St Stephen’s

ACEDA were requested by St Stephen’s Retail Centre to design and develop an intelligent access control and guard patrol solution to replace their existing system. Through expert knowledge and experience of the site, ACEDA designed a market leading access control solution that was tailored to the centres requirements.

THE CLIENT:

St Stephens’s in Hull is a vibrant, popular shopping and leisure destination, offering visitors a ‘stylish’ shopping experience. Spread across 552,000 sq ft, it features shops, a cinema, gym, theatres, restaurants, cafes and much more. The £200 million centre opened in September 2007 and attracts more than 10 million visitors each year. They provide an exceptional retail space for many multinational brands including Argos, Carphone Warehouse, H&M, Footasylum, Nando’s, Next, Superdrug and many more.

THE CHALLENGE:

The original access control system installed at St Stephen’s was at the forefront of technology at the time of installation, over ten years ago, however, technology has vastly evolved since then. Various elements of the system were becoming obsolete and lacked the facility to integrate with other technologies. This presented limitations for the centre’s staff and security team who operated the system on a daily basis.

Furthermore some of the original access control equipment has become end of life which made sourcing replacement parts very problematic. Prior to the new installation, ACEDA worked with the team at St Stephens to accommodate temporary resolutions until a new system was designed, evaluated, procured and installed.

 ACEDA’S SOLUTION:

ACEDA designed and installed a fully integrated enterprise level Access Control and Guard Patrol solution that meets the current and ongoing requirements of the retail and leisure facility. The leading edge access control system is fully IP enabled and centrally managed by various members of the centres management and security team. Proximity readers were provided in various styles that were appropriate to the environment and location. Various features of the management software include multiple profile creations to reflect access rights, security lockdown, anti-passback, time and attendance logging and multi-zone intruder alarm integration.

Using innovative technology, ACEDA provided the retail centre with a Security Patrol Tracking point system where security guards can log key points to ensure they have safely completed an inspection of a designated area. St Stephens, now have access to a number of reporting tools that allow them to manage their access control and guard patrol system effectively, including roll call and muster reports that are used in the event of an emergency, such as a fire alarm, to ensure everyone is out of the building safely. To ensure the shopping centre experienced no downtime between the old systems decommission and the new installation, ACEDA operated two systems simultaneously on occasions until the new system was fully commissioned and accepted by the client.

 THE RESULT:

ACEDA provided St Stephens Retail Centre with a robust, technology led solution that met the exact day to day access control and guard patrol requirements of a busy shopping centre. The Operations Manager at St Stephens Retail Centre commented, “We are extremely pleased with the new access control and guard patrol system that ACEDA have installed. We chose ACEDA to complete the works as they know the building inside out and currently support our IT/IP network. The installation was managed very well and we received continuous progress updates from the Project Manager. The new system offers us many benefits including the ability to centrally manage the system, easily create user profiles, produce / export report data effectively and improve ongoing maintenance. ACEDA have provided us with a user-friendly solution that meets the needs of a busy retail environment.”

For more information about our services, please call our customer services team on 03300 554 218.

The XYZ Building

Located within the heart of Manchester’s business district, the XYZ Building, formerly known as the Cotton Building was constructed to provide a state of the art commercial space to business tenants. ACEDA provided a high quality, scalable infrastructure to support the day to day requirements of the occupants. 

THE CLIENT:
The seven storey XYZ Building is owned by award winning property development company, Allied London. The architecturally innovative office space compromises of 160,000 sq ft of commercial space and 30,000 sq ft of public amenity space. Shared facilities for tenants including parking facilities, a gym, cycle facilities, a reception, seminar space, meeting rooms and exhibition space.
Levels 1 – 6 of the building are commercial space which offers tenants a dynamic and contemporary working environment. Level 7 is an impressive terrace space with a mezzanine level. The development was designed to offer a creative working and learning space, allowing companies to flourish and develop.

