View From Within: Triple Security for Shopping Malls

Contemporary urban retails centers of more than 30 000 sq. m. have become an acknowledged place not just for shopping but for leisure as well. However it is exactly this function that has made the shop a vulnerable spot. In any contingency in retail center a large number of people will be put in danger at the same time.

Security: Practice and Psychology

Yevgeny Kashtanov, director for security of ‘Regiony-Management’ company, recounts that the developer of ‘Iyun’ retail center in Saint Petersburg has opted for the full computerization of building systems rather than employing good old methods. All the ‘intelligent’ pieces of equipment in ‘Iyun’ are connected to the single control unit and are centrally managed. The integrated system functionss as a single organism, and each its part is managed by the electronic brain.

But, according to Kashtanov, many developers prefer those good old methods, i.e. employing several computerized systems which are not connected to each other and central control unit. For instance, fire alarm sensors are connected to fire protection centre, security alarm is attached to its own security systems, CCTV is managed by independent devices etc.

This approach to security lacks flexibility. However the old method is considered to be more reliable. The integrated systems on the contrary are still being tested on practice. Often technicians begin to update and alter something after their acquisition and installation. These ‘smart’ systems are usually created by Russian companies.

According to Cushman & Wakefield / Stiles & Riabokobylko (C&W/S&R), still there are no systems that would be able to ensure the retail centre security for 100%. However currently during negotiations the potential tenants more regularly raise questions about such options as safety of their possessions in future shop as well as principles used by security for building entrance ‘face control’. More tenants believe that the contemporary retail centre is unthinkable without CCTV, control and access management systems as well as engineering safety equipment (metal detectors, bars and turnstiles).

However the safety of retail centre has not still become their main issue. In the course of negotiations with landlord they are primarily interested in leasing rates, profit forecasts for the complex etc. Yevgeny Kashtanov confirms that their first questions regard the traits of the neighborhood where the centre was build, the premises layout and the working schedule of the centre, in particular the timing of goods supply.

Vulnerable Venue

Fire is the most frequent accident in retail centers all over the world. In 2002 a fire occurred in 6-level retail centre in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. 50 people died, out of total 500 who were in the building at that time. Apart from the shops the centre included offices for 700 people. Firefighters could not enter the building within several ours due to lack of adequate equipment and high temperatures inside. Due to the fire the supporting frames of the building have melted and it collapsed.

Fortunately there have been no fires of such scales in Russian retail centers. However, in 2006 the supervising authorities of Nizhny Novgorod have suspended the business of the retail center ‘Mega’ during the very sales season due to violation of safety standards there.

Roman Cheptsov, development director of Prime City Propertie says that it is considered to be an advanced practice to perform periodic drills for staff and tenants during retail center working hours. However it is not customary for Russian companies. The fire safety standards adopted in Russia are less rigorous compared to the European ones. And even the existing standards are not always adhered to; sometimes it’s easier to ‘establish relationships’ with inspector from supervising body. Mostly this relates to unprofessional retail centers.

Eduard Apsit, general director of the management company Facilicom says that the foreign companies on the contrary pay a lot of attention to safety training. ‘After inflammation some certain signal is translated, a codeword which would not cause panic among customers, something like ‘announcement code 1000’, ‘time reconciliation is executed by all the departments’ or ‘time is 17-30 in department 15’. All these phrases are reported to the staff during the training sessions.’

Irina Malozemova, the head of design studio of Leon Group says that in retail center project designing stage the 70% of all factors that determine the layout and dimensions of premises are safety considerations. For instance, a generally adopted standard for designers is that it should take not more than 80 to 100 meters for a customer to reach the fire exit from any spot within the trade premises. The larger are the shop premises, the higher is the number of the fire exits and the wider are the passages for the customers.

Malozemova adds: ‘In our projects the main evacuation way is the trading mall, which in retail centers comprises shops and hypermarket. On both sides of the mall there are doors leading to fire stairs’. Underground parking may be used as fire exit as well. If it is located on the top floor, as it is the case of new ‘Evropeysky’ retail center, than the access there is likely to be cut in emergency.

As far as fire extinguishing equipment is concerned, there are specific project standards as well. Usually installation of the fire equipment decreases the center’s effective area. For instance in case of 12000 sq m center the standards prescribe to build four premises separated by walls. But there is an alternative solution, involving application of water screens instead of solid walls. The drenching system splits the entire space into four parts by water, passed in case of fire. In ‘Mosmart’, Yaroslavskoye shosse, drenchers are located near cash desks, and in ‘Atrium’ the whole central passage (mall) is split into parts by drenching screens.

Sprinklers also flood the entire floor; they are installed on ceiling and make it possible to save effective floor space as well. Apart from fire safety bodies such systems must be approved by water authorities as well. And the equipment itself requires installation of large water tanks for 200 000 liters.

Emergency Record

The market participants recall several emergencies which have occurred within the latest three years in Moscow retail centers. In winter of 2005 a fire was caught in ‘Tehnosila’ shop on Yartsevskaya street, 30. A bridge connecting retail complex with office building of 9 levels had gone up in flames and shortly afterwards retail area itself caught fire. The fire was being extinguished during one hour. It took the same time to quell fire in ‘Stroydvor’ center close to Voykovskaya metro station in 2004. ‘Stroydvor’ adjoined a building where ‘Snezhnaya Koroleva’ and ‘M.Video’ shops, as well as ‘Champion’ entertainment center were all located. The causes of fire in both cases were never discovered.

