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How Electrical Technology Is Changing Security for Condo Buildings

In the old days of New York City, many apartment buildings had a doorman stationed in the lobby 24/7 for security and concierge-style services. While this tradition continued with the advent of condos and co-ops, it has contributed to astronomic real estate and rental prices, as everyone began demanding a doorman building. Having a doorman isn’t always feasible, and there are also issues with finding and retaining lobby staff, as well as strikes by union workers over employment conditions. Luckily, there are new electrical inventions changing the face of security for condo buildings and cooperatives. Here’s how you can improve the security of a building you manage with a modest budget and less legwork than hiring permanent employees.

How Good Is the Security for Condo Buildings You Manage?

Start with an assessment

If you are a property manager for condominium and cooperative buildings in New York City, security is always a concern. But how do you know if your building is vulnerable to crime? Start by doing an evaluation of the property, asking these questions:

• Have there been any recent break-ins, thefts, or other crimes in the building?
• Is the neighborhood generally considered safe?
• What security elements are already in place?
• Have occupants mentioned concerns about security?
• Are certain times of the day more likely to be unsafe (no doorman, poor lighting, residents all at work, etc.)?
• How many keys to the property are floating around the city due to both current and former building staff, household workers (nannies, housekeepers, etc.), and the like?

To really assess the building’s security, you can always hire a professional service to conduct an audit, which will point out places at greatest risk for problems. Issues common to New York City properties include package theft (aka “porch piracy”), loitering, squatting, burglary, and bicycle theft. Some buildings overcompensate by locking everything down so much that they risk fire code violations, which is also a concern. Instead of chaining up back and side entrances, why not try some new ideas that let you harness technology for better security?

What Innovations Allow You to Improve Security Easily?

Surveillance

Fortunately, hiring security guards or a doorman isn’t usually necessary with today’s high-tech security innovations. There are a number of options for surveillance, both within a property and remotely. You can use these full time — or if you’re lucky enough to have a doorman, when the lobby staff is off or otherwise engaged.

Video cameras placed strategically around the property give you eyes on all public spaces day and night. You used to have to hire a service to install these cameras, but now there are many DIY models on the market. Which you choose depends on budget, size and height of the property, available wiring, and whether or not you wish to integrate the cameras with other systems.

Another concern with video surveillance is: who will monitor the cameras? Ideally, you don’t want to merely capture incidents digitally after they occur but to stop crime in its tracks as soon as it starts. If you set up the cameras for remote monitoring, you and your property management staff can have eyes on any building as long as someone is working. If your staff is lean, or if you need after-hours coverage, you can hire a third-party service for surveillance.

Building access controls

One of the best ways to prevent crime in your condo or co-op building is to limit who is able to enter the property in the first place. There are multiple ways you can control access to the building:

• Security gates at the street (if space allows), at parking entrances, and at openings to back or side alleys
• Video intercom system with access buzzer at main entrances
• Delivery management protocols that use the above or additional features like a locked package room for parcels

An important adjunct of access control is proper security lighting. Thieves and other perpetrators of crime are deterred by bright lighting, and lights make occupants feel safer too. You can use energy-saving photocell lights that are triggered by the setting and rising of the sun, motion sensor lights (also cost-efficient), always-on lighting, or a combination of these to prevent dark spots. As with surveillance cameras, be sure to cover all public spaces, including gyms, laundry areas, storage lockers, mailrooms, and the like.

Elevator usage controls

The next level of security involves controlling who can use the elevator to reach upper levels of the property. Consider using a security panel for elevator usage, which requires residents and appropriate visitors to employ a key card, numeric code, or other method to utilize the elevator. Biometrics are on the rise (iris scans, fingerprints, facial recognition, etc.), but they require a bit more work to set up initially, especially if being used for non-resident elevator users, like childcare providers, home health workers, and occasional guests.

Smart locks and doorbell cameras

Numeric codes are often selected for elevator control because they’re easy for residents to give to the right people and easily changed when necessary. Likewise, smart door locks for each unit function the same way. Rather than using a manual key to enter, occupants and their visitors punch in a code on a keypad at the door. This eliminates the need for copying physical keys and makes it simple to change security when a unit turns over, after a divorce, or when household staff is changed.

For situations where a lobby-level video camera and intercom system isn’t feasible, doorbell cameras are an option. They are also an additional layer of security to existing building entry controls. These cameras let residents see who is knocking on their door and can be monitored remotely via a cell phone to view people coming and going, such as kids coming home from school or the housekeeper arriving to clean.

Unit alarm systems

Finally, the last level of defense is to install alarm systems within each unit. Most commonly, window and patio door sensors are used to detect intruders. You may not need these in all condos, but they’re excellent for lower level residences and those openings easily reached by a fire escape or balcony. Alarm systems today are programmable via a home hub or personal device. They can be activated or deactivated from afar in the event, for example, a resident forgets to turn on the alarm before leaving for work or wants to allow building staff access to do repairs.

Do you need help selecting or installing electrical security equipment for your building? Is your wiring in need of an upgrade before you can utilize today’s latest security technology? Bolt Electric welcomes the opportunity to consult with you to make any condo or co-op property safer and resistant to crime. Call us today at 212-434-0098 to schedule an appointment.