Nigel Broderick came up with the idea for the DaylightSecure garden shed after somebody broke into his wooden shed and stole his bicycle. It’s become the first garden shed to be awarded the Secured by Design certification.
Nigel says: “Things should be just as safe outside your home as inside and I wanted to come up with a sustainable solution.”
The shed is made of TPR, described as an alternative to concrete that is made using waste diverted from landfill. The shed also features a double door and composite roof to let the daylight in. Brodco, the Somerset-based company behind the shed (pictured in magnolia), is now a member of Secured by Design, the UK police initiative to help ‘design out’ crime through the use of tested products and processes.
Alan McInnes, General Manager of SBD, says: “Not only is the Daylight Secure shed made from recycled products and carbon neutral, but it also benefits the environment by helping to prevent crime and stands out as something truly different.”
To achieve Secured by Design status the shed had to adhere to test standards. Police admit that theft from sheds, garages and gardens in the UK increased by 10 per cent in the last year alone, and around 5000 homes are targeted every week according to the Office for National Statistics.
About the firm
Nigel Broderick, the founder of Brodco, bought an eight by five feet wooden shed after moving house that cost nearly £1400 including the concrete base. He was soon unhappy with it.
The wood started to warp after a few months and the door no longer closed properly. The constructors had used nails instead of screws. He would have to reposition the bolt every few months as the seasons changed. The damp wooden floor made the shed smell musty and cobwebs blocked the light through the window.
Nigel thought a padlock would keep his tools safe inside. However, one night somebody levered the door from its frame. In the morning his tools and bicycle were gone. He decided to design a shed that would keep belongings as safe outside the home as inside and wouldn’t be affected by the weather.
A battery-operated light switch timer, launched at The Gadget Show Live recently, is the first of its type to be awarded the police-preferred Secured by Design accreditation.
With four out of five domestic burglaries happening when no-one is at home, the advice by police is to use an automatic light timer when the property is empty and in darkness – recommending in particular the Light Switch Timer product, designed and made by Essex-based company Switched On Products.
Company director Naiem Dakri says: “We’re delighted to be the first timed lighting product to gain the Secured by Design Police Preferred Specification. It shows that there was a real need for such a product and demonstrates its high quality and capabilities.”
The battery-operated timer can be used in any living space which gives off the most light, to deter would-be intruders. It works by sliding a cradle over the wall light switch, into which is slotted the control unit, making it ready to operate in seconds. It includes programme off and on times for different days, and has been designed to operate effectively on all standard, single, double or triple gang light switches, and with all light bulbs, including LEDs and CFLs.
Alan McInnes, General Manager Secured by Design, adds: “Light Switch Timer is the first timed lighting device to be accredited to Secured by Design, impressing us with both with its innovation and ease of use.” The timer is now available from stores across the UK and online at www.lightswitchtimer.co.uk
And Videx Security manufacturers of door entry and access control products in the UK has now received Secured by Design (SBD) accreditation on door entry and access control products suitable for private, commercial and local authority properties.
In the Secured by Design New & Refurbished Homes Design Guide 2013, Access Controlled Entrance Doors within buildings containing more than four flatted dwellings will be subject to increased Crime Prevention measures.
The door entry and access control products which have been tested to STS202 BR2 Level of Burglary Resistance and received Secured By Design approval include the following ranges which are suitable for low, medium and high rise properties:
When evaluating door entry and access control products, SBD say that it is important that they are carefully procured in line with project requirements and fully satisfy Secure by Design requirements. Subsequent inspections by Crime Prevention Design Advisors may lead to non conformance and replacement equipment sought.