In winter of 2004 pyrotechnics goods ignited for unknown reason in Mosmart premises on Yaroslavskoe shosse. There were customers in center at that time, but everyone was successfully evacuated. ‘Mosmart’s’ staff say that one of the reasons for prompt rescue was existence of smoke removal devises on ceilings, installed in trading hall. The valves opened immediately and prevented people suffocating. Eduard Apsit says that any emergency cause immense finance losses for the property. This fact itself may stimulate the owners of trade complexes to make building safe by applying all possible methods.

Origin of Reason

Kashtanov says that 50% of Russian trade centers use ‘intelligent’ equipment of Russian companies. One of the most popular integrated systems is ‘Bolid’. However it is considered that the best CCTV cameras are of Japanese Panasonic and Korean Samsung. One camera may cost from $100 to $1500.

According to Facilicom, Russian companies have been buying as well ‘smart’ equipment of Johnson Controls and Schneider Electric companies. Johnson Controls is known as a large manufacturer of building management systems, including software, pressure and temperature sensors etc. In Russia Schneider Electric sells transformers, power distribution substations, busbar trunking equipment as well as ‘smart’ systems, including various controllers and property management automation.

Reap What You Have Sown

Irina Malozemova says that investors and developers rush to build and put in commission their retail centers as soon as possible at this stage of market development. Therefore they prefer to use those construction materials that make it possible to shorten timeline of designing phase as well as construction works themselves. For instance, retail centers are rarely built of brick in Russia; it is more frequent that the buildings are erected of lighter materials in 8 to 9 months’ time.

However architects recommend that even in such a haste the nonflammable materials are used, e.g. artificial stone, concrete, specially processed metal, reinforced surfaces. And the outer walls of the building should be erected using high quality sandwich paneling.

For past several years a lot of glass elements have been used in projects, so the style of contemporary Russian retail centers begins to resemble French trade complexes of 1960s. To avoid that glass atria (and almost every centre has got one) are damaged by winter snow pressure, they are commonly warmed up by special systems. Infrared heaters are employed for this end, with cost of $150 to $200 each. For the safety of the whole building architects advice to maintain the distance of 8, 12 and 16 meters between the columns.

According to Sergey Dymshits, the head of Russian representative office of Finnish materials manufacturer Thyssen Krupp Hoesch Bausysteme, it is important to understand where exactly certain substance will be used in the project. For instance the requirements for fa?ade are minimal, so it is possible to use sandwich panels staffed with foamed polyurethane and special additives increasing its fireproof qualities. The project designers may use panels staffed by mineral wool which resist up to 30, 60 or 120 minutes of fire. Metal combined with heat insulation of mineral foam is also a reliable substance for retail centre construction.

According to Leon Group, the cost of construction of retail and leisure center, which is built using monolith structures with ceilings made of whole monolith slab is around $1200 per square meter. The cost includes plastered walls made of brick or silicate building blocks. The retail centers made of metal structures with ceilings of whole monolith slab and walls made of sandwich panels cost around $1070 per square meter.

Robot or Human

Once a Russian TV channel aired show about retail centers in Philippines. It turned out that this country has established special schools for training of security personnel before working in retail centers. The schools’ discipline and curriculum resemble those in army. A security staff in a Philippines’s retail center must be in an excellent fitness condition and have good physical reactions. Perhaps the institute of security began to develop actively after series of terrorist acts in retail complexes. For instance, according to NTV channel in 2002 five people died and more than 150 were wounded in a mall located within centre of Zamboanga town. There were several consecutive explosions in a number of shops in the retail complex.

Eduard Apsit thinks it is more difficult to organize evacuation in retail centre rather than in business center. There are a lot of people in shops and it is impossible to train them beforehand. This is why the retail centers in emergency are in more need for security staff rather than for ‘smart’ systems. It is a mistake to grant to electronic systems full control over safety issues as any system breakdown without human control may result in a disaster. According to Yevgeny Kashtanov opinion, the necessity in human factor would remain for long in Russia. And the reason is not just shortcomings in electronics but the effective psychological influence on customers of a ‘man in uniform’. His presence promotes discipline and, by other hand, pledges moral support, as there is always somebody present that one may apply to for information. However Kashtanov believes that the security institution would not develop further in the country. So it is unlikely that Russian consumers will live to witness security school similar to Philippines.

‘Just recall the 1990s, when it was very prestigious to be a security guard, and this period went on for several years. Now security staff wages have fallen. The costs of security personnel in St Petersburg at the end of 2006 was 95 to 120 RR for man-hour, including VAT. A security shift is from 12 to 24 hours and there are about 15 posts in retail center of 30000 sq meters. Traditionally about 30% of security staff are women, as it is believed that they can notice what male guards fail to note.

Irina Malozemova is sure that it is essential to develop technical service and security guard training all together. ‘It is important to look in the person’s eyes. For instance hospitality is very advanced in Japan. In a retail centre you can almost everywhere meet staff in charge for customers’ reception. They are not supposed to be just security guards, but are so called hostesses. A security guard in Russian retail centre plays all the roles at the same time, including bodyguard, hostess and information officer (as not all the centers have information desks).