Access control systems for commercial buildings
Fob, card and mobile access for condos, offices, schools and industrial sites. Designed, installed and supported by Hightower across Canada and the USA.
Updated
Access control we install
From a single back door to every suite, elevator and gate in a tower.
Fob and card readers
The everyday workhorse. Issue, disable and replace fobs or cards in seconds, and see who used which door and when.
Mobile access
Residents and staff open doors with their phone. No more cutting fobs for every new tenant or hire, and a lost phone doesn’t mean a lost key.
Cloud-managed systems
Manage every door from a browser or app, across one building or twenty. Updates happen automatically and there’s no server sitting in a closet.
Elevator and parkade gate control
Limit elevator floors by suite or tenant, and control parkade gates and overhead doors from the same system as your front entrance.
Connected to the rest of your building
Access control works best when it talks to everything else.
Tied into cameras and intercom
Every door event can pull up the matching camera clip, and visitors buzzed in at the intercom are logged like any other entry.
Fire alarm release tie-in
Doors in the exit path release automatically when the fire alarm activates, so the system works with your life-safety plan, not against it.
Remote management
Add a new tenant, lock down a door or check an entry from your phone, without calling us or driving to site.
Maintenance and service plans
Scheduled checks on readers, locks, power supplies and batteries, so problems get caught before a door stops working.
Related: Muster systemsRemote site security use your access control to account for everyone during an evacuation.
Access control for your type of building
Every property works differently. Here’s where we focus for each.
How a project works
One team from the first walkthrough to years of support.
- 1Site walk
We walk the building with you, look at every door and note what’s already there.
- 2Design and quote
You get a clear layout of doors, reader types and hardware, with a written quote.
- 3Install and program
Our technicians install, wire and program the system, then test every door.
- 4Training and handover
We show your team how to add users, set schedules and pull reports.
- 5Ongoing support
Service plans, repairs and upgrades as your building changes.
Access control brands we install
We also connect access control to video intercoms from ButterflyMX, 1VALET and Axis.
Comparing access control platforms? Read Kantech vs Genetec Synergis and Kantech vs Avigilon Alta.
Stuck with a system nobody will fix?
If your current provider stopped answering, we can repair, maintain or take over systems installed by other companies.
What affects the cost of access control
Every building is different, but these are the factors that move the price. After a site walk, you get a clear written quote.
Number of doors
Each controlled door needs a reader, locking hardware, wiring and a controller input, so door count is the biggest factor.
Door type and hardware
Glass doors, fire-rated doors and exit routes each need different locks and exit hardware.
Credentials
Fobs, encrypted cards and mobile access each have different per-user costs.
Software and licences
Cloud systems usually have a subscription, while on-site systems have licences and a server.
Integrations
Connecting to cameras, intercoms, elevators or the fire alarm adds design and programming time.
Questions to ask an access control installer
The answers tell you whether you’ll be supported after the install.
- Will you support it after installation?
Ask who you’ll call when something breaks and how quickly they respond. We support everything we install.
- Will we get admin access and documentation?
You should own your system, with admin logins and a record of every device. We hand both over on every project.
- Which brands do you install, and why?
An installer who works with many brands can recommend what fits your building, not just what they sell.
- Will it work with our other systems?
Cameras, doors, intercoms and alarms work best when they’re planned together.
- What will it cost to run each year?
Ask about subscriptions, licences, monitoring and maintenance up front, so there are no surprises.
Read: Is your installer covered? The insurance, clearances and certifications every installer should have.
Gate or parkade fobs from Kantech’s P82WLS or P84WLS line? Kantech has discontinued them. We can plan the switch.
Guides: Kantech vs Avigilon AltaChoosing access control for a condo or apartment buildingDoor fob or card reader not working?HID vs KantechInner Range vs KantechCDVI vs KantechAccess control for multi-tenant officesGate access for industrial yardsStairwell re-entry and crossover floorsWashroom access and vape detectionSecurity for new constructionElevator access controlMobile and cloud access controlElectric strikes, maglocks and door hardwareSchool lockdown systems24-hour gymsSeniors living and care homesChild care centresWhat affects the cost of access control
More industries we secure: Medical and dental clinicsHotels and resortsSelf-storage facilities
Access control questions
How much does an access control system cost?
It depends mostly on the number of doors, the type of readers and locks, and whether you choose a cloud-managed or on-site system. The fastest way to a real number is a site walk, after which we provide a written quote.
Can we add and remove fobs ourselves?
Yes. With remote or cloud management, your property manager or office admin can add users, disable a lost fob or change schedules from a phone or browser.
What happens to the doors if the power goes out?
We design systems with backup power so doors stay controlled through short outages. How long they run depends on the battery sizing, which we plan around your building’s needs.
Will access control work with our fire alarm?
Yes. We tie doors in the exit path into the fire alarm so they release automatically when it activates.
Do residents or staff need to use a phone app?
No. Mobile access is optional. Fobs and cards work alongside it, so people can use whichever suits them.
Can you work on an access system another company installed?
Yes. We service, repair and take over existing systems, and can upgrade them when parts are no longer supported.
Can door alarms go to a monitoring team?
Yes. Forced-door and door-held-open alarms can be sent to a remote video monitoring team with the matching camera view, so someone checks it right away instead of it sitting in a report.
More answers: Access control questionsGlossary: credentialfail-safe vs fail-secure
Access control service areas
Offices in Edmonton, Calgary and Red Deer in Alberta, and Kelowna in BC, serving customers across Canada and the USA.
See all service areas. Alberta and BC are our main markets, and we support customers right across Canada and in the USA, with a parachute team ready to go anywhere. Ask us about it.
Local pages: Access control in EdmontonAccess control in CalgaryAccess control in Fort McMurrayAccess control in NanaimoAccess control in PentictonAccess control in VancouverAccess control in VictoriaAccess control in LethbridgeAccess control in KamloopsAccess control in Red DeerAccess control in KelownaAccess control in St. AlbertAccess control in Sherwood ParkAccess control in Spruce GroveAccess control in LeducAccess control in AirdrieAccess control in Grande PrairieAccess control in Medicine Hat
Get an access control quote
Tell us about the building and how many doors you’re looking at. We’ll follow up to book a site walk.
Call and a real person answers, 24/7 for emergencies.