deny future access for any individual. In integrated systems, building access control can also connect with video surveillance, alarm systems, and intrusion detection for faster response, and AI is increasingly being added to modern systems to improve threat detection and support overall security.

Increased Convenience

For property managers, time is a valuable commodity that cannot be replaced. With access control, you can improve operational efficiency while also saving time and money by being proactive in resolving problems before they occur.

Building access control not only replaces keys with more convenient and secure credentials, but some systems now use mobile access solutions through mobile apps and mobile credentials, allowing seamless access from smartphones or tablet devices with more flexibility than physical keys. Furthermore, centralized software helps security teams monitor and manage multiple locations and approved users more efficiently.

Monitor Traffic

With access control, it’s easier than ever to keep track of who is entering and exiting your building with real time monitoring of entries and exits at each entry point. This not only allows administrators to assign access permissions and view an audit trail of everyone who enters the premises for compliance and incident investigations, but also allows individuals to get where they need to go and be there when they need to be, even during off-hours. Integrated visitor management and visitor management systems are essential for tracking guest access efficiently, track guest access in real time, and support temporary access for approved visitors. These records can also help security personnel respond during incidents, and accurate traffic data can support emergency protocols.

Choosing the Best Access Control Solution for Your Business

Commercial access control systems have become a versatile option for commercial buildings looking for adaptive ways to increase security. We hope this article has provided you with the expert insight you need to choose the right access control system for your organization, one that fits the building’s security requirements and can accommodate future growth.

Integrated security solutions can also connect with existing security systems and building management systems for more streamlined oversight.

At U.S. Protective Services, we believe that our commercial and residential customers should get the most out of their security investment. These security access control systems can support an effective access control strategy across multiple access points, and as properties scale, visitor management can become a valuable part of broader management systems. We remain dedicated to providing our customers with custom-tailored security products and extensive, 24/7 monitoring that give them the peace of mind they deserve.

We’ve been providing comprehensive security solutions to Northeast Ohio businesses and homeowners for over 50 years, and we can’t wait to help keep your business safe. Contact us today to speak with one of our experts about our professional-grade security systems.