Daniel Wood

Comelit has ensured future residents at Kebbell Homes’ new luxury Aubury Place development can experience smart door entry with the installation of its latest Mini Handsfree monitors. Set in Chiswick, London, Aubury Place is a new gated community of nine four, five and six bedroom homes. Every element of the design is focussed on creating an exceptional first impression, right from the bespoke touch screen entrance panel. Comelit’s Specification team, together with chosen installers Wheeler Electrical, was involved with Kebbell from the initial design process, through the works programme to project completion. Door entry requests Kebbell was instantly impressed with the capability of newly launched Mini Handsfree Wi-Fi Monitors Whilst originally, Comelit’s stylish Icona monitors were considered, Kebbell was instantly impressed with the capability of newly launched Mini Handsfree Wi-Fi Monitors. The new Comelit system would enable new residents to respond to door entry requests from any compatible mobile and benefit from video memory, to record missed calls. Says Andrea Fawell Sales and Marketing Director at Kebbell Homes: “The aim with Aubury Place, as with all our developments, was to offer families spacious home options in prime locations. The ideals of luxury, convenience, comfort and understated elegance were all of paramount importance, and seeing everything from our resident’s point of view, to ensure our homes allow natural flows in tune with daily living.” Mobile connected lifestyle “Every small detail has been carefully considered and this is where Comelit latest options for door entry fitted our requirements. It means our residents can benefit from the latest technology, seamlessly installed, enabling them to instantly respond to door entry requests, with video, from wherever they are. And we can achieve this without compromising on the style, look and feel of this beautiful collection of homes.” Kebbell Homes is well-known for meticulously planning and creating homes of exceptional quality" Ed Wheeler, Director from Wheeler Electrical added: “Kebbell Homes is well-known for meticulously planning and creating homes of exceptional quality. When it came to door entry at Aubury Place, Comelit was the specification of choice and the new Mini Handsfree Monitors exceeded expectation, even over an initially approved specification. It has proven itself more cost effective and a better fit for today’s increasingly mobile connected lifestyle choice.” Powerful security solution Each home at Aubury Place has been fitted with a Mini Handsfree monitor complete with integrated WiFi, operating through Comelit’s innovative VIP system. At the striking gates to the development is Comelit’s premium stainless steel flush mounted 316 Touch entrance Panel, branded to Kebbell Homes. The system enables new residents to grant access through the vehicle gates or adjacent pedestrian gate using the 4.3” internal monitor or a dedicated mobile app. And up to fifteen smart devices can be connected to each and every property’s individual WiFi monitor. Daniel Wood, Southern Sales Manager at Comelit UK concluded: “Comelit worked closely with Kebbell Homes to ensure the door entry system installed, achieved the desired balance between timeless style and latest technology. The combined solution, completed using our very latest app enabled monitors, provides aspiring residents with a powerful security solution and the convenience of audio and visual communication, together with ease of use in everyday life.”

The ViP system is connected using standard Cat5 wiring, which ensures fast, reliable, and easy installation An IP video door entry and access system has been fitted at an exclusive residential development in Berkshire. The Comelit ViP system was installed by Evolution Fire & Safety at Englemere, a luxury residential development by Millgate Homes in Ascot. The installation features digital Ikall panels and Simplekey fob readers at the main gates and front entrance, keypad/fob access at the underground car park and stair cores, and Icona ViP monitors inside each apartment, which are connected to antique-style doorbells. Residential security The 17 apartments are set in a classical-style building, which is designed to be sympathetic with the site’s original Italianate Regency villa, which is set in 12 acres of landscaped gardens and is just a short distance from Ascot high street and racecourse. The system was selected in part because of the long distance between the front gates and apartment building, and also because of the equipment’s functionality, such as the video answerphone feature, intercommunication between apartments and the option of utilising Comelit’s Intercall video entry APP for local and remote interaction with the system. The client required a high-­performance and reliable system that would offer years of low-maintenance use. ViP increases the performance of video intercoms and comprises a complete system that is versatile and easy to install. It can be integrated into existing LAN systems or created from scratch with dedicated cabling. Audio and video communication The system is able to accommodate a theoretically unlimited number of users, with simultaneous audio and video conversations and no distance limitations. It also provides for remote connection and diagnostics. What’s more, residents can see and hear who is at the door from anywhere, using an appropriate smart device and open the gates/door if they so wish. The Ikall panels allow audio-video communication with visitors via a built-in wide angle colour camera and a two-way speaker unit The Ikall panels allow audio-video communication with visitors via a built-in wide angle colour camera and a two-way speaker unit, this allows entry panels to be located at low level but still capture a clear image of visitors. They feature versatile technology and clean, attractive lines, and are available in both digital and analogue versions. The modular elements deliver optimum results and offer simple configuration, style and reliability. The panels, from Comelit’s ViP range, provide audio communication for door control with LED backlighting and screen characters, offering optimum visibility for users. Touch-sensitive keypads and a large colour LCD display provide for easy use. The panels can include options such as numerical pushbuttons, digital name directory and proximity readers as part of a bespoke configuration to suit the needs of the installation. Ikall panels and Icona monitors The Icona ViP monitors inside each apartment feature clean and elegant styling, with a gloss surface in transparent, scratch-resistant polycarbonate and brushed metal edges. The monitors are available in flush-mounted, surface-mounted and desk base versions and provide capacitive touchscreen technology. Dan Wood, Southern Sales Manager at Comelit, said: “The ViP system was chosen for its flexibility and ease of installation, which makes it attractive to installers and end-users. The Ikall panels and Icona monitors provide a clean, stylish look that complements the contemporary and luxurious styling of the apartments at Englemere, and provide a flexible and modular approach. The site may be expanded in the future, which will be seamless due to the flexible topology of ViP.” The ViP system is connected using standard Cat5 wiring, which ensures fast, reliable and easy installation with limited additional control equipment needed. Using the same IP network, ViP also allows other security devices and video surveillance methods to be integrated into the entry phone system. Comelit’s wide range of compatible IP monitors and external panels provides a flexible and reliable access control solution for any size of residential development, as well as for large-scale industrial applications.

