Green Buildings: Three ways an access control system can boost your sustainability scorecard
By Steve Katanas (pictured), Regional Head, Mature Markets, ANZ, Physical Access Control Solution, HID
As sustainability becomes a key priority for organisations of all sizes, Australian facility owners and decision-makers are under growing pressure to adopt environmentally friendly practices. With Australia’s climate commitments and carbon reduction goals in focus, businesses must find innovative ways to enhance sustainability.
Further to this, the Federal Government has recently passed laws in Australia that dictate new reporting standards for sustainability. Starting in January 2025, the Australian Sustainability Reporting Standard (ASRS) AASB S2 states that large listed, private companies and financial institutions are required to assess and disclose information about their climate-related risks in a regular report.
While much attention is given to building systems like HVAC and lighting, one critical yet often overlooked area is physical access control. Smarter, energy-efficient access systems can significantly reduce a building’s environmental impact while cutting operational costs—a vital step in a country where energy consumption and resource use are critical concerns.
Globally, buildings account for approximately 40% of carbon emissions, according to the World Green Building Council. By integrating energy-efficient designs, including modern access control systems, facilities can lower their carbon footprint, minimize waste, and optimize resource use.
The shift toward greener solutions is gaining momentum. The HID 2024 State of Security and Identity report reveals that 56% of security professionals rank sustainability as a top priority for 2024, with 80% observing increased demand for eco-friendly practices among customers.
As you consider ways to boost your organisation’s overall sustainability efforts, here are three considerations for how your physical access system can help boost your green scorecard.
- Pulling the plug on plastic
PVC and other plastic materials have long been used to manufacture so many of the cards we use day to day, from credit cards to gift cards to employee access cards. PVC production requires energy, often from burning fossil fuels, leading to greenhouse gas emissions. We also have a better understanding that this type of plastic doesn’t biodegrade in the environment. In fact, these materials can take up to 500 years to decompose on their own, and while doing so, can release toxins into the environment.
Replacing plastic cards with cards made from environmentally friendly materials can help reduce negative impacts while decreasing energy consumption and waste. Bamboo access cards, like HID’s Seos® Bamboo credentials, are a recent innovation that provides a PVC-free, sustainable alternative to cards made mostly out of plastic — one that’s just as secure and reliable.
To verify sustainable sourcing, look for bamboo cards certified by an independent organisation, like the Forestry Stewardship Council® (FSC®). Credentials made using this renewable resource can contribute toward an organisation’s sustainability goals, including those seeking certifications such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM®) and Zero Waste to Landfill. Also, look for a vendor with a program to support recycling of the plastic cards as they are deprovisioned and replaced.
Other eco-friendly alternatives are also becoming available, including a paper-based credential for short-term use and a polylactic acid-based (PLA) card made from biologically sourced material.
- Making the case for cardless
Some scenarios may always require use of a physical card, like one made from bamboo. In other cases, mobile access systems take sustainable solutions one step further, allowing people to access secured doors, networks and more through their mobile device rather than PVC cards. Every mobile credential issued translates into one less piece of plastic in landfills. In our Cradle-to-Grave Life Cycle Assessment, where we compared mobile access to ISOProx PVC credentials, mobile access has substantially less negative environmental impact than ISOProx PVC cards, by every measure – from global warming potential to ozone depletion.
Choosing mobile security credentials reduces resources related to manufacturing, distribution and even provisioning. For example, a PVC card might be manufactured in Asia, shipped to the U.S. for printing, then shipped again to a company’s headquarters in Europe — all before it gets into the hands of the end user.
In addition to PVC production and card distribution, there are environmental costs associated with card provisioning. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average office building in the U.S. consumes about 15 kWh per square foot per year. For a 750-square-foot card office the electricity consumption would be about 11,250 kWh per year. When you factor in the energy consumption, along with the scenario of producing and replacing potentially 100,000 PVC cards over 10 years, the carbon footprint is significant.
In contrast, security administrators can create and provision mobile credentials from a cloud-based portal, eliminating carbon emissions as well as resources like plastic and ink typically used in physical card manufacturing.
As organisations go increasingly digital — and in some cases fully digital — mobile access can contribute to less reliance on plastic and a lower carbon footprint. In addition, this solution offers the convenience both system administrators and end users, like employees, are beginning to expect in a digital-first world.
When selecting a card-free access system, it’s essential to work with a vendor who designs customer-driven features that make the transition easy, flexible, scalable and as cost-efficient as possible. The right vendor will support your efforts for the full life cycle of the mobile access system, from considering your current assets to scaling system integration to monitoring that ensures your credential flows are seamless.
If you’re interested in upgrading to a mobile access system, independent accreditation like WiredScore and SmartScore can help identify a mobile solution that will work with smart building systems.
- Energising sustainability by reining in energy use
Whether the credential is mobile or bamboo or PVC, physical access control card readers operate on Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and/or near-field communication (NFC). Readers need to be active constantly to control access to doors, elevators, turnstiles and more. This results in constant energy consumption, which can impact sustainability efforts, particularly in organisations that require hundreds, or even thousands, of readers.
Transitioning to readers that consume less energy can improve a building’s sustainability. Look at a reader’s environmental product declaration (EPD) for transparency around its energy usage. The EPD will also provide a holistic view of the reader’s life-cycle environmental impact, from manufacturing to disposal, so you can make informed decisions about how a particular reader will impact green initiatives. Access readers with EPDs can help contribute toward LEED certification. Likewise, third-party certifications, like GreenCircle, can provide assurance that a reader provides the life-cycle qualities that assure its eco-friendliness.
In addition, the longevity of the reader’s service life on the wall can also be an important consideration for the environment — and your sustainability efforts. A reader that lasts only three years requires much more energy and materials to replace than one that lasts 10 years. Choose a reader manufacturer proven to design high-quality, low-energy readers that stay in commission for long periods and provide futureproofing, allowing administrators to upgrade readers in the field as security technology evolves.
Energy consideration isn’t just for onsite components like readers. Digital aspects of a physical access system, like cloud computing, aren’t inherently “green.” For example, the data centers that make cloud computing possible have an environmental impact. From cables to cell towers to air conditioners and computer servers, this infrastructure can have a significant impact on waste as well as water and energy usage.
Some manufacturers like HID are conducting studies to determine and document how much energy is consumed by their cloud services for solutions such as mobile access. With information from these studies, it will be easier to make informed decisions even about using mobile physical access systems and the impact on your own environmental goals.
Sustainability has gone beyond a buzzword
In the discussion about access systems and sustainability, there is one more point to consider. Generation Z, born between 1995 and 2010, is often credited with making decisions based on their concern for the planet, a trend that is particularly evident in Australia, where issues like climate change and the need for sustainable practices are top priorities. As the environment’s health becomes more of a priority for all age groups, putting sustainability into action can have a positive impact on every stakeholder, from employees and visitors to potential investors and the community. What’s more, solutions like sustainably sourced bamboo cards or mobile access serve as daily visual representations of an organisation’s commitment to sustainability.
Organisations should leverage every opportunity to meet their sustainability goals. Whether you switch from PVC to bamboo cards or transition to a mobile access system, you can leverage the access system to measurably boost those efforts while ensuring secure access to physical and digital places.
