Reducing the Carbon Footprint Required to Provide Security
MAXXESS is a recognized leader in the area of green security systems. We have been reducing the carbon footprint in five areas. The program spans from the hardware manufacturing of our suppliers to our software system design. The five areas covering both passive and active operational benefits are as follows:
Manufacturing Efficiency
MAXXESS is committed to work with environmentally-aware manufacturing partners to reduce the carbon footprint associated with the manufacturing of the dedicated hardware components of its security systems. (See attached memo from our partner, HID). Among the additional considerations we will apply in this process are the use of industry-standard platforms and components where appropriate and the leveraging of high-volume manufacturing for consumable components such as credentials and tokens.
Use of Standard Computing Platforms
High-level software components of MAXXESS solutions are designed to run under the widely-available Window Operating System on computing platforms with modest performance requirements. In many environments, these components can share computing platforms with other system functions [thus eliminating the requirement for a separate platform] or can utilize computing platforms that are no longer appropriate for more performance-intensive applications.
Use of Shared Networks
Traditional security systems have used dedicated resources for sensing, communication and management. As security requirements have become more demanding, however, economic considerations have required the use of shared, rather than dedicated, resources. This is first evidenced in the move toward the use of shared IP networks (Ethernet LANs, MANs, LANs and VPNs) as alternatives to dedicated security networks. This trend is increasing under the pressure of higher bandwidth demands [particularly for video security] and the requirement for the incorporation of mobile endpoints into the security network.
This use of shared networks represents a significant move toward material and energy efficiency. Universal use of (often pre-existing) Category 5/6 networking infrastructure significantly reduces the carbon footprint of the manufacturing elements of distributed security systems.
Since the energy consumption of networks is essentially independent of their utilization, the sharing of these networks among operational systems can materially reduce overall energy consumption. Since security systems require 7/24 operation, this operational energy savings can be very significant over the life of the system.
Integration with Legacy Systems
MAXXESS has made an extraordinary effort to enable its security management and framework product to integrate with legacy and/or other third-party systems. As a result the operationally useful lifetime of these products will be significantly extended and the carbon footprint impact associated with the manufacturing of replacement equipment can be deferred or, potentially, eliminated.
Adaptive Control
The integration of security with other operational functions such as building management, climate control and lighting not only extends the effectivity of the security function, but also facilitates the implementation of global policies designed to promote operational efficiency. Critically, the event-responsive nature of security operations permits the adoption of aggressive resource management policies that can be modified as required in response to unplanned events. Thus, we see electronic security as a central element of an effective and responsive organization management which is able to meet stringent efficiency requirements while adapting to unplanned events.
Summary
MAXXESS commitment to reduce the carbon footprint extends all the way to our suppliers. We are constantly working with our hardware suppliers to develop an active “green” program that encompasses materials, processes and transportation.
MAXXESS believes that the biggest impact in reducing the carbon footprint can be achieved through intelligent system design. MAXXESS has designed its solutions to maximize the efficient use of physical resources and to implement necessary functional and operational enhancements in software rather than hardware to ensure that the operational life of these resources is extended to the greatest possible degree.
One of the most significant carbon reduction benefits of intelligent system design lies in the area of operational use.
MAXXESS solutions provide passive operational benefits from their use of shared resources and their energy efficiency. Even more significantly, however, they can provide substantial active operational benefits by implementing responsive, adaptive management of energy-consuming resources such as environmental control systems [HVAC], lighting, and other habitation functions. MAXXESS solutions provide real-time sensing and control of these functions under the centralized management of a small, cross-functional staff.
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