Access Control & Video
Door access and camera systems run as one managed security layer: credentials audited, firmware patched, footage retained to policy.
What Access Control & Video means in practice
Access Control & Video covers the readers, controllers, credentials, cameras and recorders that decide who enters a building and what is recorded when they do, along with the policies that govern both.
Physical security systems are IT systems with the safety lights on. Controllers run old firmware, fobs are never revoked when a tenant leaves, and recorders sit on the corporate network with a vendor default login. Treating them as managed infrastructure is cheaper than the one incident that proves otherwise.
Faults this removes
- Fobs and cards that stay active months after a tenant or contractor leaves
- Door controllers on firmware that predates several published vulnerabilities
- Recorders reachable from the internet through a forgotten port forward
- No documented retention period for footage
- Access logs nobody reviews until after an incident
Scope of work
- Credential audit and a joiner, mover, leaver process tied to your tenant list
- Controller and reader firmware inventory with a patch schedule
- Camera and recorder hardening: unique credentials, no public exposure
- Written retention and disclosure procedure aligned to PIPA and PIPEDA
- Offsite or cloud archive for incident clips
- Quarterly access report by door, tenant and exception
Typical platforms
- Brivo
- Genetec
- Avigilon
- Verkada
- Hikvision-class NVRs
- HID credentials
The first thirty days
In the first week we gather access, documentation and contacts, then complete a survey of the properties in scope. Weeks two and three are for design and approval of any change windows. The fourth week is for implementation and testing, with a handover meeting at the end. For larger portfolios we sequence buildings in waves so the first becomes a template for the rest of access control & video.
What it costs
Access Control & Video is quoted as a fixed-scope project, from $2,500, or delivered inside a managed agreement at $89 to $199 per user each month. Portfolio advisory work starts from $1,500 per month and security assessments from $1,900. Building count, suite count and after-hours coverage move the price within those ranges. A 10% launch discount applies, GST is added at 5% and there is no lock-in.
How Access Control & Video is delivered
Every engagement starts with a free 30-minute call, then a survey of the buildings involved: what is installed, who maintains it, how it is networked and where it fails. We write a fixed-price scope for access control & video listing outcomes, responsibilities, assumptions and exclusions. Work is scheduled around occupancy, with a written rollback for each change. At handover you receive drawings, credentials in a vault you control and a short runbook. Target: zero active credentials for departed users after each monthly audit, and documented firmware currency on every controller.
Working with the rest of the property technology stack
Good access control & video depends on its neighbours: Accounting System Integrations, Strata Council Technology and Portfolio Cybersecurity. During scoping we identify the systems that share a network, an account or a data feed with it and confirm the dependencies. That prevents the familiar pattern where a well-run project is undone by an unrelated vendor's change the following month.
When property teams ask for access control & video
The common triggers are an outage, an incident, an acquisition, an insurance questionnaire or a tenant complaint that cannot be answered. Owners and managers in building owners and strata & condo managers contact us after one of these, and reits & asset managers often come to us ahead of a major project. Whatever the trigger, we begin with evidence, not assumptions.
Security and privacy considerations
Building and property systems hold sensitive information and often control physical access. For access control & video we apply least-privilege access, multi-factor authentication for every administrative account, logged vendor access and encrypted storage of credentials. Where personal information is involved, we align the configuration with BC PIPA and PIPEDA expectations and document the controls so you can show them to an insurer or auditor.
What we report and how often
You receive a monthly summary covering incidents, changes, open risks and upcoming renewals for access control & video, and a quarterly review with a ranked list of recommended work. Reports are written for property managers and owners, not for engineers, and include the building, the system and the date of every significant change. Target: zero active credentials for departed users after each monthly audit, and documented firmware currency on every controller.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need to sign a long-term contract?
No. After onboarding the service is month to month with no lock-in, and you keep ownership of your documentation, configurations and data.
What is included in Access Control & Video?
Core deliverables include credential audit and a joiner, mover, leaver process tied to your tenant list, together with drawings, documentation and a handover session. Exact scope is confirmed in a written, fixed-price proposal before work begins.
Can access control & video work alongside our existing vendors and staff?
Yes. We work with in-house maintenance teams, building-automation vendors, access-control installers and property software support. Responsibilities are documented so nothing falls between organisations.
Which tools and platforms are involved in access control & video?
Typical platforms include Brivo, Genetec, Avigilon, Verkada, Hikvision-class NVRs and HID credentials. We use mainstream, supported technology that fits your existing investments, and we record every device and licence in an asset register delivered at handover.
How is the result of access control & video measured?
Target: zero active credentials for departed users after each monthly audit, and documented firmware currency on every controller. Results are reported monthly and reviewed with you each quarter.