The key to modern estate efficiency by Jake Dunkley, Business Development Manager, Traka
If higher education institutions want to maintain adequate standards for addressing security and access control, they need to graduate from antiquated methods. Universities are complex ecosystems that require a comprehensive and integrated approach to access control; those that fail to adopt modern technology leave themselves vulnerable to risks and inefficient workflows. An important example of how advanced solutions are improving estate processes lies in perhaps the most fundamental security asset, one that remains a central component of daily operations.
Where it All Begins
For hundreds of years, physical keys have been arguably the most critical security component to nearly every facility, including in education. Some campuses have tens of thousands of keys with just as many users, and yet, many institutions are still haphazardly managing their usage. These schools are using pegboards or desks to house their keys, and attempting to keep track of them in a manual logbook, which is often poorly maintained. This process makes it difficult to see who has which key, when it was removed, and when it was returned. This method leaves institutions susceptible to lost or stolen keys, which can incur key replacement costs or larger expenses to re-key an entire facility. It ultimately begs the question: what would happen if a sensitive key ended up in the wrong person’s hands?
Fortunately, modern technology exists to effectively manage a variety of keys, and it can be integrated into a university’s access control system. Intelligent key cabinets are growing in adoption for their widespread applications and immediate impact on operations. Keys of varying importance are kept in a secured cabinet(s), which can be accessed by a variety of credentials, including badges, pin codes, and/or biometrics. Users are assigned access to certain keys, which eliminates the possibility of unauthorized usage. All transactions are recorded so that estate managers can clearly see who has which key and when it was removed. Curfews can be assigned to every key so that if they’re not returned by a certain time, the keyholder and a manager can be notified, which reduces the time spent looking for lost keys. This method instills a sense of accountability within all users, as they know they’re ultimately responsible for the key and cabinet is a failsafe resource that maintains transparent usage.
The applications of key cabinets within education are seemingly endless. Some universities are leveraging them in student unions, which, in some cases, is the central hub of operations on campus, including for booking shared spaces and vehicles. Others are using cabinets in highly sensitive areas, like museums, data centers and student housing, which often require the strictest level of security clearance to access. Still another application is in contractor usage. Contractors need access to certain areas of campus to perform regularly scheduled maintenance and repairs, and to perform various services. Intelligent key cabinets are being utilised so that those contractors only have access to certain keys for a designated period. Sometimes, they will leave the premises with keys on their person, and cabinets can help reduce that likelihood by notifying the managers when those keys haven’t been returned.
Compliance Consideration
Because higher education campuses often include thousands of staff, students, vendors, visitors, and other parties, they will be subject to compliance for the upcoming Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, commonly referred to as Martyn’s Law. This legislation was drafted following the 2017 Manchester Arena attack, where Martyn Hett was one of 22 people killed, along with more than 1,000 injured in a terrorist bombing. The Act aims to properly prepare venues that regularly host a large number of people on how to react to a terrorist attack. Certain tenets include procedures for evacuation, invacuation, lockdown, and communication. While not a specific requirement to comply with the legislation, intelligent key cabinets can play a pivotal role in higher education institutions in establishing a satisfactory and secure environment. Access to certain keys can be activated or deactivated at a moment’s notice, which is an invaluable resource in the case of an emergency. If an internal party is suspected of inappropriate behavior, a manager can immediately see if that person has checked out a key and has access to an area they shouldn’t. That insight can be expanded across campus with multiple cabinets that are connected to the same access control system, which provides further information that can help expedite the communication tenet noted above. The Act officially became law in April 2025, but there will be a minimum 24-month implementation period before the law comes into force. That gives educational institutions, along with any venue that hosts a large number of people, the chance to fully examine their internal processes and identify any vulnerabilities.
Embracing Evolution
While it may seem daunting for some institutions to adopt modern technology as a departure from established norms, it’s important to note the scalability that solutions like key cabinets provide. They’re a singular entity that can be trialed in one sector of the campus and observed for effectiveness. This can help avoid a larger initial expense and test a solution before committing fully. If a cabinet proves to be successful in, say, a dormitory or a museum, staff in that sector can serve as advocates for additional sectors, and thus increase adoption and integration. Ultimately, solutions need to be user-friendly to ensure acceptance, while also providing a clear return on investment for universities. Key cabinets can be expanded with multiple panels on a single cabinet, or multiple cabinets throughout a campus, thereby extrapolating the benefits system-wide. As a reminder, their true value, along with any modern solution, lies in the ability to integrate within a central access control system. Managers shouldn’t have to monitor or manage multiple platforms for their operations - everything should communicate holistically to a central hub. Modern key cabinets do that seamlessly, and represent an intelligent solution that can serve as a critical resource for today’s institutions to operate safely and effectively for years to come.