Integrated Physical Security Protection

Factors to Be Considered When Providing Integrated Physical Security Protection for a High-Rise, Multi-Tenanted Office Building

Factors to Be Considered When Providing Integrated Physical Security Protection for a High-Rise, Multi-Tenanted Office Building

Introduction

The cities are out of space for new constructions said Willis (2005) this in turns demand more efficient ways for the utilization of land. Due to saturated cities, the price of real estate also shoot to the sky and that is another reason why people started to consider more and more effective way for land utilization. Increasing in this demand has produced vertical cities. Mostly the commercial hub of developed countries including USA, China, England, Malaysia, Japan and others have now turned to vertical cities. However, this also increases the associated risks and threats with such high-rise buildings. The most recent event the world has witnessed is the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, which have demolished cities of Japan. Besides these natural disasters which are throughout the life of buildings, terrorists attacks have also become major risks for the building security. The target of terrorist groups is shifting from iconic buildings or structures to soft (unsecured and easily accessible) targets where a large number of people gather, like transportation systems and facilities, business and shopping centers, public spaces, schools, libraries, and hospitals (American Society for Industrial Security, 2005). Most buildings are subject to risk associated with premises, personnel, equipment; and data, information, and knowledge.

Since facility managers are responsible for the management of the buildings within an organization, their duties often incorporate activities such as planning, providing, and managing its security. In fact, this aspect is becoming an increasingly important feature of facility management(Colton, 2005). It is, therefore, important to identify the potential areas of terror risks and to create measures to reduce or eliminate such risks. The following paragraphs will attempt to present the factors that should be taken into account in the development of a security plan for the tall buildings. In this study different threats and risks high-rise buildings can face would be scrutinize along with what factors to be considered when planning a Integrated Physical Security Protection for a high-rise building, multi tenanted office. (Colton, 2005)

Factors to Be Considered For Providing Integrated Physical Security Protection

Terrorism

In order to develop a thorough understanding of organizational security, it is important to begin by understanding the facility. Multi-tenanted office building facility will be defined as a large and complex human occupied structure and such structures may become the primary target for terrorist attacks because of their mass occupancy. Strategies that could protect multi-tenanted office building from terror attacks ensure the security of a building protection through structural improvements, such as provision of structural members, joints, and prevention of progressive penetration, legislation, codes, and standards, such as those governing setbacks, occupancy, material use, emergency preparedness, and standoff distance; and building arrangements in planning and design, such as orientation, façade, standoff distance, physical barriers, natural barriers, and camouflaging primary structural members. (Ábalos & Herreros, 2003)

It is important to note that ...