g g y . y d nt ll e- es r- ss s. o- g ts he d s- hs ys e e y c- l, let’s start at the top. The building owner. The owner, or repre- sentative of the owner, needs to have a master key system in place to provide the services that the clients pay for in their monthly rent cheque. It is true that the secure lock is one that is pinned up as KD, or Keyed Differ- ent, meaning that only one key operates it. However, in a large building, a system like that would give building staff a hernia from carrying all those keys. The answer of course is the master key. The owner needs to have access to not only provide services, but to also gain access in emergency and save the client unforeseen cost. It also pro- vides them with a means to check up on their property if needed, though there may be some legal requirements. These keys are usually reserved for the building engineer or facility manager. Emergency services. Depending on your location, the local fire authority may have a requirement to have access to a master key or certain keys for doors in the building. Typically, the areas of greatest concern are mechanical, sprinkler, electrical, generator, boiler room, etc. For the sake of speed and convenience, it would be counterproductive to supply essential services with a multitude of keys. Here also the solution is a grand master key, master key or submaster key. Security staff. This is becoming a com- monplace practice in high rises. It is reassur- ing to see building security when you first enter an unknown building. Some facilities enforce a check-in system, while others have them as more of an information desk. In ur- ban centers, the function of guard services usually mean they are present to act upon behalf of the owner to provide safety of the tenants and visitors. This role oſten requires unimpeded access, but it is not uncommon to have them carry keys that only serve their function. For ex- ample: a guard who performs night patrols of a tower will probably get a grand master key, while a day guard who is permanently stationed at a desk will not. Custodial staff. Most cleaning of office space takes place during the off hours — that is, in the evenings, overnight or week- ends. Cleaners typically fall into the same category as the owner, but many times they are restricted to only the tenant space. There could be operational liabilities should an unauthorized person access an area with mechanical controls. In the northern, colder climates of the continent, it may take only hours to drop a multistory building tem- perature — but days to bring it back to a balanced system. Tenants. The individuals that have the greatest need of security also can have the most complex needs. Clients can have lock- ing requirements that can range accord- ing to their type of business or function, like accounting to law firms to government agencies. They will have perimeter security needs as well as internal requirements. Yet they still expect service from the landlord while keeping their space as safe as possible. Utility companies. Quite oſten, large facili- ties have their own staff take care of the many technical infrastructure needs of a building. In some instances, they may have a regular contractor perform these duties and, because of their familiarity of the building, may be granted a master key or a submaster key, but usually not a grand master key. Designing the System So with this plethora of key holders, how do you start to design a master key system? The answer is simple. It begins with the building owner or property manager. Even though tenants may call you in to provide keying services, it must be done with the permis- sion, or at the very least, the knowledge of facility management. The bottom line is that this group must be approached as they have the overall interest of the building in mind. There may be certain restrictions that do not allow for some clients requests. Ideally, management likes to have all aspects under their control, but some tenants may have certain wishes for keying that get written into the lease agreement (e.g., the build- ing is under a standard Schlage E keyway). The clients use a high-security key that allows their staff to access not only the of- fice but perhaps other facilities as well. Per- haps a client wants to ensure that no staff member makes extra copies and skirts the key-control issue. This is an argument for key-control products and should be made at another time, but the point being clients may have certain needs that may not fit into the building structure. Before acquiescing to a tenant’s request, investigate if they are allowed to do so with FEBRUARY 2015 KEYNOTES 37
