Functional fortress

High tech security systems are making Middle East buildings safer than ever.

Finally. After years of promises, plans and AutoCAD renderings, the facilities we've seen advertised over the last decade are starting to take shape and become finished projects.

This is precisely the reason why Facilities Management in the Middle East is projected to become a hundred-billion-dollar industry within the next ten years.

More physical structures combined with the increasingly unstable political climate in the region are placing safety and security at the forefront of the list of concerns for new developers, which then becomes a major concern for new FMs.

Gone are the days of the single guard hidden behind today's newspaper or sleeping beneath the nearest date palm.

The high-tech safety and security technology that has graced the governmental, financial, medical and educational institutions of Western countries for years is finally making its way to the Middle East.

FMME takes a brief look at who's operating in the region, what they're offering and how their products can help safeguard the Middle East's multi-billion dollar facilities.

Bosch Group

The Bosch Group-one of the world's leading global suppliers of technology and services for the commercial, automotive and building industries-recently allied itself with Axis Communications and Sony Corporation to standardize the interface of network video products.

Effectively, this means that integrators will have increased flexibility with regard to how they use video surveillance equipment.

The alliance also guarantees a level of interoperability between different vendors' products, which will simplify installation and user-friendliness of networks regardless of brand.

This is particularly useful in the standard-free Middle East where, all too often, manufacturers, distributors, MEP technicians and developers differ on their quality expectations for product delivery.

Currently, there is no global standard defining how cameras, video encoders and video management systems should communicate with each other. The new standard is expected to comprise interfaces for specifications such as video streaming, device discovery, intelligence and metadata.

Put simply, this standardisation initiative demonstrates a significant commitment by global players to support an industry-wide shift from analog to digital surveillance in the security market.

Bosch in Pakistan

The Marriott Hotels in Pakistan-Marriott Karachi and Marriott Islamabad-have both recently installed Bosch CCTV systems as part of a comprehensive security upgrade.

Marriott Karachi, with its 197 rooms, 14 suites, nine meeting rooms and total public space of 18,946m², is located in what is commonly referred to as the economic capital of Pakistan.

The Marriott Islamabad, located in Pakistan's federal capital, includes 258 rooms, 32 suites, 14 meeting rooms, 13,126ft² of meeting space and 32,000ft² of banquet facilities, is situated in and amongst major government offices, embassies, international organizations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Both Marriott hotels host exclusive clientele, which include visiting heads of state, diplomats, ex-patriots, tourists, business travellers and journalists. Needless to say, both hotels have a vested interested in creating the most secure facility possible.

To that end, they've installed internal/external CCTV systems in both the properties with cameras that cover reception, restaurants, entrances and lift-landings as well as outdoor meeting areas.

The systems have been designed to provide comprehensive coverage in public areas, 24-hours a day to provide cutting-edge security and peace of mind.

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