THE CHALLENGE:
ACEDA were faced with stringent timescales throughout the project, communication with other key trades and project stakeholders was of paramount importance to achieve the project goals on time. ACEDA were required to meet the infrastructure and connectivity requirements of the occupants of each floor.

All aspects of the installation were required to be in keeping with the buildings contemporary and creative working spaces. ACEDA achieved this by offering innovative solutions to cable routes and various technological advancements that would future proof the installation.

ACEDA’S SOLUTION:
ACEDA provided a Category 6 UTP solution to meet the demands of each commercial office space. A voice system was deployed from the Building Management office to key areas around the building. Other infrastructure provisions were provided for IP technologies such as the IP CCTV system. All accessories including cabinets and a UPS were provided to complete the solution. Additionally, ACEDA provided network switches to facilitate some of the IT requirements of each thriving organisation.

The Project Manager worked around the clock to ensure all key project milestones were achieved and all works with other trades were completed seamlessly. Installation teams were often required to work evenings and weekends to ensure the project was completed on time and within the client’s budget.

THE RESULT:
As a result of successful strategic Project Management and consistent client communications, ACEDA delivered a leading edge platform for tenants of The XYZ building to thrive. The infrastructure supports many essential business applications such as the CCTV and the WLAN.

For more information on ACEDA’s commercial office solutions, please call our customer services team on 03300 554 218.

KEY SERVICES:

• Network Cabling
• Voice Infrastructure
• Network Switches

VITA

ACEDA specialise in providing high-performance network infrastructure and electronic security systems for Student Accommodation facilities across the UK. More recently, ACEDA have installed a state of the art network and security system for VITA Student Accommodation at Strawberry Place in Newcastle.

THE CLIENT:
VITA Student Accommodation offers University students across the UK state of the art residential facilities throughout their time at University. VITA offer students a modern and relaxing space, which includes, fully fitted kitchens with en-suite bathrooms in every apartment, broadband & wi-fi, Smart TV’s with Internet Access, free onsite Gym memberships, weekly cleaning services, free breakfasts, safe & secure key fob entry systems plus many more bonuses.

Their innovative approach to student living means students feel at home and have an excellent environment to focus on their learning for the duration of their stay at University.

THE CHALLENGE:
VITA Student Accommodation at Strawberry Place in Newcastle is a brand new development consisting of 271 apartments and is located within a close proximity to Newcastle Universities Business School. VITA Student Accommodation offers students a high quality, dynamic and contemporary living environment. ACEDA were approached to develop and install a TV Distribution, Network Cabling, CCTV and Access Control solution that met the connectivity and security requirements of the new, prestigious accommodation facility. Each solution needed to be adaptable to student requirements and future proof.

ACEDA’S SOLUTION: 
ACEDA drew upon various skill sets within the business to provide a state of the art TV distribution, Network Cabling and IP CCTV system. Starting with the initial design evolvement and selecting key manufacturers, ACEDA worked with key partners throughout the process to successfully deliver each element of the solution. To provide each student with an interactive TV experience, ACEDA installed a CAI Approved system compromising of an amplified head end antenna installed on the roof of the building which then distributed signals to TV outlets within each apartment. TV Outlets were installed on all 8 floors of the buildings for maximum user functionality. ACEDA installed in excess of 1,000 Category 6 UTP outlets across 8 floors within the Student Accommodation facility to meet vital infrastructure requirements such as broadband and Wi-Fi connectivity. Additionally, ACEDA provided communications cabinets and fibre optic cabling to provide a full voice and data backbone.

Student safety and security is a key feature of VITA Student Accommodation facilities. ACEDA provided a state of the art HikVision IP CCTV system to monitor activity in and around the building. Each camera has a range of features including 4 mega pixels, lens adjustment, dual video streaming capabilities and IP66 rated housing to protect cameras against all weather conditions. The IP CCTV can be accessed remotely from anywhere in the world and can be controlled and monitored centrally.

