ST : Building in security at property design stage

Jan 31, 2010

Building in security at property design stage

Home Affairs Ministry produces guide to help builders protect their properties against terrorist hits

By Teh Joo Lin

In this era of homeland security, a building should not be a house built on sand.

When a truck bomb went off outside a building in Oklahoma in the United States in 1995, most of the 168 victims died - not from the direct blast effects, but from the partial collapse of the building.

There would have been more survivors if it had been designed against progressive collapse, that is, the failure of one part leading to the crumbling of a much larger part, or even the entire building.

In hindsight, too, the 18-year-old building could have been retrofitted with added structures to strengthen it.

Meanwhile, one outcome of the Sept 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the US is a worldwide drive to strengthen the security design of buildings.

In Singapore, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Jan 20 produced a 138-page document to help those who design, construct and manage buildings to protect their properties against terrorist strikes.

The draft version of the Guidelines for Enhancing Building Security was first released in November 2007.

Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng, in his foreword, called on the building and construction community to use the document to improve building security.

He described it as a 'comprehensive compilation of international best practices in building security that can be applied to Singapore'.

The document cited several cases to bring home the reality of the regional threat.

Last July, seven people were killed and scores injured when suicide bombers breached the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels in Jakarta and set off explosives.

The document noted that the terrorists' targets 'are now commonly hotels or resorts'.

It recommended different tiers of protection, based on factors like the number of people who use the building, its purpose, nature of activity and if it is symbolic or iconic.

The proposed modes of protection include access control and alarm systems, vehicle anti-ramming barriers and even how vegetation can help or hinder security.

'Trees with a trunk diameter of larger than 50cm can be used to stop a vehicle, depending on the protection level required,' said the document.

But thick vegetation can also be exploited to hide bombs and weapons, it said.

Building owners may claim that such measures are costly, but the ministry said costs will not increase much if security concerns are addressed from the beginning - during the design stage.

This is the practice of City Developments, which said security issues are addressed from the design phase of each new development, encompassing architectural design, building security infrastructure and the needs of the various stakeholders.

Its spokesman added that building security was of the utmost importance.

'In our existing commercial buildings, we continually review security technology and innovation with the aim of enhancing security within our buildings,' she said.

For example, independent assessors conduct regular security reviews at Republic Plaza. The company is studying the MHA's guidelines 'with the view of further enhancing security within our premises'.

At Marina Properties, which manages Millenia Tower and Centennial Tower, an annual budget is dedicated to upgrading security equipment and staff training.

Its measures include secure card access, regulated driveways to prevent unauthorised parking and the recording of vehicles moving in and out of the compound.

There are cameras at strategic locations, including the lifts, while security officers conduct regular patrols, sometimes in plainclothes.

'Flowerbed bollards' function as anti-crash barriers, proving that strong buildings need not look like fortresses.

A spokesman for United Engineers said: 'The beauty of a good design lies in functionality and aesthetics co-existing. With advanced design technology and good creativity, this is increasingly possible.'

joolin@sph.com.sg


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Tips for enhancing security

· Vegetation such as trees can be used to obstruct and hinder approaching suspicious vehicles.

Tree trunks with a diameter larger than 0.5m can be used to stop a vehicle, depending on the protection level required. But thick vegetation is not a good idea - it can be exploited to hide bombs or weapons.

· Bodies of water can impede moving vehicles. For example, cars and light trucks can be slowed to about 40kmh by wide water bodies that are 0.15m to 0.2m deep.

· Manhole covers 0.25m or more in diameter should be locked or bolted to prevent unauthorised opening.

· Vehicle and pedestrian entrances should be located as far as possible from the building.

· Carparks are a relatively simple opportunity to bring large quantities of explosives to a building. One consideration is to site parking areas as far as possible from the building's densely populated areas.

· Good security lighting increases visibility around the perimeter and buildings and also acts as a deterrent. At a minimum, all access points, the perimeter and restricted areas should be lit from sunset to sunrise, or during periods when visibility is low.

· The closed-circuit camera system should comprise multiple cameras installed throughout the building to cover all common areas, to a height of 2m above the floor level.

· All data received by cameras, alarms and access control systems should be recorded for post-incident investigation.

To view the publication, visit www.mha.gov.sg