NEXT GENERATION OF WIRELESS ALARMS COMBAT RISING CONSTRUCTION THEFT
Construction site theft is on the rise worldwide. Equipment, machinery and raw materials are easy to sell on the black market and difficult for police to trace, leaving job sites an easy target for thieves. This growing problem costs the construction industry billions of dollars each year in replacement costs and project delays. But as anyone in the industry knows, it’s difficult to secure a construction site. Traditional alarms and CCTV systems are costly to install and time consuming to configure, making them unfeasible for many job sites, especially unpowered locations, short-term projects and sites with multiple structures. This is driving many site supervisors to seek new ways of protecting their jobsites.
The construction industry turns to smart alarms, powered by Sigfox’s IoT network, for flexible protection that is changing the face of jobsite security
Increasingly, commercial and residential construction companies are turning to the next generation of wireless security systems, powered by Sigfox’s global IoT network, to protect their job sites. These devices prove to be a perfect fit for the unique needs of the construction industry. Because they bypass WiFi entirely and connect instead to a secure cloud network, the low-cost alarms operate on long-lasting batteries and are simple to install. They also function in even the most remote locations. This simple, flexible security option is saving construction companies thousands of dollars in lost materials and productivity—all for less than the cost to replace a single stolen skill saw.
From empty plot through fit out, each phase of a construction project poses its own unique security challenges, but these challenges are not always met by traditional alarm systems. For example, a company contracted to build a 7,000 square-meter manufacturing plant might find that a CCTV security system works well once the site is powered. But what about during the early phases of earth moving? Heavy machinery and equipment are still at risk of theft, but CCTV systems can’t be powered by temporary generators.
Many construction companies find that the next generation of wireless alarms are a perfect fit for earlystage projects and unpowered sections of construction sites. These alarm units operate entirely on battery power and can be placed anywhere on a site. With rental of most units costing less than 0.50 USD per day, choosing this option does not mean having to forgo a more expensive CCTV system later on in the project.
Once a site is powered, site supervisors often choose to keep their wireless alarms as a complement to CCTV systems. For the same 7,000 square meter manufacturing plant, next-generation wireless units provide peace of mind should thieves cut power lines, or in the case of a power outage. Likewise, a wellplaced wireless alarm protects stairways, storage rooms and secondary access that may not otherwise be secured.
A focus on a solutionenabled by Sigfox
Featuring state of the art technology, the SecureTrackSense intelligent wireless alarms is designed to detect any movement at the installed location and immediately alert users via a smartphone notification and/or email.
Plug and play technology gives construction sites maximum flexibility and protection
Even when electrical power is not an issue, complex projects with multiple structures still benefit from this new type of wireless security system. A sprawling, multi-unit suburban housing development often starts with just a job trailer and a model unit. A traditional alarm system could work for these two structures, but security becomes more complex as the site progresses and multiple units come on line. Configuring and reconfiguring a traditional security system for each new housing unit is both costly and time consuming. The last thing a site supervisor wants to do is waste time every few weeks scheduling and managing the installation of yet another alarm for the next set of new houses.
The plug and play technology of next-generation wireless alarms means setting up a security system for each new housing unit can be completed in less than five minutes. No configuration is necessary, eliminating the hassle of calling the security company for every setup. Any authorized site employee can quickly complete the setup and alarm units can be relocated as security needs change. Because this type of alarm system doesn’t require a long-term contract, project are able to start with just a few rented units and scale up as the job progresses.
Low cost wireless security systems are affordable for projects of any size
Large construction companies are not the only ones benefitting from the next generation of wirelesssecurity systems. A contractor hired to demo and rebuild a single- family home may want the peace ofmind a security system provides, but find it cost prohibitive for such a short-term project. This is especially true for small companies with lean budgets. If a project is expected to last only a few months,it doesn’t make sense to sign a long-term contract for a security system and incur the hassle and cost of configuration. Even the smallest companies and the shortest-term projects have found the next generation of smart, wireless alarm systems to be a cost effective security option. At around 0.50 USD per day, renting an alarm for a four-month project costs roughly 60 USD. That’s less than the cost to replace one stolen skill saw. In terms of a powerful return-on-investment, this figure speaks for itself.
