London and Quadrant (L&Q) Housing Association has opted to use Urmet’s 2-wire video door entry and access control systems at its new Walthamstow Stadium Development.
The former Grade II-listed Art Deco greyhound-racing track, which first opened its gates in 1933, provides 294 new homes, predominantly in the form of apartments. Visitors announce themselves at the entrances to the apartment blocks using Urmet’s 2Voice two-wire colour video system. The external video entrance panels, from Urmet’s award winning Elekta range, are compatible with both Urmet’s IPervoice (IP) and 2-wire systems.
Unique to the Elekta range the panels have a 3.5” colour display which provides visitors with instructions on how to call an apartment and a block name can also be displayed. Residents, staff and trusted contractors gain entrance using the integrated proximity reader. There is integrated assistance for disabled residents and the units comply with the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) including voice announcements such as “call in progress”, “please speak” and “door open”. These are vandal-resistant panels that offer vandals minimal potential to pry the unit away from its mount. Their high IK09 rating offers good protection against deliberate or accidental damage.
Urmet has also supplied its Passan wired network solution for the development, with door controllers connected via a hard-wired installation. The residential blocks at the stadium site vary considerably in layout and number of apartments, but the Passan system copes with these variations by allowing the installer to use different combinations of panel mount readers and additional standalone readers. At Walthamstow, residents and staff also have Urmet’s RF controllers for the remote operation of vehicle entry gates. The development makes maximum use of the stadium’s entire original structure, with buildings such as the former kennels serving as communal areas, connected through a third-party PC to the Passan system via a modem.
Residents receive calls from visitors on Miro colour video monitor handsets with 4.3” 16:9 screens. The video handsets are fitted with an induction loop compatible with hearing aids. They also feature a two colour LED to indicate the status of the system e.g. Green LED on indicates that a call is being received, Rapidly blinking red: mute on, Red on steady: main calling panel door open, Slowly blinking red: secondary (lobby) calling panel door open.
Mark Hagger, Urmet’s Sales and Marketing Director said, “Our 2-Voice solution was well suited to this kind of project where you only need 2 wires throughout making the install very quick and simple.”
He continued, “We were delighted to be asked to supply an access control system that will enhance the safety of the residents and visitors. We are also well aware of the greyhound and stock-car racing history of the site and are proud to be supplying security equipment to such an historic London venue.”
Wider facilities for the community at the Walthamstow Stadium include a nursery, café, sports centre and pocket allotments. The Tote building (also Grade II-listed) will likewise be brought into long-term use for residents in the borough.
Also in Greater London, Urmet equipment has been specified recently for various residential projects, including Chelsea Creek, 375 Kensington High Street, Cobalt Place (Battersea Village), One Tower Bridge, Fulham Reach and Goodman’s Fields.