A carbon neutral development in the London Borough of Merton has become the first such development in the area to achieve a Secured by Design (SBD) award for the level of physical security provided in its buildings
The Zero, in Raynes Park is a 35 unit residential development, which started with the vision of creating one of the most planet-friendly developments in the UK, without compromising on design or function. Security was important to the developers, who wished to maximise security and were keen to keep their future residents safe, so they worked with a Metropolitan Police designing out crime officer (DOCO) to ensure that appropriate security measures commensurate to the local crime risk were incorporated into the development.
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This work included incorporating products that meet SBD’s Police Preferred Specification standard into the physical security of the building such as internal apartment door sets fitted with robust locking systems, as well as appropriately cited CCTV security cameras.
The Zero is an up-to-date Secured by Design building
The Zero blazes a new trail in high-quality, zero carbon living, with the thermally efficient building reducing the energy demands of each apartment and the building as a whole. Every aspect has been meticulously designed and sourced from the highest quality materials resulting in wonderfully light filled open-plan apartments. Harnessing the natural resources of the sun’s power, The Zero uses the most technically advanced solar panel system combined with a bank of Tesla Powerall storage batteries, to create a building which is completely self-sufficient during certain times of the year. Estimates suggest that as much as £6500 per year can be saved by residents and the development has won awards for its energy efficiency.
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Metropolitan Police designing out crime officer Neal Micklewright said: “A good working relationship with the developer helped ensure that all aspects of security were evaluated and addressed constantly. Security was under review throughout the build process and an eagerness to ensure that the site achieved the desired SBD certification meant any issues that arose were resolved without compromise. Security considerations have been assessed throughout this development and I’m really pleased with the final result”.
The development’s architect/developer, said: “We really wanted to ensure that our building was as secure as possible for our young and first time buyers. It’s a big step buying your first home, especially in London and in many cases the ‘bank of mum and dad’ are needed to step in to help them get up on the ladder.
“One of the important things for parents is to know that their young adult children are as safe as possible. Having spoken to Neal and his team, we worked collaboratively to understand what would be needed in terms of physical security and also the SBD team helped massively in the CCTV design, this definitely made the process far easier and I really felt that we were working as a team to gain the accreditation. I’m not saying it was super easy but working with Neal and his partner made it less complicated than it sounded from the outset, well done guys, it was a pleasure working with you and great to see that you really appreciated the overall scheme and what we were trying to deliver”.
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Improved security
Developers around the UK can achieve SBD awards for incorporating crime prevention measures and techniques into their developments in all kinds of building sectors, such as residential, education, health, transport, commercial, retail, sport and leisure. Indeed, SBD can be used as evidence to discharge third-party obligations under Part Q of Schedule 1 (Security) to the English Building Regulations, the Scottish Building Standard 4.13 (Security) and Welsh Building Regulations Part Q (Security – Dwellings). These awards are gained by working with police Designing Out Crime Officers (DOCOs), who advise architects, developers and local authority planners long before construction begins – and continue to provide advice and guidance until the development is complete.
Academic and other research shows that improving standards of security in brand new and refurbished properties, helps deter and reduce crime. Reducing crime and the fear of crime has direct links to better physical and mental well-being, such as with regard to high volume crimes like domestic abuse.
The built environment influences the behaviour of people who work, live, socialise or simply pass through. SBD seeks to create environments where the law-abiding feel safe and secure whilst at the same time causing the criminal or anti-social to feel vulnerable to detection and thereby influence behaviour in a positive way. This continues to be a key objective for SBD.
Find out more about SBD Developers Awards here.
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