Aspects of Security Measures to Deter Crime for the Developers - Literature review Example

Running head: Facility Management Facility Management Name Unit Course Supervisor Date of submission Introduction Facility management entails management processes that ensure that the operational activities in a building are smooth (Barret & Baldry, 2009). The facility management covers the general aspects of property management, security and technical requirements in a building. In the modern age facilities, managers are involved in the construction process right from the design, construction and the installation of the technological requirements for the house (Michael, 2012). Security concerns have been a major concern for buildings and, as a result, there is increased demand for security managers in the construction activities of building right from the design (Michael, 2012). The facility managers and security manager must work together based on understanding of the core technological issues relating to security. The integration concept and interdependencies that occur between the security management and the facility management in the construction of buildings are critical in ensuring security is upheld. The paper focuses on general safety issues, but concentrates more on aspects of security measures to deter crime. Security Management In the modern day construction, security and safety of buildings are a primary goal for the developers, architects and the project managers (Hendrickson & Au, 2009). In order to counter the threats to security, either criminal or natural, modern research and technology have provided useful developments that can be used to combat the security threats (Demkin, 2010). For instance, use of the construction materials to mitigate risks that relate to structural design. Some of the technologies include glass and masonry materials, transparent and materials that resist forced entry and ballistic. The security and facility manager should corporate together to ensure that the materials are procured and installed during the construction process. Despite other technological advancements, criminals and terrorists continue to be more imaginative. According to Medby, Rosen & Schacter (2002), security experts, and facility managers need to explore options for physical security designs and use technologies that enhance security. The corporation of the safety and facility managers in the construction ensures that procurement cost is reduced as there are minimal alterations in designs. Construction of High Rises Security measures play an integral role in ensuring that a building is safe. As a result, in the construction, steps should be put in place to ensure that the building qualifies for emergency and disaster preparedness (Sacerdote, 2000). It is the role of the facility managers to ensure that the process of development puts in place the required safety measures. Since the September 11 attack on America, the facility management responsibilities have drastically changed, and toady facility management includes security roles (Demkin, 2010). Therefore, the facility managers are nowadays more concerned about the security. In addition to the terrorism-related cases, the facility managers are also concerned with the safety of the building in preventing burglary and other crimes. In the advent of the modern technology, the facility managers work hand in hand with security managers in drawing synergies that that ensure security and safety are maintained in a building. Security managers and facility managers thus have to work together in synergies that ensure that security is prioritized. The synergy entails incorporating modern day technology in the management of facilities right from construction. According to Gifford (2000), security transcends the criminal and terrorist actions to include natural threats such as floods, earthquakes, and hurricanes. In the construction of high-rise building, the security managers should factor in all the possible threats to the building. One key technology to ensure that a high rise is safe starts with the use of design technologies that ensure the building can withstand unforeseen threats from the natural calamities (ASIS, 2008). In the construction of high rises, the general security and safety issues to include the physical strength of the foundation and the materials used for the construction. In order to mitigate the risks that are posed by the terrorists, the blast mitigating structural design should be used. In addition, buildings should include solid materials such as non-shutter glass. In addition, security can be enhanced by using the transparent glass that makes the occupants see what is going on around the compound (Farrington, 2004). According to Kittenngham (2006) the acceptable security measure in the construction of high buildings include employing measures that are aimed at minimizing incidents through preparedness and response mechanisms. Tall buildings face particular challenges of limited access routes, and they house many people, and they rely on elevators to access the different floors. The elevators present a security problem in which criminals can hijack them (DeLone, 2008). High-rises present more security challenges than the other forms of houses. The many occupants of the houses present the challenge of anonymity. In addition, their sizes can slow down the security