December 7, 2023
A keyless system will become operational in 2024.
An important capital project is currently in the final stages of completion at Kendal at Lexington that will allow greater centralized control over approximately 35 entryways to Anderson, Webster Assisted Living, and the Borden Health Center, as well as the North and South buildings. The primary doors to the common areas for these buildings are open 24 hours a day, year-round. That is about to change.
“Kendal is a private property, but it is an open campus and people are able to walk around freely,” said Todd Pegg, director of Facilities Services. “For the most part, that’s not an issue. But as you leave the common areas of these main buildings, you’re in residential apartment hallways, and we don’t want just anyone wandering around these spaces. Right now, the entrance to Borden is the only building staffed around the clock. This project will improve the physical security of these buildings so the residents are as safe and secure as possible.”
In addition to the keyless system, four security cameras will be mounted at the entrances to Anderson, Borden, Webster, and the loading dock.
The project launched in February 2023 when Pegg met with several vendors. By April, he offered residents the opportunity to visit a mobile showroom that displayed possible technologies on building security systems and encouraged them to supply feedback on features they thought would and wouldn’t work for their needs.
Based on that input, Pegg prepared presentations on the proposed security system — the SECURITRON R100-1H Wireless Reader and Aperio Hub — to the Facilities Sub-committee and the Facilities Committee, as well as to the entire Kendal Association. Once the project received the thumbs-up, construction on the keyless system began over the summer and is slated to be operational by early 2024.
The electronic readers and door locks operate by several methods: a scannable card, such as a resident’s KaLex card; a fob; or an electronic device, such as a smartphone or watch. Cards, fobs and apps will be distributed to residents shortly after installation is complete. All doors are hardwired to a web-based dashboard, and in the case of an emergency, a few keystrokes will automatically lock all the doors simultaneously.
If the power goes out or there is a network outage, the system “fails” in place. Doors that are locked remain locked, and vice versa. Staff would use existing hardware and keys to lock or unlock doors as needed.
“This system does two things for us,” explained Pegg. “It greatly improves the security of the buildings—I or staff won’t have to run around with a key to lock every door, which takes time. It also is very easy for the residents to use. They won’t have to remember a 16-digit password to enter the building.” If a resident doesn’t have the scannable card, fob or electronic device handy, staff at the Borden desk are always available to provide assistance.
The system is also flexible. “If we know there will be a delivery before normal hours or an event that will run late in Kendall Hall, we can make accommodations for that so that specific doors remain open,” said Pegg. He can tailor a fob or a card for individuals who are coming and going on a regular schedule, such as the newspaper delivery person or family members.
The keyless entry system is Phase I of ongoing planned technological improvements to other areas of Kendal. For example, Pegg hopes to eventually be able to send a family member a digital link that will allow them access to a particular building using their smartphone, bypassing the need to pick up a swipe card at the front desk.
“We chose a modular, open-ended system, so if something new and better comes along, we can change a component without redoing the whole system,” said Pegg. “I’m pretty confident we’ve got a good, adaptable solution that will serve Kendal well for years.”
Written by: Louise Uffelman