It is said that by 2030* at least six of the world’s 41 megacities will be based in Africa. This means that not only are we headed swiftly towards an era of real transformation with technologically advanced smart cities, but similarly, the increased need and drive towards smarter buildings to meet this changing workplace demand.
In South Africa, however, there are certainly a lot of questions around where we are headed in the smart city conversation and whether we have made strong enough strides as yet in building the cities of the future and more so, the smart buildings that support these. The reality is that while technological evolution in the built environment has been slower than other industries, it is picking up, and one of South Africa’s biggest drivers for such smart building development is security.
It is no secret that South Africa is a crime-ridden environment – listed by the 2018 Global Peace Index (https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Global-Peace-Index-2018-2.pdf) as one of the most violent and dangerous places on earth. If we consider the impact of the current pandemic on people’s livelihoods, we are likely to see a massive increase in crime locally – not only will this have a noticeable impact on everyday business and consumers directly, but it will also significantly impact the investment into smart buildings and the cost vs. value of such innovations.
Therefore, where the investment into the cities of the future is substantial, it is important that such smart buildings have security at their core – mitigating security risks and adding an additional layer of ‘always-on’ oversight. Today, as work from home policies mean less people at the office and more ‘downtime’ for physical office space, new and innovative ways of ensuring secure premises are critically needed. So, what is the answer?
Remote oversight is critical
Remote oversight is the undeniable future of security and is a key feature of security of the future, making sure businesses are:
a.) Protected by core security offerings, and
b.) Putting the power of security in the hands of the business owner/maintenance lead.
Good security plays a key role as a deterrent for crime, but today, we need more. We need solutions that ensure that there is an any time/any place opportunity to access the site, and technology plays a crucial role in achieving this.
Remote oversight is highly efficient in allowing real-time observation for businesses and homeowners, directly from their mobile devices. But it is not only about observation of your property. Today’s leading app technology for remote oversight ensures that consumers and businesses have the simplicity and convenience of remote control over both their security systems and related devices.
For example, the MiRhino app and the new MiFalcon app give the user complete remote control of their alarm panel, such as remote arming and disarming of the alarm panel, immediately notifying the user of an event, and it even allows the user to remotely control automated gates, lights, garage doors, etc.
However, such monitoring is superficial if it doesn’t allow for customised, flexible management and control of the security system. Therefore, when talking remote oversight, it is important that this flexibility is at the core of the offering – allowing users to switch off (bypass) the zones that are not needed in the week, for example, while turning these back on as they wish when no one is around. At the touch of a button, or two, the full security system, as well as security related devices, should be able to be switched on/off and managed quickly and without hiccups to reap the benefits of a remote oversight offering.
It is this automated and remote control that will set the tone for an ever-increasing smart building phenomenon in Africa. Security is a cornerstone to such development and of course, the better the security and more convenient the usage thereof is, the easier it is for entrepreneurs and business owners to migrate to a smarter build/approach within their physical business environment. This ultimately gives them, as well as home users who choose such technology, the peace of mind that they are not only at the forefront of security technology, but that they are empowered around their security solutions through the use of world-class technology.
For more information contact Duran Viera, Amecor, +27 11 477 2600, duran@amecor.com, www.amecor.com
* https://www.howwemadeitinafrica.com/2030-six-worlds-41-megacities-will-africa/56956/
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