The demand for unified solutions to provide seamless, secure access and building intrusion is part of a transformative wave of smart technologies reshaping the building landscape. As apartment construction accelerates, multi-dwelling unit (MDU) developers and building owners increasingly turn to intelligent solutions to deliver a premium experience for residents.
With the release of its Protege Wireless Lock range, Integrated Control Technology (ICT) seeks to position itself as leader in the MDU market in North America. James Ensten, Vice President of Sales (USA) at ICT explains how in this exclusive Executive Product Showcase, sponsored by ICT.
What led to the development of wireless locks? And why the focus on apartments?
Ensten: We identified opportunities in the multifamily space brought about by the rise of intelligent building technologies. Millennials (aged 27-42) are driving this change and contribute to the record-breaking occupancy we’re currently seeing in the U.S. apartment market. Despite substantial rent increases due to the tight labor market and unprecedented wage growth over the last couple of years, demand is still there and there’s still a shortage of rental housing at many price points.
For 20 years now, ICT has been providing customers around the world with a simple solution to unify access control, intrusion, and automation. While ICT would typically manage the base build and offer an integration to enable control of the wireless apartment doors, the desire to develop a truly unified experience has led to the expansion of our hardware offering.
What makes Protege Wireless Locks different?
The fact that the range natively integrates with Protege GX means that there’s a single ecosystem that can manage the entire building now. Your typical access and security solution for multi-tower complexes include parking garages, foyer doors protected by video intercoms, access control for elevators and shared amenities such as pools, gyms, and entertainment spaces, as well as sitewide video surveillance. Then there’s the individual apartment doors which is where Protege Wireless Locks come in.
By bringing all of these together into one interface, everyone from residents and property managers, through to owners and developers, can see benefits straight away.
How exactly can it help?
Security installers benefit from the simplified programming and deployment of these locks by operating within a unified ecosystem.
And for residents, they can now use one card or mobile key from the perimeter to the penthouse. Protege Wireless Locks means just a single credential is needed for wired and wireless ICT doors. Not only is this more convenient for tenants, but it also significantly improves security by reducing the risk of lost or stolen keys by a factor of two or three.
Property managers will love the fact that connected elements make predictive maintenance easy, this reduces downtime and inconvenience for residents and brings long-term cost savings for owners. In fact, almost three quarters of enterprise multifamily property managers who use smart tech solutions see annual savings in their operating expenses.
Intelligent building technologies don’t just lead to operational savings either, they can also create new revenue. Almost 90% of millennials will pay more for smart tech in their home. Electronic locks, accessible through high-security mobile credentials and dedicated apartment apps, offer tenants a heightened sense of control over living spaces.
Understanding the expectations of developers and the need to retain high-value tenants at desired occupancy levels, was a key reason we decided to further enhance our offering by introducing the range of Protege Wireless Locks.
What options do people have?
The range features a cartridge mortise lock and a motorized deadbolt. They’re both available as an offline locking solution, which is designed to maximize battery life while enabling reporting and user management through data-on-card update points. The hardware supports both 13.56MHz MIFARE DESFire smart cards and Bluetooth Low Energy mobile credentials.
The Protege Cartridge Mortise Lock removes any visible lock hardware on the door by encasing all electronic components inside the door itself. You can customize reader covers, and there are multiple rose and handle options, so you can style it to fit the look of any high-end building.
You can get the Protege Motorized Deadbolt Lock in Flat Black and Satin Chrome. It comes with a mechanical key override for emergency openings and is perfect for both retrofit and new build applications.
For those wanting to have a play, you can look at the Lock Selector Tool on our website. You can choose which lock and customization options you need and see how it will look, right before your eyes.
While I’ve focused on multifamily uses, our wireless locks are suitable for many other applications including offices and commercial sites, educational or community facilities, and more. They are available to pre-order now for delivery in early 2024.
It sounds like all you need is a building?
That’s precisely it! You bring the building and ICT will supply the rest. Unified access control and building management systems are not going anywhere, they’re the cornerstone of the intelligent building movement.
Protege Wireless Locks provide a level of control and convenience that aligns perfectly with the expectations of modern renters, enabling higher occupancy rates, increased rental yields, and long-term profitability.
Modern renters now expect the same level of convenience, high-tech amenities, and security in their apartment buildings as they do in other aspects of their lives. ICT offers a truly unified solution – so absolute peace of mind for residents and leasing agents alike. We deliver the seamless and secure access tenants want, and the scalable technology property developers need.
