Schneider Electric beat off stiff competition to receive the highly commended award in the Integrated Security Solution (for projects above $250,000) at the 2013 Australian Security Industry (ASIAL) Awards for Excellence for its role in the $1 billion Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) Melbourne project.

Held at the Hyatt Park, Melbourne, the Integrated Security Solution Award was presented to the organisation that has demonstrated innovation and excellence in the integration of electronic security systems in the last 12 months.

RCH engaged the Schneider Electric project team lead by Peter von Hofe as the Project Director and Robert Paoletti as the Security Project Manager to design a fully integrated, automated building management system ensuring the security and safety of all staff, patients and visitors.

“We’re absolutely thrilled to have helped RCH, the major paediatric hospital in Victoria, implement a building management system that efficiently delivers high levels of patient comfort whilst simultaneously ensureing the security of patients, visitors and staff. RCH’s key focus is on providing the very best care for sick children and we’re proud we can contribute to this,” says Schneider Electric national healthcare segment manager Glen Scott.

VIC regional manager for buildings business Glen Charge accepted the award on behalf of Schneider Electric. “The Schneider Electric team is very pleased to win this commendation in partnership with the RCH – it was great to be recognised by the industry for a complex project that delivers benefits to both RCH and its patients every day,” Glen says.

The integration of the security and building programs enables Schneider-Electric to deliver optimal energy usage by utilising security components to serve more than one function, for instance, motion sensors can idently unoccupied areas and save energy by controlling lighting and temperature based on occupancy status.

By integrating Schneider Electric and RCH’s systems, the management program reduces waste and redundancy while driving information sharing across the hospital. This allows greater control over operational costs as management can calculate savings based on increased operational monitoring through the integrated security and building management system.

“The Royal Children’s Hospital has been providing outstanding care for Victoria’s children and their families for over 140 years. Schneider Electric has helped us improve building performance, enhance patient security and improve overall patient and staff satisfaction within the facility,” says Royal Children’s Hospital spotless contract manager Steve Scott.

“By implementing an integrated, intelligent infrastructure, RCH has become a safe, secure and green, reducing GHG emissions, water use and metered electricity consumption p/m2. Due to the ease of use, interoperability and scalability, we are able to continually improve on our utility consumption, to become an internationally acclaimed green hospital. As a result, we’re now able to create a safe and sustainable environment for our staff and patients while minimising energy costs without having to compromise the quality of care.”