THE RESULT: 
ACEDA provided an integrated solution that met the requirements and vision of VITA Student Accommodation. Each solution provided was adaptable to student needs and scalable for any future growth requirements. ACEDA’s Commercial Director, Paul Warnes said “over a number of years, ACEDA have gained a wealth of experience within the Student Accommodation sector and have recognised key requirements of students to provide a platform for their ongoing learning and development. Timescales for the VITA Student Accommodation project were stringent, however the team at ACEDA were able to successfully deliver a number of disciplines on time.”

If you are looking for a state of the art student accommodation solution, call our team of specialists on 03300 554 218.

KEY SERVICES:

• TV Distribution
• Network Cabling
• IP CCTV

Kynren, Eleven Arches

ACEDA were delighted to be involved in a unique, one of a kind solution at the new open air performance venue for Kynren at Bishop Auckland. The multi-disciplined installation both challenged and enthralled the team at ACEDA, eventually leading to a successful completion.

THE CLIENT:
Kynren is a 90 minute Medieval spectacle brought to audiences by Eleven Arches Ltd. The 8,000 seat, open air theatre features live performances from talented actors and volunteers. 1,500 cast and crew were involved in putting each show on which features King Harold conquering the Vikings. The substantial open air theatre started out as a farmer’s field and was developed into a vast space to host numerous shows throughout the summer. The site contains a food village, shopping area and amenities for members of the public.

THE CHALLENGE:
As this was not a standard installation for ACEDA, the team were required to engineer solutions for various challenges throughout the project. The biggest challenge related to the site terrain and facilities. As the development evolved site access, landscaping and facilities improved. During the initial phases of the project, ACEDA worked with grounds works trades to install site wide fibre and data cabling to provide an infrastructure for IP technologies that were installed at a later date. Consideration was given to weather conditions as much of the site was outdoors, ACEDA had to be adaptable during the installation phase to manage difficult weather conditions at times. Project Management was a key aspect of this project as all trades were working towards the shows opening night.

ACEDA’S SOLUTION:
ACEDA designed, supplied and installed an integrated IP solution which consisted of an IP CCTV & Access Control system, Network Switching, Wireless LAN, Fibre & Data cabling and a UPS system. All elements of the solution were designed and developed for maximum compatibility and functionality, whilst meeting the demands and requirements of the open air theatre.

Security was a key requirement to ensure crowd management and visitor safety was maintained at all times. ACEDA installed a state of the art Avigilon IP CCTV System mounted on 6 metre columns. The 5.0MP HD cameras have built in Infrared and other functionality including both wide and narrow illumination. All cameras are controlled centrally using enterprise software that can capture, manage and store HD video surveillance. In order to control foot flow and manage crowds of visitors, ACEDA implemented a Paxton Net2 Plus access control system at key entry and exit points across the site including ticket offices and gates. To support and manage the security system ACEDA installed an Alcatel based LAN network switch solution.

In addition to the security network, ACEDA provided an Alcatel wireless solution. Access points were located strategically at key locations around the site. Access points were suitable for outdoor environments and can withstand exposure to high and low temperatures and large amounts of precipitation.

To support the security and IP technologies deployed across the site, ACEDA provided a site wide fibre and data cabling infrastructure. Fibre cabling was installed throughout ducts across the site from sub stations to tech rooms. Fibre links were also supplied to CCTV columns and access control points. A Cat 6a UTP cabling system was provided to support other network applications required by the client.

THE RESULT:
Each element of the installation was successfully installed and met the client’s exact requirements. The team at ACEDA worked efficiently with a continuously evolving site and faced many challenges which were successfully overcome. The prestigious outdoor theatre has a state of the art security system which will allow the security team to manage and control crowds effectively. The system is both flexible and scalable for any future growth requirements. The flagship project was both unique and challenging but rewarding for all of the team members involved who were proud to see the spectacular first performance aired to a sold out theatre.

KEY SERVICES:

• IP CCTV
• IP Access Control
• Network Switches
• Wireless LAN
• Fibre Optic Cabling
• Network Cabling
• UPS