Salzburg is always worth a trip: The romantic old town invites people to wander around, offers a wealth of historic sights, and world-famous festivals welcome visitors with an interest in culture. The city’s magistrate is based in the baroque Unesco World Heritage Site Mirabell Palace. Visually speaking, time seems to have stood still in the birthplace of Mozart. However, if you look closely, there is a lot of modern access technology to discover.

The electronic access control system blueSmart from Winkhaus secures the government headquarters as well as municipal properties and sports facilities – including the popular Volksgarten ice arena, the Liefering sports centre and the historic Volksgarten swimming pool in Salzburg. Well over 1,000 electronic door cylinders in total and many other smart system components, such as upload readers and ETB-IM electronic door handles, ensure controlled access in the state capital.

There are a number of reasons why the city has decided on this system. A key factor is the compact shape of the door cylinders, as they also fit into historic doors and subtly blend into the aesthetics of the surroundings. The system offers high flexibility and reliability, which the decision makers were impressed with right from the start. The Winkhaus building management technology has been in use for many years and the reliable service provided by competent technicians from the headquarters is highly appreciated. This is a good reason to gradually expand the existing system and incorporate new functions.

Sensitive Area: Government Base and Tourist Attraction Mirabell Palace

The baroque Mirabell Palace complex is one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions, while also fulfilling its role as a state-of-the-art administrative and government base. The ground floor of the building houses the departments with high levels of public traffic, such as the passport office or the city treasury. As these are sensitive areas that must be easily accessible to citizens on the one hand, but also effectively protected against unwanted access on the other; safety and security pose a particular challenge here.

In order to resolve the apparent contradiction between secure locking and citizen-orientated service and to save costs in the process, the decision was made in 2006 to implement an electronic locking system. Since then, this system has secured the outer skin and was already compatible with the existing alarm system back then. Today, the blueSmart system, the next generation of Winkhaus electronic access control systems, is used. It is also compatible with existing security systems.

No Wiring and No Maintenance for Cylinders

With their unobtrusive design, the flush-mounted electronic door cylinders do not interfere with the appearance of the historic doors in the Mirabell Palace. No wiring is required because the battery-operated cylinders work off-line. They are also cold-resistant and low-maintenance: The batteries have a service life of up to 10 years, depending on the type. There is no need to oil the cylinders, as is the case with mechanical locking systems, as the tip of the electronic key is made of plastic and does not cause metal abrasion on the contact surfaces.

Since access control has been reliable from the very beginning, numerous expansions have been added over the years. More than 430 cylinders now secure the palace complex. Ancillary buildings of the city of Salzburg are also included: Gardens were converted to electronic building security. Seven upload readers in the palace ensure that the keys are provided with up-to-date user rights.

Easy-Grip Keys Help With Organisation

Around four hundred electronic keys are used in the Mirabell Palace to unlock the electronically secured doors. Around three hundred employees, the mayor, the local councillors and political party members go in and out of the buildings. The premises are also used by external organisations and the church, for example.

Only a flexible locking system is able to reliably manage access for so many different groups. The blueSmart system supports users with a variable colour concept: The electronic keys have different colours that enable precise assignment to the individual user groups. Employee keys also contain an additional transponder for time recording. All keys feature an especially sturdy plastic casing that is waterproof (IP 68) and resistant to hand disinfectants, is easy to clean and easy to grip. They are simple to use, with a system based on the usual locking behaviour: The key is simply inserted and turned. The authentication check takes place in the background and unnoticed by the user.

Central Control: Five Sites on a Central Server

The management software for the electronic locking system in the palace runs on a central server. Five clients are set up in the system, so that those responsible on site – such as in the swimming pool or sports hall – can also work with it without having to go through the town hall.

A process that involves significant effort with a mechanical locking system can be completed with just a few mouse clicks with the electronic solution: If a lost key is reported, the authorisation can be withdrawn from this key without delay. Changing locking authorisations is managed just as easily. The blueControl Professional software provides user-friendly support. And when the programme requires an update or maintenance, Winkhaus provides quick and expert support. Employees in charge of the locking system can therefore manage any relocations within the administrative offices with minimal stress.

Access to Sport is Well Organised

The sports facilities in the Mozart city are much younger than the palace. The Volksgarten swimming pool dates back to the late 19th century, the Red Bull ice arena was built in the 1960s, while the Liefering sports centre was built just a few years ago.

The outdoor pool, which Salzburg locals affectionately call “Volksi”, has grown over the decades and was also fitted with an electronic locking system in 2020. An upload reader and thirty door cylinders secure the outdoor and indoor areas.

Salzburg’s ice rink is located in the immediate vicinity. It offers space for 3,400 spectators and was converted into a multi-functional arena at the start of the millennium. Professionals and amateurs of all ages from various clubs train here. The requirements for access management are therefore high. The two ice rinks, one of which is outdoors, offer a wide range of ice sports activities: In addition to public and formation ice skating, these include ice hockey, figure skating, curling and short track. Trade fairs, concerts, musicals and exhibitions are also held here in the summer months from April to September. Access is controlled by almost 300 electronic door cylinders, which minimise the risk of injury from crushed fingers and offer little surface for accidental or intentional damage, as well as three upload readers. In the administration area, the doors are equipped with electronic door handles (ETB-IM). In addition to the electronic blueSmart keys, employees also use transponders to unlock doors without touching them.

Technology for the Smart City Standard

In 2016, a gym was built as a positive energy building for the first time in Austria in the form of the Liefering sports centre. It meets the Smart City standards and has been awarded the Climate Active Gold Standard. The building generates more energy than it needs itself. Its three-field sports hall offers space for numerous sports and is also geared towards disabled sports. A movement room and office space for the clubs complete the range of facilities. The smart technology of the building, which includes a locking system, fades into the background. 120 door cylinders and three upload readers safeguard the indoor area and the outdoor facilities. BlueSmart also effectively controls floodlight systems and other applications.

_{All Images © Winkhaus}