A security system design consultant is responsible for producing the Division 28 (Electronic Safety and Security) construction documents for a building project. Their scope typically covers systems like:
The consultant defines each system, documents its requirements, and coordinates its physical infrastructure with the Division 27 structured cabling design and the architectural and MEP drawings. The output is a set of vendor-neutral construction documents that contractors use to price and install the security systems accurately. Read on to learn why this role is important for any technology-intensive building project.
Access control system design is the most coordination-intensive element of most Division 28 scopes. It defines the security zones of a building – which areas are access-controlled, to what credential level, and with what hardware – and produces the documentation that ties those decisions to the architectural drawings.
The design covers nearly every element of building access control systems, including:
Access control hardware also requires coordination with the door and frame specifications in Division 08 – a gap that consistently generates change orders when Division 28 isn't accounted for during design development.
A security system design consultant is needed on any project where electronic security systems are significant enough that their design requirements need to be reflected in the construction documents. That includes most commercial office buildings, institutional facilities, government buildings, healthcare facilities, campuses, and any project with controlled access areas.
On smaller or simpler projects – a single-tenant office with standard building entry control – a design-build security contractor arrangement may be sufficient. On projects with multiple security zones, complex access control hierarchies, extensive camera coverage, or integration requirements between security and other building systems, a security system design consultant is the appropriate choice.
The test is straightforward: if the security system scope is complex enough that a contractor at bid would need to make design decisions to price it, a security system design consultant should be defining those decisions during design development.
When Division 28 scope isn't designed during the design phase, contractors at bid are working from incomplete construction documents. They make assumptions about security zone configurations, hardware types, cabling pathways, and equipment room requirements. Those assumptions rarely match the owner's actual requirements – they produce change orders when the gaps are discovered during construction.
The most common gap here is door hardware. If access control door hardware requirements aren't coordinated with the Division 08 hardware schedule during design development, the contractor will likely discover during installation that the specified frames don't accommodate the required electrified hardware.
Engaging a security system design consultant like TMC during the schematic design phase can help you prevent those problems. An experienced consultant will define the Division 28 scope, coordinate with the architectural and Division 27 drawings, and document in vendor-neutral specs that contractors can price accurately.
Want to learn more about how TMC handles security system design on building projects? Reach out today to get started.