8-31-12

Mid Atlantic Real Estate Journal — Shopping Centers — August 31 - September 13, 2012 — 9B

www.marejournal.com

S HOPPING C ENTERS

ver since the release of the iPhone, people have become more comfort- By Jonathan Epstein & Tom Skeans, Real Connect Building mgmt. & security should be flexible, scalable & secure E lights on 20 minutes before sunset).

be on-site. In the event of detec- tion, owners can be notified via email or text, accompanied by a few pictures or video footage. • Automation (Lighting, HVAC, etc.): After a power loss, timers for lighting and HVAC controls must be reset, often at the owner’s expense. Depending on the interface, reprogramming can be tedious and complicated. With the proper building automation solution, programs for lighting and HVAC can be programmed, changed or restored remotely in minutes. Plus, the controller can incorporate location-specific scheduling (e.g. turn the outside

Building management and security solutions should be flexible, scalable and secure. Many respected vendors like GE, Panasonic, Trane, Hon- eywell, Yale and Intermatic offer remote management and automation products that in- tegrate with such systems. Solutions can be tailored to each commercial real estate asset type: multifamily, office, retail, industrial, single-ten- ant or multi-tenant, depending on the owner’s preference and budget. Building automation Continued on page 26B

able with the convenience of managing their email, c a l e n d a r , contacts, fi- nances and more through their smart- phone. As our comfort lev- els with our devices have increased, so have the vol- ume of apps designed to simplify, or- ganize and op- timize our digital lifestyle. We now have the technology to have complete facility con- trol and automation through a smartphone, tablet or web browser. A good solution will give owners (and their tenants) peace of mind, while saving both time and money. The offer- ings may be a little confusing, so it is important to look for a secure, flexible, scalable solu- tion that can be tailored to a building owner or manager’s specific needs. Providing and integrating an automation and security solution should be done by a professional, and some important things to con- sider are the following: • Access Control (lock and unlock doors remotely): Imagine the time saved when an owner does not have to be physically on-site for routine maintenance, inspections or showings. With an automation solution in place, doors can be unlocked at a scheduled time, or at a moment’s notice. Own- ers can input and restrict user codes and track user access throughout their property and also be notified by text or email when access codes are entered or doors are opened. • Security (video surveil- lance, alerts and notifica- tions): There is a wide offering of video technology, and it’s important to consider camera resolution, location and archive capacity. From the convenience of their smartphones, own- ers can view live or archived video feeds from their property. Video feeds are also useful to owners looking to check status and quality control of projects and vendors (e.g. landscapers, snow removal, parking lot re- pairs, improvements, etc.) 24 hours a day, without having to Tom Skeans

Jonathan Epstein

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