Peter Jackson, Managing Director of Jacksons Fencing, highlights the key findings from the company’s recent physical security survey.
In many situations, high-security perimeter fencing is a given. Government buildings, airports and prisons are all obvious targets for crime. Other targets are perhaps less conspicuous: computer data centres, utility stations and pharmaceutical manufacturing plants also require constant perimeter security. However, there are other, even less apparent areas which need continuous protection.
Major acts of crime, such as terror attacks, have shown well-populated city centres need to be secured. This extends to schools and places of worship, both of which face security challenges on a daily basis.
We conducted research with 800 architects and decision-makers, on the subject of physical security, to help us better understand what drives the high-security market. This included investigating the challenges they face and how these factors influence specification, design and construction.
The survey results highlight that respondents feel a real need to implement measures, primarily to make people feel safe (54%) and deter potential attackers with a secure appearance (47%).
For around half of respondents, the visual perception of robust physical security as a deterrent and a safeguard, is as important as the actual security measures protecting people (43%) and preventing unauthorised access (45%). This highlights the importance of designing with security in mind, contributing to an aesthetic which reassures as well as defends.
Security needs to be a first thought, not an afterthought
Security and building design can and should work in tandem. However, our results highlight a worrying knowledge gap within the architectural community. Almost half admitted to having limited, or even poor, knowledge of designing for physical security. Only two in five architects stated their knowledge of designing for physical security is ‘good’.
These findings highlight that there is significant work to be done to educate specifiers and planners about security best practice.
Whether for safety, deterring malicious attacks, preventing unauthorised access, safeguarding reputation, or providing visual assets, the physical security of a building should always be considered as an integral part of the design.
It is expected that architects incorporate appropriate security requirements into their designs. Where practicable this should be delivered seamlessly, without drawing undue attention to potential threats.
Rightly, people expect to feel safe all the time. Delivering this assurance demands a disciplined approach and often requires specialist risk and security consultants to ensure effective implementation. However, over a quarter of architects surveyed indicated they don’t employ these professionals.
Further, 21% of architects highlighted that security experts are not involved until the end of the design process, or after the design is complete.
Fundamentally, it is crucial that security professionals are consulted from the outset to be effective. Delays could result in solutions being added retrospectively post-completion of a project, leading to unnecessary costs and disruption.
Significant hurdles
76% of architects cite that budget constraints lead to cutting corners with physical security, suggesting that many undervalue its importance. The consequences of corner-cutting often result in inadequate security measures, potentially leading to serious security breaches and costly updates. This has been well documented through inadequately financed prison security upgrades, particularly the failure of CCTV capabilities at high-security sites.
Access to and knowledge of physical security best practice is an issue. Architects identify finding relevant information and possessing requisite skills (47%) and clients’ limited knowledge of security products (23%) as hindrances to implementing effective physical security design.
When it is available, current guidance and specifications are largely based on the learnings from past events.
Scott Brownrigg Director, Erika Gemmell explains the importance of adapting to protect against newer threats: “Guidance on standoff distances has been significantly influenced by the IRA’s van attacks [but] today we have to design with modern threats in mind.”
Ken Graham, Principal Consultant at Instrom Ltd., notes that many agencies are “focusing more on their statutory duties and withdrawing from complementary services which could provide enhanced protection”.
This box-ticking approach results in bare minimum security in the place of effective, risk-appropriate physical security solutions.
Is safety, security and style achievable?
Many practices are often required to make a site both inviting and safe, particularly for commercial, education and public healthcare projects. For the architects involved, achieving visual appeal can sometimes act as an obstacle to specifying risk-appropriate physical security.
Over two-thirds of respondents maintained that aesthetics remain a high priority for the majority of organisations. Whilst an important consideration, aesthetics can increase the cost of physical security solutions when required. This can have a detrimental influence on the project decision-maker who, rather than reaching a compromise, might fail to commit to anything at all. Schools, for example, highlight how difficult combining security and design can be.
But both are achievable, physical security doesn’t have to create intimidating or fortress-like sites and similarly, designs that blend into the environment and provide security without costing the Earth are available. Simple, innovative solutions can have a significant impact on safety, without impeding the flow of people or compromising the area’s visual appeal.
Promisingly, the majority of architects polled (73%) have managed to use unobtrusive design elements to encourage behaviour conducive to creating a secure and attractive environment, without exceeding set budgets. This includes using colour and floor plans to support wayfinding, designing out dark spaces and hidden corners to discourage bullying and anti-social behaviour, as well as incorporating more windows.
Safety and security need to be considered simultaneously. This means understanding that, while a perimeter needs to maintain security at all times, architects and specifiers should also consider the area immediately outside the building. This gives weight to the argument that conducting an early risk assessment, followed by designing escape routes and protective measures into the site masterplan is essential. The potentially devastating effect of attacks on sites designed without these considerations can be seen in events such as the Manchester Arena attacks and the shootings in France’s Bataclan.
Erika Gemmell thinks our whole attitude to security needs an overhaul: “Security and high-quality building design ideally would be tied together, just like what happened with sustainability measures over the past 15 years, creating an integrated aesthetic solution.”
While daily headlines can paint a frightening picture of security issues, our discussions with leading industry experts suggest the situation in the UK is much better than it may appear.
Tony Smith, Managing Director of Fortinus Global Ltd. and former Director General of Border Force says: “The UK is doing well with its security strategy. It has a lot of strong assets. Within its defence and the Home Office, there is a good strategic approach to all of this.”
However, there is more work needed to prepare for the future. This should start with stakeholders in both the public and private sectors collaborating much more. Beyond this, the responsibility lies with those identifying and managing risks and the professionals designing and specifying security solutions.
Quality is key
Despite a large majority of companies acknowledging that the consequences of having their physical security compromised include the potential risk of loss of life, almost half cite budget restrictions as a barrier to specifying appropriate physical security solutions.
There is a clear disconnect between what risk experts recommend, what companies know and the investment companies are able or willing to make to implement them.
The issue of budget extends beyond individual companies.
Tony Smith comments: “I am worried about the government’s investment in defence and think it is really stretched. I’m not entirely confident it has the resources it needs if something serious were to happen.” Our report highlighted that three-quarters of architects have seen budget constraints lead to cutting corners with physical security, so although plans are in place, having the budget to execute them can prove difficult.
Under thinking, underfunding and underspending are chronic problems.
Much more thought needs to be given to investing in appropriate solutions and avoiding the temptation of cutting costs by downgrading specifications.
Ultimately, someone is responsible for signing-off on what’s specified and the potential consequences of any oversights or negligence. This further demonstrates the need for architects, procurement specialists and decision-makers, including clients and end users, to communicate with security and risk consultants, who have the expertise to advise on how best to reduce hazards and maintain security whatever the level of budget available.
The bottom line
Government, the private sector and those with input into the security of buildings and public spaces need to take a risk management driven approach, rather than just providing a knee-jerk reaction to events.
This will involve making progress on improving industry knowledge of the security standards in place and the wide range of products available.
Just as we’ve seen the subject of sustainability become an inherent element of design, so too should physical security, risk management and public safety.
Find out more information about Jacksons Fencing by visiting: https://www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/
This article was originally published in the February 2021 edition of Security Journal UK. To pick up your FREE digital copy click here.
