Universities have been around for many centuries, being centers of learning and
discovery for people of all ages. The earliest university, Harvard, was built in the United States
in 1636. On-campus residential living also has quite a history, giving a place for students to live
on campus during their time. As universities and learning centers have continued to be built
and scaled over the centuries, they have needed to accumulate more places for students to
stay in. Older buildings started to be intermixed with newer buildings, with the older dorms
lagging behind the more modern facilities.

The influx of students and campus scaling has resulted in the older buildings being
utilized alongside the new, with a clear difference in the amenities offered by the more recent
Class A dorms, full of modern amenities and quality of life improvements, and the older Class C
buildings, historical and requiring constant renovations.

It can seem like a daunting task to modernize older buildings, especially if they have
gone a long time without these renovations. This is a prevalent problem on university campuses
that have existed for a long time, as they rely on a mix of older and newer dormitories. So how
can universities help retrofit their older dorms to equally give students the same quality of life
amenities as a more unique dorm? Geokey offers universities a modern access control solution
that keeps buildings secure, gives students a convenient and easy-to-use amenity, and was built
to be installable in everything from new Class A to old Class C properties and everything in
between.

Modern Access Control
Geokey eliminates the need for property owners to spend money making keys and
rekeying locks by making the student’s phone the only key they need! When a student is
assigned to a dorm, administrators can use the Geokey portal to assign a student a Geokey,
holding credentials made specifically for their phone. When in range of a door they are allowed
access to, all the student has to do is tap, and the door unlocks.

Administrators have full control over who has access to what door, giving the end users
access to everything they are allowed to, from the unit to specific subunit access points, such as
their bedrooms. Students and administrators alike can rest easy knowing that only students can
access their specific dorm units and bedrooms.

With the key on the student’s phone, there is no need to worry about keys or fobs being
stolen, lost, or illegally copied. The portal keeps track of when a door is accessed and by whom,
allowing administrators to enforce curfews and audit when certain people access a door. It’s a
modern access control system built to be flexible and work with various hardware for
everything from outside gates to deadbolts.

An Affordable Amenity
Geokey offers security that doubles as a Class A amenity. Entering a locked door has
never been easier and removes the hassle of fumbling with a ring of keys. With their unique
credential, students can have exclusive access to their dorm space and other areas around
campus, such as computer labs, student areas, and much more.

While being able to access campus with your phone is great, Geokey is integrating with
various partners that expand on the experience and can give students an actual all-in-one
experience. One example is our integration with Resideo’s smart thermostat, which allows
residents to use the Geokey app to adjust their room temperature remotely, allowing students
and faculty to save money and energy.

Made for Retrofitting
While we have a variety of solutions for every need, our hardware was built to be
compatible with the needs of older buildings. If there isn’t a hub or community wifi available,
no problem: we have hardware available that doesn’t require it. Thanks to being battery-
powered with a long lifespan, students don’t need to fear being locked out of their room thanks
to power outages.

Geokey’s system is designed to be flexible and easily integrate with various architectural
layouts. Geokey does not demand extensive rewiring or infrastructure modifications, unlike
traditional access control systems. This makes it an ideal choice for historical Class C buildings
that may lack the electrical and network infrastructure common in newer constructions.
One of our best examples of Geokey in action in Class C buildings is our work with the
1910 Historic Lofts. A multifamily apartment building built over a century ago, residents still live
in modern luxury thanks to installations such as Geokey. As the student housing landscape
evolves, Geokey paves the way for a future where the blend of historical significance and
modern convenience is not just a possibility but a reality. By offering an accessible and versatile
solution for retrofitting, Geokey contributes to creating an inclusive and secure living
environment for all students, regardless of the age of their dormitory.