Aperio® upgrades security, cuts running costs and reduces emissions at Aberdeen student accommodation

10 Sep 2015

Students test any access management system to its limit. As part of a £10 million refurbishment programme, Aberdeen University sought a modern security solution for its refit of accommodation blocks at Hillhead Student Village. The prestigious university demanded affordable access control that would operate within tight budget constraints, yet without compromising the university’s duty of care towards students, staff and visitors. Aberdeen chose Aperio® wireless access control from ASSA ABLOY.

“Aperio® is a popular choice for universities searching for 21st-century access control,” explains Damian Marsh, Managing Director Access Control at ASSA ABLOY UK. “It offers the capability to secure, monitor and record activity using just one system, as it instantly integrates with third-party access control systems. And it can be easily specified to work with budgets and phased work programmes.”

Two blocks composed of multiple 6-bedroom apartments were equipped with Aperio® wireless online cylinders and security locks. A total of 740 Aperio® battery-powered units have been fitted at the site, integrated online with the access control system. Students and staff at the Student Village open apartment entrance doors and plant rooms with standard MIFARE RFID smartcards. There’s no more need for keys.

Because Aperio® cylinders and locks are battery-powered and wireless, they are inexpensive to install and cost-effective to run. No cabling is required. Unlike standard wired access control locks which need an always-on mains connection, Aperio® locks only “wake up” when presented with a credential. As a result, they consume much less energy—which saves money and cuts emissions.

And they offer a modern solution to a common student problem: lost room keys. Unlike with mechanical keys, security managers can block and reissue lost smartcards instantly using the system software. With one click of a mouse, a lost card no longer opens Aperio® online doors. It’s more cost efficient—and much quicker—than changing a mechanical cylinder when a key gets lost.
About Aperio®: Available on the global market place, ASSA ABLOY’s Aperio® Technology enables a wide range of access control providers to cost-effectively integrate non-wired doors with mechanical locks into access control systems.
About Aberdeen University: The University of Aberdeen is one of Scotland’s oldest and most prestigious higher education institutions. Founded in 1495, it is now known for its first-class research and teaching facilities in subjects including medicine, marine sciences and nutrition.