UD Almería Elevates Stadium Security with Pioneering Hybrid Digital Access System

Stadiums, by their very nature, demand access technologies that are not only versatile and durable but also supremely reliable and easily scalable. The quest for a single system capable of meeting these multifaceted requirements across the diverse array of opening types within a bustling stadium often proves elusive. Historically, security managers have grappled with the inefficiency and added complexity of operating two parallel security systems, particularly when needing to blend digital control with traditional mechanical cylinders.

Spanish football club UD Almería faced this challenge head-on during a crucial security upgrade for their 18,000-capacity stadium. Their ambition was clear: to transition from outdated mechanical locks to a sophisticated digital access control solution. This system needed to seamlessly integrate diverse access needs, offering centralized management through a single, intuitive software interface. Furthermore, ease of installation within existing infrastructure and the robustness to withstand heavy traffic were paramount considerations.

UD Almería ultimately partnered with ASSA ABLOY to digitalize their access infrastructure. The chosen solution centered on their SMARTair digital access system, featuring wireless locks for numerous access points and the convenience of mobile keys or smart cards for users. What made this solution truly innovative was its capacity for centralized management of eCLIQ smart keys, electronic cylinders, and padlocks. This powerful combination enabled the stadium to secure every single access point digitally, eliminating previous vulnerabilities.

Integrating CLIQ devices within a SMARTair solution offers organizations comprehensive traceability of access within a unified system, significantly reducing the time and hassle for security managers. This powerful synergy allows for the management of access even at remote locations, utilizing durable CLIQ cylinders and programmable keys, all controlled from the familiar SMARTair interface. The Almería team also benefited from invaluable technical support provided by ASSA ABLOY specifiers, who brought extensive expertise in digital access solutions for complex stadium projects.

A Complete Solution for a Challenging Environment

The synergy between SMARTair and eCLIQ ensures UD Almería’s security needs are met without compromising flexibility or security. Both reliable and durable, eCLIQ and SMARTair devices boast low maintenance requirements, translating into minimized ongoing operational costs. “With our SMARTair and eCLIQ system, I feel the stadium is well protected, day and night,” affirms Ignacio Martín-Calpena Miranda, Director of Facilities and Infrastructure at UD Almería.

All users and access points are meticulously managed online through the SMARTair TS1000 Web software. Installed devices include SMARTair *i-max* escutcheons and knob cylinders for glass doors, alongside SMARTair integrated wall readers for office turnstiles. These are complemented by eCLIQ smart key-operated digital cylinders, CLIQ Wall PDs, and eCLIQ padlocks, securing everything from gates to tool cages. Crucially, this entire digital system operates without the need for cables to or around any openings; both SMARTair and CLIQ devices are wireless, allowing for rapid installation between home matches without disruptive structural work.

The club’s security team strategically deployed SMARTair for real-time control and oversight of sensitive areas like offices, locker rooms, and physio suites. Here, authorized staff utilize customized RFID cards that cleverly double as ID badges or mobile keys via the SMARTair Openow® app. Visitors and external contractors benefit from streamlined visitor management, receiving time-limited access through mobile keys sent directly to their personal apps. Concurrently, eCLIQ cylinders provide robust protection for technical rooms and interior service zones. Maintenance staff and security personnel, including law enforcement, carry eCLIQ smart keys, individually programmed with precise access permissions.

“Managing SMARTair and eCLIQ doors within a single system, via TS1000, has greatly simplified our work,” adds Ignacio Martín-Calpena Miranda.

For enhanced convenience, every CLIQ smart key also incorporates an RFID chip, programmable to unlock authorized doors secured with SMARTair devices. This innovative alignment of CLIQ with SMARTair offers facilities managers unparalleled choice: mobile credentials or RFID credentials (smart cards, fobs, or badges) for SMARTair devices, smart keys for CLIQ cylinders, or even smart keys with RFID tags that work across both SMARTair and CLIQ devices.

Retrofitting existing doors proved remarkably simple, requiring only the replacement of the mechanical cylinder with an eCLIQ cylinder—no wiring or batteries needed. Power is delivered to the cylinder via the user’s battery-powered key. This hybrid installation expertly met all of Almería’s diverse access requirements, a connected, unified system that only ASSA ABLOY could provide.

SMARTair and CLIQ: One Solution, Maximum Reach

“When organizations extend their SMARTair digital access solution with CLIQ battery-free cylinders, they implement complete oversight for their premises, including any outdoor spaces,” explains Gabriel García, Key Account Manager at ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions. “There’s no cabling and no more need for mechanical keys – just smart, flexible management.”

Both CLIQ electronic and electromechanical cylinders and the SMARTair out-of-the-box system are integral components of ASSA ABLOY’s comprehensive suite of connected Digital Access Solutions. When deployed in tandem, security teams gain the ability to manage an even greater number of doors directly from their familiar SMARTair software interface. This allows for the implementation of digital access almost anywhere, without the need for drilling or causing damage to the building’s structure.

The already broad spectrum of openings covered by SMARTair is further enhanced by an extensive range of over 60 CLIQ and eCLIQ cylinder types, ensuring that every single access point remains secure.