Thirteen Housing Group is a housing association that provides homes, support, and opportunities to over 73,000 people in the North…
Thirteen Housing Group is a housing association that provides homes, support, and opportunities to over 73,000 people in the North East, Yorkshire, and Humber regions. They invest millions each year to ensure their properties are safe, secure, and well-maintained, assisting residents in various aspects of housing and home maintenance.
The Challenge
Thirteen Housing Group required CCTV coverage for 23 remote housing blocks across the Hartlepool area. The system required remote footage sharing capabilities for multiple stakeholders, despite the challenge of these locations not being part of the corporate network. In addition, due to the threat of ASB the systems needed to be robust and secure and able to cope with the environmental conditions as the control equipment needed to be housed in secure steel cabinets with little ventilation.
The Solution
After assessing the requirements, Reflex Systems determined that the Eagle Eye solution, with its compact Cloud Managed Video Recorder (CMVR), secure remote access and AI powered analytics, was the best fit along with vandal resistant Axis cameras and ruggedised POE switches from AMG.
Reflex Systems worked closely with Eagle Eye to deploy 23 CMVRs, each housed in robust steel cabinets within the blocks. A total of 92 cameras, including galvanised containment, were installed across the 23 sites with edge recording in each block. The CMVRs were connected via localised broadband or 5G Teltonika Routers. In addition to local recording, the system streams low-bandwidth footage to the cloud, allowing stakeholders to view footage in both low-resolution remotely and high-resolution live images directly from the site. To ensure durability, industrial ruggedised AMG PoE switches were utilised to withstand fluctuating temperatures within the steel cabinets, addressing the failure-prone nature of standard switches in such conditions.
The Solution Continued
Footage is stored in the cloud for up to 30 days, ensuring that video evidence remains accessible even if on-site CMVRs are compromised by vandalism. Authorised personnel can access the
footage from any desktop or mobile device, enabling quick and effective responses. Mobile staff can view footage on smartphones and tablets, enhancing duty of care and situational awareness before entering potentially hazardous situations. The system will seamlessly integrate with Thirteen’s control room software, which will also enhance overall operational efficiency.
Client Benefits
The implementation of the Eagle Eye system by Reflex Systems has increased the security within the blocks for residents and significantly enhanced the safety of Thirteen Housing Group’s staff. Authorised staff can assess situations remotely before engagement, improving safety and response times. The system’s remote access reduces the need for physical site visits, saving time and resources. Additionally, cloud storage provides a reliable backup in case of onsite equipment failure. The systems also benefit from a 100% browser-based platform with
point and click video sharing safe in the knowledge that there are no open ports to the internet and that all video is fully encrypted during transmission and at rest to ensure security is always maintained, making it easier to share securely footage with third parties, such as the police.
“The Eagle Eye Solution, advised and implemented by Reflex Systems, has enabled Thirteen to expand its reach in terms of CCTV monitoring. In addition, we have been able to permit managed access to partners such as Police and Local Authorities which has improved partnership working and led to prosecutions for criminal behaviour, proving its worth in such a short space of time.”
Thomas Cook – FM Services Manager
CCTV Control Room
