The Convergence of IT
Building automation benefits medical facility security
- By Joe Feuling
- Jul 16, 2010
The rapid evolution of building automation systems is significantly impacting security and life safety at medical facilities. A key driver in this evolution is the convergence of BAS and IT as medical facilities are demanding more connectivity, compatibility, scalability, flexibility and interoperability among systems. Component parts from different manufacturers are expected to work together at peak efficiency.
To meet these demands, the security industry has slowly moved away from second-generation proprietary designs and communication protocols to third-generation IP-based, network-centric, open-protocol solutions. The impact to medical facilities is a migration of security and life safety systems into BAS. The effect is more streamlined, automated building operations that reduce overhead, improve productivity and increase situational awareness through the ability to share data with other automated operations.
Coming Together
For a long time, IT and BAS were developed separately, each focusing on individual technology developments and moving down the path of least resistance to market. But as buildings become smarter, and there continues to be a growing need to interconnect building facilities spread over different geographical locations for remote monitoring, analysis and control, the convergence of the two is inevitable.
Many industry leaders who participated in a recent industry study say the greatest impact associated with the ongoing convergence of IT and BAS has been enabling organizations to enhance safety and security by better controlling who has access to critical data and facilities. With the convergence of BAS and IT, building operators and security can monitor their buildings 24/7, control access and recognize cost savings with the shutdown of non-essential systems.
Real Concerns
Despite the prevailing and apparently positive trends, there are a number of real security concerns about the convergence of IT and BAS.
Integration of physical and digital IT security can deliver substantial efficiencies. But there is some concern that medical facilities have not realized the importance of integrating physical and digital security.
While BAS experts acknowledge that the industry itself has implemented the all-important open standards and protocols for integration with IT, several manufacturers of individual building components are being criticized for incorporating communications options that do not fit the needs of intelligent buildings.
Peel back the layers of industry marketing hype, and there are a number of ongoing concerns about the need for true IT and BAS integration. It is one thing to have ongoing data collection in the most simple read/write capacity and another to be able to track trends, adjust schedules and incorporate change-of-value reporting.
True Integration
The challenge for medical facilities seeking true value-based system integration, however, is weeding through the hype. Only through the use of truly open systems can best-of-class applications across disparate systems be achieved. The security industry and those capable of applying this new technology has changed. System integration today requires companies that understand these systems, their capabilities and how to make them work together effectively.
At healthcare buildings, for example, BAS control and monitor the lights, HVAC, gas and water. These facilities all have wireless and hardwired networks. The infrastructure of both can now be utilized to support IP-based access control, video surveillance, visitor management, asset tracking, fire alarm, single-sign-on appliances and much more. With these infrastructures in place, we can now begin to place the right open solutions within enterprise architecture.
Video cameras now can be accessed via floor plans within BAS, allowing the facilities department to view the area in the event of a spill. This camera also can be integrated into the access control system, allowing an attendant to view who is at the door before allowing entry.
Using an asset tracking system, a facility’s assets, such as incubators, ventilators and ultrasound machines, can be tracked and located. Combine asset tracking with access control, and now employees, patients, visitors and various hard assets can only move with approved personnel or within approved locations in the building. Violations of these rules cause the access-controlled doors to lock or invalidate access credentials. Cameras in the vicinity can pan to the area of violation, producing a full-screen view of the area in the security department.
The access control system and asset tracking system can be integrated into the human resources database, which tracks employment status and current certifications. For example, if an employee is released or a needed certification to access a sensitive area has lapsed, the appropriate access rights are automatically removed from the access control system. Or if an employee or visitor moves into an unauthorized area, an alert can be created for further investigation.
Fire extinguishers are required by code to be inspected every 30 days. If interfaced with BAS, this requirement can be achieved electronically, providing notification of an over charge, an under charge, or a missing or blocked extinguisher. If a violation occurs, cameras allow efficient inspection of the extinguisher location to see who may be removing the asset and an alert can be sent to a computerized maintenance management systems to automatically generate a work order to investigate the alert. Simultaneously, a regulatory report can be generated for the fire inspector is records.
These are just a few examples of how the integration of security and life safety systems into BAS is producing significant benefit for medical facilities by automating processes, reducing human error, improving situational awareness and reducing costs.
About the Author
Joe Feuling heads security and life safety systems at Environmental Systems Inc.