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Easy, secure access for student apartments

Beau Vie II is a student apartment block located at Banghoek Road, Stellenbosch. It opened in early 2024 and is only a 10 minute walk from the University of Stellenbosch. It provides students with modern and convenient accommodation.

Patron Capital SA is responsible for developing high-quality student accommodation. It wanted a high-security, intuitive, and aesthetic access control and security solution. Patron worked with Remote Entry Systems, an experienced security installation company that specified Paxton’s product range.

Requirements

The requirements for the Beau Vie II building were clear from the beginning. Biometric readers were required to increase building security by verifying users via fingerprint or facial recognition. The site also required IP cameras to ensure real-time video access and footage capture, as well as an intercom system to allow ease of visitor access. Simple remote system management was also one of the top requirements.

Solution

Morné Mellet, Technical Systems Specialist at Remote Entry Systems, presented five security installation designs to Patron, including Paxton’s Net2 and Paxton10 systems. Patron chose Paxton10 due to its web-based software, which allows for remote management and allows users to use their smart devices to gain access through doors.

Paxton10 is an online access control and video management solution that can manage up to 100 sites with up to 1000 doors, 1000 cameras, and 50 000 users.

Mellet said, “Besides Paxton10’s features meeting the requirements per Beau Vie II, the cabling and labour costs required for installing and configuring Paxton products were lower than the other brands, helping to reduce the overall project costs for the client.”

Another benefit of choosing Paxton10 for this building is that it is fully compatible with the manufacturer's other product ranges, including Paxton10 cameras, a video intercom system, Entry, and a smart door handle, PaxLock.

Mellet said, “Compared to other access control systems I have worked with over the last 13 years, Paxton10 was the only all-in-one solution that ticked all the boxes for this building. The ease of bringing all the necessary components online and the fact that Paxton10 is compatible with Entry and PaxLock is extremely user-friendly.”

Paxton10 readers are installed on doors in the car park and communal areas, and PaxLock wireless door handles are installed on each apartment unit door. Using them alongside Paxton10 software means the readers and PaxLocks offer free smart credentials through the Paxton Key app, allowing users to access doors using their smartphones or smartwatches.

To provide an additional level of security, the system administrator can add extra authentication on access points, requiring users to unlock their devices before access is granted. This meets the original requirement for biometric readers.

Morné said, “The smart credential is a major plus point for the client and the residents. At first, all the residents used the traditional keyfobs, but then, they requested the smart credentials one by one after seeing other people using their phones instead. Currently, about 90% of the residents are only using their phones as keys.

An Entry panel, Paxton’s video intercom system, is installed at the building’s entrance, and Entry monitors are installed in each apartment. This allows visitors to call the unit they are visiting, and the residents can verify their identities via video call and grant access from their apartment. As the Entry system is compatible with Paxton10, it also provides a smart credential access option at the entrance for residents.

To further increase building security, Paxton’s range of IP cameras are installed in the car park and throughout the building, ensuring every apartment front door is in the field of view in case of an emergency. The Paxton10 cameras are plug-and-play and designed to work seamlessly with Paxton10.

Mellet manages the building's Paxton10 system. Its online software allows him to remotely manage users, doors, and cameras, giving him absolute convenience.

Mellet said, “Being able to manage the system remotely is highly efficient and time-saving. I have had a few instances when the client asked me to open doors for maintenance contractors or residents who accidentally locked themselves out of their rooms. I could also visually verify the resident’s identity for security reasons from the real-time video footage in Paxton10 before I opened the doors for them.”

Result

Since the building opened in early 2024, Patron has been happy with Paxton10 and Mellet’s assistance in managing the system.

Mackenzie Johnson, Managing Director at Patron Capital SA, said, “Paxton 10 has significantly enhanced the security and convenience for residents at Beau Vie II. The system's advanced features provide comprehensive surveillance and streamlined access management, ensuring the apartment complex remains secure and well-monitored. Additionally, the intercom system at the apartment’s front doors has been very well received by the occupants, who appreciate the ease of use and added security layer.

Project statistics

Location: Stellenbosch, South Africa

Type of building: Student Accommodation

Users/Doors/Cameras

• 30 users

• 27 doors

• 33 cameras

Products

• Paxton10 Door Controller

• Paxton10 Slimline Readers

• Paxton10 turret and mini-dome cameras

• Entry Standard Panel, surface mount with rain hood

• Entry Standard Monitors

• PaxLock Pro

Requirements

• Biometric readers

• IP cameras

• Video intercom system

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