Commercial enterprises of every size and type, all over the world, face a common challenge: innovating how and where they do business so they can face the future with greater environmental responsibility.
Assa Abloy has been recognised for some time as an innovator in access solutions, with a range of inventive products around the door and access management which can improve buildings’ sustainability performance. Now to prove the company’s commitment – and the effectiveness of its solutions – the revolutionary new Assa Abloy Dubai headquarters has been built with and uses energy-efficient building technologies, including digital access managed by Incedo.
According to the International Energy Agency, buildings consume around 30% of the world’s energy. Therefore, when designing and specifying any new commercial building, efficiency is a strategic priority, for both sustainability and cost-management motives. It’s a key component in Dubai’s Green Building standards, which Assa Abloy’s local specification team provide the expertise to meet and exceed.
“This building is more than just Assa Abloy’s new headquarters; it’s a declaration of our ongoing mission to push the boundaries of sustainability and innovation. By incorporating state-of-the-art energy-efficient solutions and our latest access technologies, our Dubai headquarters exemplifies dedication to creating environmentally responsible and secure commercial premises,” says Mauro Felice, Senior Vice President and Head of MEIIA region.
Throughout the building it was important to use construction materials that were sustainable. In the UAE’s climate, efficient heat management was critical to the choice of high U-value windows to minimise energy transfer and a reflective warehouse roof to cut heat absorption. Materials usage was reduced by flooring made with recycled steel fibres from end-of-life tires, alongside virgin steel fibres and green admixtures.
Building systems – incorporating smart lighting and energy management – have been configured for long-term energy efficiency. In this process, at any commercial premises, the choice of access solution is critical.
The Incedo Plus platform-based digital access management system provides the smart connectivity that Assa Abloy’s new UAE headquarters needs. The Incedo platform connects a vast range of security software and hardware within a single ecosystem.
The range of devices which work with Incedo makes it suited to commercial premises, where the diverse types of opening usually surpasses any typical office or residence.
At their new Dubai HQ, Assa Abloy deployed Aperio wireless digital locks and Signo readers. Aperio devices use no power when idle, only “waking up” to read credentials or maintain system heartbeat. This translates into an ongoing energy saving versus comparable wired devices, which usually draw mains power around the clock. Adding no cabling around the door saves materials and energy; with Aperio, wireless devices are powered by standard batteries with a typical lifetime of 2 years.