responses. According to Delone (DeLone, 2008) crime is more prevalent in the areas of anonymity and large environments. Furthermore, high rises face the challenges of the occupants dismissing critical security observance, as many people are not concerned. As a result, construction of high-rises entails putting in place physical features aided by technologies to monitor and deter crimes. The high-rise building should have safety measures such as many exit points in case of any disaster and fire fighting systems (Craighead, 2003). In relation to security, technology is the core to securing houses. The building should be installed with automatic alarms in each floor. Clarke & Mayhew (2003) noted that first security measure starts with raising alarm. Thus, the designs should incorporate the points where the occupants can quickly access and raise an alarm in the case of a security threat. Even though, the security managers ensure that all security related threats are addressed, procurement and installation of the required material and equipment are at the discretion of the facility manager. It is thus the mandate of the two managers to enhance a working relationship that addresses all the security issues. In the recent past, there have been increased technological findings that if applied in the building increase the security of the occupants (Demkin, 2010). The technologies deter crime and ensure that only authorized individuals have access to the building premises. The modern construction of buildings puts into consideration use of biometric technologies that ensure that only authorized personnel access the building. In the construction of high-rise, the entry to the premises should incorporate designs that allow installation of retinal scans, biometric fingerprint identifications and other security technologies that are crucial to crime prevention (Demkin, 2010). In most cases, the facility manager is concerned with smooth operation of the activities and may not pay key detail to the security requirements. Therefore, it is the task of the security manager to carry out an assessment at the site of construction, identify the areas of vulnerabilities and points of strength to security (Bauer, 2001). The assessment helps in identification of the areas to install the required technologies. The assessment report should be shared between the security manager and the facility manager (Hogson, 2008). The facility manager has the responsibility to extend the report to the other stakeholders in the construction such as the architects and structural engineers. The information can then be applied in devising the security measures to be put in place. The technological requirements related to security in the construction of a building include components of detection, deterrence, and response (Demkin, 2010). The detection component may entail a security system for the building that can be used to identify the presence of a threat. In many cases, detection is based on observation in which user security equipment and personnel can be deployed. Key technological development in the detection is the use of surveillance CCTV cameras and use of construction materials such s transparent glass (Demkin, 2010). Deterrence entails the security measures put in place to prevent physical actions of the criminals. Modern technology involves use of solid materials such as bulletproof materials. The response, on the other hand, includes the technologies that are put in place to ensure that there is an efficient system to raise the alarm and initiate the process of responding to the criminal actions (Anderson, 2008). Use of the CCTV cameras is a technology that has been widely applied in securing critical areas in the buildings (Gill & Spriggs, 2005). As noted by Kinney, Brantigham, Wuschke, Kirk and Brantigham (2008), criminals and terrorist keep on imagining ways to counter security measures. In the past, the CCTVs were mainly installed only in the buildings to monitor the internal movements of occupants in the strategic areas such as the main entrance to the building. Terrorists have access to sophisticated weapons that can be hurled to the buildings from outside. In the construction of the high-rises buildings, the key considerations must include collaboration with the manager to ensure installation of the cameras with a wide range of view in order to monitor the processes around the high rise. Security manager and the facility manager should ensure visibility points are included during the design process of the high rise and maintained in the construction. According to Barret and Baldry (2003), facility managers must capitalize on the design that is suitable to create a facility that is cost efficient and that puts into perspective the security concerns. In the past, there has been a perspective that facility managers have no role to play in the planning, design and in the stages of construction. However, with the increased requirement that relate to efficiency and safety, Challinger (2008) noted that facility managers have a crucial role to play in the initial stages of the construction. Just as the facility manager, the security manager, plays an integral role in the designing, planning and the phases of construction (Challinger, 2008) According to Matalluci and O’ Conner (2009), a close relationship between the different managers, contribute to security enhancement and efficiency