The West Edmonton Mall (WEM), in Alberta, Canada, has selected and installed Synergis for an access control system upgrade. With the completion of the initial phase of the upgrade, the security staff at WEM use Synergis to protect over 70 doors in what’s said to be North America’s largest shopping and entertainment centre, with plans to continue expanding the system in the near future.
Previously, WEM had two disparate access control solutions in place which required several access control cards, creating an administrative nightmare and taking up resources in both the security and human resource (HR) departments. With the help of Contava, an Alberta-based security reseller and integrator, the new upgrade to Synergis access control solution proved beneficial as it provided WEM with the tools to be more efficient and expeditious in response to critical situations.
“One of the main benefits we experienced with Synergis is the ability to integrate it with our Windows Active Directory,” says Joseph Schuldhaus, VP of Information Technology at Triple Five Group of Companies. Triple Five is the owner and manager of West Edmonton Mall and Mall of America with offices throughout the world.
“When we onboard an employee using Synergis, the same tool that creates an employee record and badge, will at the same time update the active directory structure,” continues Schuldhaus. The Active Directory integration in Synergis has taken a lot of the day-to-day administration work away from HR personnel who no longer have to wait for Security to issue or activate a badge.
With Omnicast, Genetec’s video surveillance product, already managing over 800 cameras at various Triple Five Group owned and managed properties, the integration of two solutions from a single provider has been another benefit at WEM. In real-time, dispatch can see video of a door being opened along with the credentials of the employee who is accessing the door.
“Genetec has been a superior provider of technology, services and support,” says Schuldhaus. “We have great respect for the company and it has worked out well for us.”
“WEM and the Triple Five Group have been extremely pro-active in their quest to be the best multi-entertainment facility in Canada, and they did not forgo security in the process,” says John Joyce, Director of Business Development for Synergis at Genetec. “The recent Synergis integration with Omnicast at WEM will enhance security and ultimately offer their customers and tenants an even better experience at the mall.”