Comelit Smart IP monitors were specified to give residents hands-free video and audio communication with visitors at ground level A state-of-the-art IP door entry system from market-leading supplier, Comelit UK, has been installed at a residential apartment block within the O2 Arena Development. Consisting of 164 apartments, the project is part of a £121m regeneration programme on London’s Greenwich Peninsula, which also includes a five-star hotel. Working with our National Fire and Security Installation and Maintenance partner Liverpool-based Fire & Security installers, HESIS, Comelit’s Smart IP monitors were specified for use in the apartments, giving residents hands-free video and audio communication with visitors at ground level. The monitors feature intercom speaker units and a 3.5-inch LCD display showing images produced by a mini-lens colour camera integrated into Comelit’s Ikall metal entrance panel on the building exterior. The units can be flush, surface or desk-mounted. The new O2 apartments have a 24-hour concierge service that enables residents to communicate with staff using their Smart monitors. Comelit has also supplied its multifunctional desk-mounted audio/video porter switchboard that allows the concierge to view visitors on a 3.5-inch colour screen and see the name or apartment number of the user being called from the entrance panel. Optimising resident safety The system at the O2 Arena development, which is connected over a shared Cat5e network, operates using the company’s feature-rich ViP management software with the porter switchboard functions controlled from software on a USB micro-key. This allows the receiving and forwarding of audio/video calls and manages communication with residents, including generating alarms if there is a fault with any of the panels or monitors. A recording archive stores all calls (made, managed, lost or forwarded) from the entry panel and the internal monitors. "We have maximised security for residents with our IP system, at the same time empowering concierge staff to easily communicate with residents throughout the building", said Dan Wood, Southern Regional Manager, Comelit UK Dan Wood, Southern Regional Manager, Comelit UK, said: “We have maximised security for residents with our IP system, at the same time empowering concierge staff to easily communicate with residents throughout the building. The sleek design of our Smart monitors is in keeping with the aesthetics of the building and the apartments, which all have luxury designer interiors.” The O2 Arena Development is on a 7.6-acre site and in addition to the apartments and five-star hotel, there will also be extensive conference and event facilities. The property is managed by Grove Developments, with civil engineering company Balfour Beatty responsible for the overall project. The whole Greenwich Peninsula project has focused on sustainability and operates to the BREEAM environmental best practice standard. Lorry movements are minimised, off-site building techniques have been employed and there is extensive use of solar panels. A wider scheme to regenerate the area will see the construction of 10,000 new homes, with land being reclaimed from soil that was previously polluted.

