How thoughtful modernisation transforms complex environments

International Security Journal hears exclusive insights from ICT.

While it is expected that modern buildings will be equipped with new technologies that make them as secure, smart and sustainable as possible, there is a perception that it’s a huge endeavour and takes a lot of investment for older buildings to modernise.

Like many transformational projects, it shouldn’t be seen as an “all or nothing” approach, but as an evolution path. There’s opportunity across the industry, from manufacturers and consultants to installation partners to facilitate this phased migration. 

Look through the lens of access control and intrusion detection, which count amongst the oldest security systems. You’re likely to find buildings with legacy systems that are ten, fifteen or even twenty-years-old.

They’re still functional, operating entry and exit doors, but cause issues and create hurdles when it comes time to modernising building management, operational requirements and bringing new systems and apps onboard. At this point, change becomes a necessity.

Critical triggers for smarter building transitions

Facility, security and information and technology managers face growing pressure to run their buildings and business operations in a more secure, efficient and sustainable way.

The best outcome is when all three are achieved together, which means interoperability between systems is critical.

For instance, if a new time and attendance system or visitor management software is implemented to manage staff, contractors and visitors more efficiently, it’s crucial that it works with the security and access control platform.

Should the legacy access control system make changes difficult, or very costly, it’s time to migrate to a new one. The same applies to building management or lift systems.

Issues integrating with other systems just cause roadblocks on the journey towards a smarter building.

Compliance to security and environmental standards is increasingly becoming mandatory. New cybersecurity and privacy policy norms can cause compliance headaches for some legacy systems, as they’re unable or too costly to be upgraded to the meet the latest standards.

This is why some manufacturers decide – often at short notice – not to support older systems, leaving customers with no choice but to find an alternative.

Minimise disruption, maximise impact

Once the roadblocks are identified and the need to change legacy systems clarified, the next step is how to achieve the upgrade with minimal disruption and within budget.

From manufacturing plants or transportation hubs to university campuses, many buildings operate 24/7.

Access control is the heart of the building operation and cannot just be switched off to leave an unsecure space with no control.

Another disruption is the transition of users from one system to another, as it can be a logistical nightmare to issue new cards to hundreds or thousands of people. 

To minimise risk and disruption, it is best to keep some of the existing equipment while upgrading the “brain” of the systems to enable new functionalities and integration.

This is the most cost-effective option for customers, as they only replace critical components and have a plan for phased migration to a smarter building.

Step by step: The phased approach

The first phase can be to keep the existing system, server, readers and credentials, while implementing a new access control server.

A data synchronisation service, if available, allows access to new integrations and functionalities, while keeping existing credentials and hardware.

Phase two sees the replacement of readers and door controllers in areas which require more stringent security, moving from low frequency readers and cards to modern readers and smart DESFire credentials.

Migrating to success: A hospital’s journey

Hospitals are a complex environment, with various levels of access from public to heavily restricted areas – and they usually operate 24/7. When it becomes a necessity to upgrade an existing system to one with newer functionalities, it is critical to avoid any downtime.

Landspítali hospital in Iceland, built in the 1930s, faced a complicated assortment of alarm systems, a lack of automation and the ongoing costs of re-keying locks and physical keys.

The legacy technology didn’t allow a full system overview and the struggle of managing 10,000 active users added to inefficiencies for security staff.

Working closely with local integrators Securitas, it looked to bring their security offering into the 21^st century with a unified solution that was easily expandable.

It decided to implement ICT’s Protege GX system across the entire hospital leading to around 1,000 doors and 10,000 users currently managed by a central Protege GX server network.

Migrating to a newer platform, it could synchronise all the users from the older system into the new and integrate it with their HR database, making the management of staff and their access rights much easier.

If one member of staff forgets to return their credentials at the end of their employment, the access card will be deactivated.

Another major aim of the migration was to enhance staff and patient safety with the integration of the hospital elevators. Staff present their access credential in the elevator to gain access only to those floors they are authorised for.

There are also parts of the hospital that require higher levels of security.

Using video doorbells, staff can check authorisation and grant access to these areas from their desktop screens, sending a signal to the ICT controller to open the requested door.

Landspítali has become much smarter, optimising operations, adding lift and HR system integrations, with staff now using a single credential to access multiple areas, open corridors when needed and even pay for meals.

The result was an intelligent and more secure facility with improved operational efficiency. Crucially, the hospital minimised downtime and avoided costs associated with completely replacing its infrastructure.

This phased approach underscores the importance of tailored solutions and scalable technology.

With a solution like Protege GX and a commitment to interoperability, buildings of all types – from retail or education to hospitals – can achieve smarter, more efficient operations without starting from scratch.

The key is viewing modernisation as an evolution rather than an endpoint.

By doing so, you can ensure not just smoother transitions, but also long-term success in a rapidly changing world of intelligent building management.