Johnson Controls is offering a suite of solutions enabling ‘contactless’ buildings. To limit the potential spread of COVID-19 as buildings reopen to staff and visitors, facilities and building managers will be responsible for ensuring the necessary precautions are in place. Johnson Controls offers solutions to limit the spread of the virus in a range of facilities. The solutions fall into three categories: contactless entry and exit, body thermal detection and occupancy control.
Contactless entry and exit protects staff, visitors, and operations by eliminating physical contact points such as access cards and lanyards, and making entrances and exits more hygienic. Facial recognition cameras are used to grant visitor access to entrances or certain areas, including features such as two-way audio communications. Anti-virus entry systems can be implemented, where occupants place their hands into a sanitiser before entering, enforcing hand hygiene.
Non-contact visitor management can be implemented through a virtual reception, using facial recognition and body thermal detection to increase safety and security, and the use of automatic door openers and touch-free exit buttons reduces physical contact. Virucidal gel-dispensing door handles and door handle covers using silver ion technology can be used where non-contact methods aren’t possible.
Body thermal detection can be deployed to assess if anyone entering the building may have an elevated temperature. Thermal detection cameras, which can be integrated with existing video surveillance systems, use facial recognition to flag anyone with a raised temperature. The solution is scalable for discreet monitoring on a one-on-one basis, or can be used to scan up to 40 people at one time.
Capacity control manages the number of people on site to enforce social distancing. Video analytics technology within existing or standalone cameras counts people in and out of a building, using alerts to let managers know when the maximum capacity has been reached. Data is stored anonymously and provides for more accurate auditing and reporting purposes. Business managers can also make better use of resources by utilising employees for other business critical activities.
‘With these solutions in place, building and facilities managers have a greater chance of limiting the spread of the virus among building occupants,’ stated Lee Jasper, Head of Products and Solutions for Johnson Controls UK and Ireland. ‘Deploying these solutions as part of the building safety plan not only improves safety for staff and visitors, but it also gives businesses the best chance of getting back on their feet and resuming operations as safely as possible. After months of lockdown and uncertainty, these solutions offer peace of mind, while also encouraging building occupants to stay alert and put safety first.’