Comelit’s Ikall entrance panels allow audio-video communication with visitors via a built-in colour camera and a two-way speaker unit Comelit’s IP video entry system has been installed at a high-end, large-scale residential development in London. The Riverlight complex in Nine Elms consists of over 800 apartments spread across six blocks ranging from 12 to 20 storeys on the south bank of the Thames in the borough of Wandsworth. The project, which started several years ago, is due to be completed by 2017 and has already involved several installation companies. Visitors to Riverlight call individual apartments using Comelit’s Ikall entrance panels, which are located at 48 access points around the five-acre site, allowing audio-video communication with visitors via a built-in colour camera and a two-way speaker unit. Built on a modular basis, the Ikall entrance panel can feature options such as numerical pushbuttons, digital name directory and proximity RF readers as part of a bespoke configuration to suit the exact needs of the installers and demands made by layout. The flexible design of Comelit’s IP panel range has already produced savings for property developer St. James (part of the Berkeley Group) by avoiding the use of non-essential components. Adaptability offered by using IP will also prolong the life of the system and reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) by allowing simple ongoing upgrades to meet the evolving needs of the site. ViP system has no restrictions on the number of users Access control, communication with reception staff and interface with third-party home automation systems at Riverlight are managed by Comelit's ViP software. ViP gives building managers multi-channel communications that can be integrated with any existing 10/100 MB network using the existing cable infrastructure and open-source SIP protocol. ViP also allows an unlimited number of entrance panels to be added to the system, making it completely future-proof and scalable. Receive calls on Smartphone, tablet or PC Inside some of the apartments at Riverlight, residents can interact with visitors and grant access using touchscreen monitors from third-party home automation equipment manufacturer, Crestron. As a future upgrade option, residents may also benefit from Comelit’s multi-user gateway that allows calls from Ikall entrance panels to be diverted to residents’ smartphones, tablets or PC, with no need for additional cabling. Dan Wood, Southern Regional Manager, Comelit UK, said: “This is a long-term flagship project for Comelit that has involved different installers during each build phase. The intuitive nature of our ViP management software has allowed each installer simply to pick up the product and run with it. As an IP solution, integrators have been able to conduct a large amount of configuration and testing off-site, thereby minimising disruption for residents and passing on cost benefits to the client.” The Riverlight scheme includes underground parking, restaurants, bars, a river walk and retail outlets. Development of other amenities is ongoing and sixty per cent of the site will be designated as public open space. Construction costs are approximately £200 million, with structural engineer Ramboll working alongside architects Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners. Riverlight is within sight of Embassy Gardens in Battersea, another Comelit project where 639 apartments have been fitted with access control at a site that will include the new US embassy.

Comelit’s IP systems enable the site concierge to inform residents about missed callers or deliveries Working with installers Beta Security, Comelit has supplied its IP video entry system for access control and resident messaging at New Atlas Wharf in the Surrey Quays area of London’s Docklands. New Atlas Wharf is a modern ten-storey residential development comprising 153 apartments across nine buildings on the north bank of the Thames in Tower Hamlets, within walking distance of Canary Wharf. Vandalcom entrance panels Visitors to New Atlas Wharf call residents using Comelit’s IP Vandalcom entrance panels, which are in use at 20 locations around the site. Modular-based, the Vandalcom panels can have options such as numerical push-buttons, a name directory, video camera and proximity readers – all as part of a combination chosen to suit the exact needs of residents and the demands made by the site layout. At New Atlas Wharf, in addition to the entrances where visitors call the apartments directly, there are also a number of entrance panels located around the perimeter from which visitors and couriers can call the concierge. The Vandalcom panels are particularly well suited at these locations since they are made of vandal-resistant stainless steel with galvanised sheet steel back boxes. Inside the apartments, residents use 7” Stelle touchscreen monitors. These touchscreen units can be operated hands-free and offer simple primary functions such as lock release and concierge call. The monitors provide high-quality intercom from speaker-microphones and display video from the wide angle entrance panel camera on an 800x480 pixel screen. Residents can generate an alarm to the concierge from a dedicated panic call button on the monitor. Up to four such alarms are possible from each and every apartment, the applications are endless. If a resident does not wish to be disturbed, they can record a message that will be audible from the entrance panel when visitors arrive. Callers are able to leave a message on the resident monitor that can be played back upon the return of the apartment owner. The fact that the monitors can be flush or wall-mounted with minimal need for tools and no bracket, simplifies fitting for installers. Centralising data exchange with control software Comelit has developed ViP Communication Manager as an important and useful tool for a building manager or concierge to communicate with the residents. Comelit’s IP systems enable the site concierge to inform residents about missed callers or deliveries, planned maintenance (such as lifts), forthcoming events, traffic information etc. It is possible to send text or image messages to an individual apartment, group of apartments or to all residents throughout the site. If an apartment owner is away calls from the entrance panel will be transferred to the concierge, ensuring every call is dealt with. Remote configuration The IP approach at New Atlas Wharf also allows for remote configuration and system health checks by the installer. These minimise engineering time on-site, thereby reducing disturbance for residents and producing cost benefits for the property managers. Dan Wood, Southern Regional Manager, Comelit UK, said: “New Atlas Wharf was an existing Comelit customer which has been able to upgrade its Vandalcom panels with the latest IP modules. It’s rewarding for us to be able to offer a client our newest products that meet the evolving needs of the site.” He continued: “ViP demonstrates how Comelit systems enable clients to move away from outdated closed technology. We’re focused on open systems, easy installation and enhanced benefits for residents. Everyone expects to be able to communicate with and open the communal door, but with VIP we can offer clients so much more than this.” New Atlas Wharf is on the north bank of the Thames in an area where high-end, gated residential developments of this kind predominate. The property features leisure facilities, including a residents’ gym. The site is part of the Rotherhithe Peninsula and near the Museum of London Docklands. Comelit’s recent projects in London cover the boroughs of Islington, Barnet, Wandsworth, Richmond upon Thames and the City of Westminster. Comelit equipment has been installed as retrofits on modern buildings, at new construction projects, mixed-use residential and commercial developments, and on heritage sites.