of the buildings. The incorporation of the facility managers in the planning ensures that the design adopted for physical security also incorporates the life safety requirements. Hendrickson and Au (2009) noted that the functional criteria that exist between the security and the management are to drive efficiency of job performance, ensure that the needs of the users are provided and ensuring that the users of the building are protected from hazardous conditions and criminal actions (Farrington, 2004). Security in the building is wide scope as it incorporates the physical security of the building and the security of the users. In most cases, security managers are mandated with building security that concern protection of assets, people, and information from criminal actions (Brown, 2008). The security manager is supposed to liaise with the facility manager to incorporate the security measures to the building. Crime can be prevented in many ways. Right from the design process, the security manager should include the security requirements and ensure that the manager of the facility is informed (Fennely, 2004). In addition to the technological developments such as the material used, surveillance systems and biometric security measures are integral. The construction of the high rises should also integrate the technology such as crime prevention measures by use environmental designs. The design entails the use of design and architecture to prevent criminal behavior. The crime prevention through environmental design is increased by security layering and zoning of the compound that together provide a secure perimeter to envelope the building (Jeffrey, 2002). Conclusion In the contemporary society, security has been a major concern for everyone. As a result, there have been increased demands for secure places that guarantee the occupants the maximum security. Modern technological developments have resulted in concept of ensuring that security measures are put in place at the design level and identification of the construction site. Modern technology has resulted in the idea of smart building. Smart buildings ensure that there is integration of systems that guarantee efficiency and include the security systems. Information Technology related systems are the core in ensuring security processes in the building. The use of the available technologies ensures that crime can be detected and deterred. However, to achieve the anticipated security in a building, key managers need to work together and create synergies to assess and identify the technological requirements for the building. References Anderson, R. (2008). Eight myths about intelligent doors. Security Technology and Design. ASIS International. (2008). High-rise structures: Life safety and security considerations. Alexandria, VA: ASIS International. Barret, P and Baldry, D. (2003). Total facilities management, towards best practice. Malden: Blackwell Science Inc. Bauer, G. (2001). High-rise crime. International Criminal Police Review, 36 (350), 201-204. Brown, J. (2008). Security building as the value adds. Canadian Security. Challinger, D. (2008). From the Ground Up: Security for Tall Buildings. Alexandria, VA: ASIS International Clarke, R. V., and Mayhew, P. (2003). Designing out crime. London: HMSO. Craighead, G. (2003). High-rise security and fire life safety. Woburn, MA: Butterworth- Heinemann. DeLone, G. J. (2008). Public housing and the fear of crime. Journal of Criminal Justice, 36(2), 115-125. Demkin, J. (2010). Building and designing for security. NCARB Monograph Series Farrington, D. P., and Welsh, B. C. (2004). Measuring the effects of improved street lighting on crime. British Journal of Criminology, 44(3), 448-467. Fennelly, L. (2004). Effective physical security. Boston, MA: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann. Gifford, R. (2007). The consequences of living in high-rise buildings. Architectural Science Review, 50(1), 2-17. Gill, M., and Spriggs, A. (2005). Assessing the impact of CCTV. London: Home Office. Hodgson, B. (2008). High-rise: Heaven or hell? The Star: The community magazine, 20-23. Hendrickson, C and Au, T (2009). Management for Construction fundamental concept for owners, engineers, architects and builders. New Jersey: Prentice-hall Inc. Jeffery, C. R. (2002). Crime prevention through environmental design. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage. Kinney, J. B., Brantingham, P. L., Wuschke, K., Kirk, M. G., & Brantingham, P. J. (2008). Crime attractors, generators, and detractors: Land use and urban crime opportunities. Built Environment, 34, 62-74. Kitteringham, G. (2006). Security and life safety for the commercial high-rise. Alexandria, VA: ASIS International. Michael, K. (2012). Security Risk Management: Building an Information Security Risk Management Program from the Ground Up. Computers & Security, 31(2), 249-250. Matalucci, R. V., and O’Connor, S. L. (2007). Security risk assessment and management. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons. Medby, J. J., Rosen, B., and Schacter, J. (2002). Security and safety in Los Angeles high-rise buildings after 9/11. Available at, http://www.rand.org/pubs/documented_briefings [Accessed on 6th March December]. Sacerdote, B. (2000). The social consequences of housing. Journal of Housing Economics, 9 (1), 1-23. Read More

 

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