Matthew McTighe from CAME UK discusses the importance of Secured By Design (SBD) and their role in securing developments around the UK
Established in 1989, SBD plays a significant crime prevention role in the planning process to design out crime in a wide range of building sectors. It is part of the Police Crime Prevention Initiatives (PCPI), a police owned organisation that works on behalf of Police & Crime Commissioners and chief constables to deliver a wide range of crime reduction initiatives across the UK. They have already seen significant success, including a million homes built to SBD standards, resulting in an 87% reduction of crime rates.
SBD has many partner organisations, ranging from the Home Office, Ministry of Housing, communities and local government and the police service; through to local authorities, housing associations, developers and manufacturers. All organisations collectively work to develop a clear standard of regulations that can be applied across an entire development project, with the unrelenting goal of reducing crime across the UK.
Key development areas
SBD’s product-based certification scheme is recognised across 30 crime categories focused on attack resistant crime prevention. There are product guides that document requirements for all types of developments.
SBD compliance stretches across an array of property components, from fitted windows to external lighting units, with each element collectively contributing to a more secure development.
Importance for local authorities
Local councils, housing authorities and private developments are making it a planning condition to meet all SBD standards, as well as meeting the Building Regulations in approved document Part Q; subsequently ensuring the housing developments they deliver are safe and secure for residents. Working closely with SBD, they can be confident in the living accommodation offered due to the strict regulations established by the Police driven initiative.
The planning process
It is vital to get the design right in the early stages of planning to design out crime by improving the physical security of buildings and incorporating crime prevention techniques. Manufacturers need to embrace the responsibility of supporting these initiatives by ensuring that all solutions that leave their production line are compliant with SBD Regulations – if not specified correctly at the start of a project, retrofitting can be costly.
SBD accredited manufacturer
To meet the SBD standard, products have to be subjected to vigorous testing and auditing by an accredited third party organisation. Only once tests are completed and approved, can an organisation carry the SBD logo.
For the select manufacturers who carry the SBD accreditation, it is an acknowledgement that their design and manufacturing process delivers robust and secure systems that installers can trust.
Door entry and access control: how the system works
Door entry and access control systems integrate to protect and monitor access to residential and commercial developments. A critical element within SBD is the compliance, robustness, and security of a door entry solution.
A secure durable solution comprises a vandal resistant video door entry panel and an accompanying encrypted access control solution. In addition, access control platforms must have integrated activity log/data logging, that summarises visitor and resident activity across a system, and should be stored for at least 30 days – subject to General Data Protection Regulations.
SBD door entry and access control requirements
The most up to date requirements from the SBD Homes 2019 section 27 incorporates different systems and levels of system to match the building size. Act 27.24 – which applies to 25+ dwelling residential properties specifically – include external vandal resistant door call panels with integrated panel cameras for facial recognition integrated to separate CCTV dome cameras which look across at the whole entrance with both video feeds displayed on the resident receiver. A secure lobby with video entry panel to minimise tailgating, only allowing permitted personnel access to dwelling areas is another option. Other systems include access to the building via the use of a security encrypted key (e.g. fob, card, mobile device, key etc.), along with compartmentalisation of the building by use of a landing video call panel, access control and lift control. The ability to release the entrance doors from the dwelling room terminal and live audio/visual communication between the occupant and the visitor is also included under Act 27.24.
Additionally, doors must be supplied and tested to the relevant standards and DOCO requirement with the locking devices fitted as per the SBD test for LPS 2081 Security Rating B+, STS 201, LPS1175 SR2 (minimum), STS202 BR2 (minimum) and PAS 24:2016 in order to obtain the SBD accreditation.
Meeting the standards
Royal Wharf on the banks of the Thames in London is a perfect example of how designing out crime standards can be achieved to deliver a development with SBD status. Encompassing 3,385 dwellings, shops, restaurants, and leisure facilities, this project was Europe’s largest residential development when building commenced in 2019.
As the development phases progressed and design parameters shifted, the delivered system still had to be SBD compliant. They were able to do this via a door entry solution with full onsite concierge integration, which is present across the site. The system successfully manages the development, while maximising the safety and security of residents and properties, due to the site visibility and durability delivered by the door entry and access control solution.
Matthew McTighe is product marketing coordinator at CAME UK