Enterprise-wide control of security, fire detection and suppression systems, video surveillance and building automation functions means that security people now have crisis management capabilities they have never had before.
Released by Honeywell Automation and Control Solutions, Enterprise Buildings Integrator (EBI) is a platform that integrates all core building systems and subsystems, including security, digital video surveillance, access control, life safety, heating, ventilation and airconditioning.
The system also has a web-based user interface that allows access to the system through any workstation running Microsoft Explorer. It is possible to use this interface to monitor and control one or more buildings through a local or remote computer, while menus, toolbars and icons allow for intuitive navigation and fast information access.
The system also allows local or remote authorised users to integrate the information of different sub-systems, whether these be manufacturing, process automation, financial and personnel records, environ-mental controls and data warehouses. A web-based display-building package allows the creation of custom building screens for different sites, letting tenants control their own climate and lighting settings.
Life Safety Manager
Honeywell's Life Safety Manager lets security managers, facilities managers and building managers monitor their entire organisation. Controlled evacuation is facilitated by intelligent microprocessor-based devices with multisensor detectors (including fire and smoke) and a distributed digital audio communications system. A fire alarm controller peer-to-peer communications network, an integral fire-fighter's telephone communications system, and emergency paging provide storm warning and HazMat notification.
Control of a facility's humidity, ventilation and airconditioning (HVAC) equipment - such as fans and dampers, allows system operators to manage smoke or gas plumes and to create safe havens or passages of exit for workers within buildings. Life Safety Manager also allows security managers to release fire doors to permit safe exit and to establish supervisory status over fire suppression systems, sprinkler valves and fire pumps.
Building automation
The building manager component of EBI gives managers a convenient platform for open data integration between traditional building systems and key enterprise systems. Industry standards such as LonMark, BACnet and OLE for process control (OPC) are supported. Via various interfaces, the building manager software integrates all building systems, including HVAC monitoring and control, lighting, power and energy management into one solution. An open data access framework to all this permits the user to employ a simple spreadsheet to collate multisite energy usage data in realtime, giving true operating cost information.
Managing security
The security manager components add some vital functions while integrating with EBI to give single-window access to other building and enterprise systems. Features include distributed monitoring and control of up to 40 local and remote workstations' graphical displays that can be customised to provide detailed site maps and that will better manage critical information. An interface to third party video surveillance controllers and a Microsoft SQL 7.0 server database for cardholder data is also available.
Structured alarm management gives an action place and display information to allow consistent alarm handling in the face of a range of events, fully integrated photo ID badging, flexible and configurable reports, and networking. Integrating security manager with EBI, offers single workstation control and integration functions with LifeSafety Manager, Building Manager and Video Manager.
What this means is that when a card-holder enters a building, the user has the power to activate lighting automatically, to see prevailing conditions in the event of a fire, to unlock doors to create a path of safe egress and to set-up the HVAC system to keep that path free from smoke and fumes. The Security Manager may also be linked to human resources databases and time and attendance information.
Video Manager
The digital Video Manager integrates Honeywell's CCTV solution with security, life safety, HVAC and building manager functions of the EBI system. Security managers can use the system to enhance the effectiveness of their security departments. They can perform all viewing, recording, archiving and retrieval functions from their EBI workstations with no need to get up and go to digital video recorders, activate recording, or search for a stored videotape.
The digital CCTV solution gives security features previously found only in high-end building management systems and, according to the manufacturer, never before available in a CCTV system. For example, it is possible to specify which operator can view which cameras, and you can determine which operators will have access to which video recordings. In addition, all operator and system actions are automatically recorded to the system log, giving a full audit trail of surveillance operations.
Asset Locator
A valuable feature, the Asset Locator makes it possible for security managers to continuously monitor mobile assets throughout a facility. The system updates the position of tagged assets every four seconds, giving an accurate, up-to-date record for use in building and personnel security, utilisation trending, budget allocation, vendor management, regulatory compliance and so on.
Asset Locator combines local positioning subsystems within the facility-wide control, monitoring and integration capability of EBI. It has architecture consisting of an Asset Locator server with the capacity to add 40 workstations to a facility's local area network to enable personnel to search, locate and track tagged assets.
For more information contact Richard Friend, Honeywell Southern Africa, 011 695 8005, hsa@honeywell.com, www.honeywell.co.za
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