Environmental consciousness has been a big topic of conversation over the past few decades, with many people wanting to do their part to preserve the world we all live in. A significant aspect of this conversation has resulted from what businesses can do, whether it comes to how they utilize natural resources or their business practices. As stewards of the environment, we must examine ourselves and whether our impact on the world is positive.
The access control industry is not exempt from the tough questions about its impact on the environment. Plastic key cards and fobs are made to be disposable. It is any wonder how many consumable cards sit rotting in a landfill or end up in the ocean whenever they become damaged or expire beyond their limited use. Even with the creation of cards made with biodegradable parts, there is still a cost when it comes to mass manufacturing them. Manufacturing increases our carbon footprint, and constantly generating thousands of new consumable cards does nothing to bring that down. Large electronic systems are not exempt from this either. Large server rooms or data storage can consume a lot of electricity, which needs to be generated through power plants burning fuel.
Considering both the physical and digital halves of the industry generate waste to one extent or another, it might seem hopeless: you should not have to choose the lesser of two evils to keep your property secure. Geokey’s access control solution mitigates these concerns with its innovative software that eliminates the need to make keys while using the power of the cloud.
Geokey’s most prominent solution to those looking to lower their carbon footprint is how it utilizes keys. Or, to be more precise, its lack of physical keys. Geokey’s software employs a digital key, turning the user’s phone into a means to unlock doors. Geokey’s solution eliminates the need to manufacture keys that need to be replaced in a few months as the phone becomes the only key the user needs. Acting as both the credentials typically found on a card and the reader, the app can unlock any doors the administrator permits it to open, making it as secure as it is eco-friendly.
While this solves the problem of material waste, we also made the claim Geokey had a solution to the electric waste problem. How can a system that relies on technology not require properties to install servers to log all its users or Wi-Fi to interconnect everything?
Geokey is cloud-based, meaning all its data is stored and accessible online. Being cloud-based, combined with global administrative rights granted to property managers to access their data, means properties do not need to store their data. Because Geokeys are sent through Bluetooth, properties do not need a community-wide Wi-Fi network to interconnect all their devices.
Geokey also puts this into practice in how it runs its servers. Because our software runs through Microsoft Azure, we do not need on-site servers to manage our data. According to Microsoft, Geokey’s current emissions output is 0.02 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (mtCO2e). If Geokey ran a typical on-site data center, our output would be 13.59 mtCO2e. Those emissions savings are comparable to about 33,000 miles of driven distance! Geokey’s access control solution is as eco-friendly as it is secure. While providing consumers with an easy and secure access solution, it also provides ease of mind knowing they are utilizing a product that, compared to the rest of the market, has less of an environmental impact.
