When Chris told me what shower system the club was using, I realised I could integrate Net2 control units to activate the showers and set a timer via the software, ensuring minimum water usage. Net2 is also providing security on the club’s doors

– Richard Muscroft, Churchill Security

Solution

Richard Muscroft of Churchill Security specified Paxton’s networked Net2 access control system. Richard says: “When Chris told me what shower system the club was using, I realised I could integrate Net2 control units to activate the showers and set a timer via the software, ensuring minimum water usage. Net2 is also providing security on the club’s doors.”

Richard’s team installed 11 Net2 control units, including the women’s and men’s showers, disabled washrooms and main doors.

Richard fitted a Proximity backbox reader opposite each shower; when a club member swipes their Net2 token, it toggles a relay setting off the infrared sensor activating the shower. The shower works on a timer for two minutes. This not only keeps water wastage and costs to a minimum, but also deters vandalism as the reader is robust and low profile. The efficiency of the new Net2 system meant guests are no longer charged extra to use the showers. Chris says: “The Net2 system chops that cost down to pence, so much so that we can throw the shower facilities in with the membership charge and not ask guests for extra contributions.”

Many of the centre’s members are children and young adults, so providing a safe environment is vital. Richard says: “The Net2 system really improves security for the youngsters that use the club. It has meant that this Canoe England site strikes a balance between providing an open, welcoming venue for water sports enthusiasts and a safe, secure environment that gives members peace of mind.”

Result
The centre uses the flexible Net2 software to set different access permissions for its 520 members, granting and denying access to specific areas of the club at the click of a button. In the future Chris expects the membership to double and to welcome up to 120,000 users.

With this volume of members and visitors, it is important that the flow of people around the building can be easily managed and that each user has personal access permissions. Chris is pleased with how Net2 is working for the centre and feels confident it has the capabilities for the future. He says: “A club like this has to keep its costs down to keep going at all. It has simply given us an economical, green security solution that’s ideal for Canoe England.”