Whether switching from PVC to bamboo cards or transitioning to a mobile access system, organisations should leverage every opportunity to meet their sustainability goals, writes Cristian Cotiga, Vice President of Product Management, Physical Access Control, HID.
As sustainability becomes a core priority for organisations of all sizes, from small businesses to multinational enterprises, facility owners, employers and other decision makers are challenged to take active steps toward environmental friendliness.
While many people focus on building systems like HVAC and lighting, one way to enhance sustainability efforts that isn’t always top of mind is through a building’s physical access control system.
Buildings are responsible for an estimated 40% of carbon emissions globally, according to the World Green Building Council. Energy-efficient designs and systems, like the systems that control building access, can help minimise a facility’s carbon footprint, reduce waste, and optimise resources.
Security professionals are increasingly recognising the value of making buildings more eco-friendly, according to the HID 2024 State of Security and Identity report. Over half (56%) of respondents say that sustainability is a top priority for 2024, while 80% say they have seen the importance of sustainability increasing for customers.
“… security administrators can create and provision mobile credentials from a cloud-based portal, eliminating carbon emissions as well as resources like plastic and ink typically used in physical card manufacturing.”
In New Zealand, the sustainability impetus has recently been escalated with legislated climate-related standards that took effect in January 2023. The new laws require large publicly listed companies, insurers, banks, non-bank deposit takers and investment managers to make mandatory climate disclosures.
After an initially educative approach to implementing the new requirements, the Financial Markets Authority may well take a more compliance-oriented approach from 2026. Similar changes are afoot across the ditch in Australia, and there will no doubt be trickle down effects.
As you consider ways to boost your organisation’s overall sustainability efforts, here are four considerations for how your physical access system can help boost your green scorecard.
1. Pulling the plug on plastic
PVC and other plastic materials have long been used to manufacture so many of the cards we use day to day, from credit cards to gift cards to access cards. PVC production requires energy, often from burning fossil fuels, leading to greenhouse gas emissions. We also have a better understanding that this type of plastic doesn’t biodegrade in the environment. In fact, these materials can take up to 500 years to decompose on their own, and while doing so, can release toxins into the environment.
Replacing plastic cards with cards made from environmentally friendly materials can help reduce negative impacts while decreasing energy consumption and waste. Bamboo access cards, like HID’s Seos® Bamboo credentials, are a recent innovation that provides a PVC-free, sustainable alternative to cards made mostly out of plastic — one that’s just as secure and reliable.
To verify sustainable sourcing, look for bamboo cards certified by an independent organisation, like the Forestry Stewardship Council® (FSC®). Credentials made using this renewable resource can contribute toward an organisation’s sustainability goals, including those seeking certifications such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM®) and Zero Waste to Landfill.
If you’re considering bamboo access cards, it’s important to know that they are not designed for use cases that require photo credentials or other printed elements. Users should avoid keeping them in humid or wet environments. Also, look for a vendor with a program to support recycling of the plastic cards as they are deprovisioned and replaced.
Other eco-friendly alternatives are also becoming available, including a paper-based credential for short-term use and a polylactic acid-based (PLA) card made from biologically sourced material.
It is worth noting that in New Zealand the Ministry for the Environment is planning to consult on regulations to support e-waste product stewardship in 2025.
2. Making the case for cardless
Some scenarios may always require use of a physical card, like one made from bamboo. In other cases, mobile access systems take sustainable solutions one step further, allowing people to access secured doors, networks and more through their mobile device rather than PVC cards. Every mobile credential issued translates into one less piece of plastic in landfills.
In our Cradle-to-Grave Life Cycle Assessment, where we compared mobile access to ISOProx PVC credentials, mobile access has substantially less negative environmental impact than ISOProx PVC cards, by every measure – from global warming potential to ozone depletion.
Choosing mobile security credentials reduces resources related to manufacturing, distribution and even provisioning. For example, a PVC card might be manufactured in Asia, shipped to the U.S. for printing, then shipped again to a company’s headquarters in Europe — all before it gets into the hands of the end user.
In addition to PVC production and card distribution, there are environmental costs associated with card provisioning. According to BRANZ, a typical New Zealand commercial building consumes energy at the rate of 100–300 kWh/sqm per year. When you factor in the energy consumption, along with the need to be producing and replacing potentially many thousands of PVC cards over 10 years, the carbon footprint is significant.
In contrast, security administrators can create and provision mobile credentials from a cloud-based portal, eliminating carbon emissions as well as resources like plastic and ink typically used in physical card manufacturing.
As organisations go increasingly digital — and in some cases fully digital — mobile access can contribute to less reliance on plastic and a lower carbon footprint. In addition, this solution offers the convenience both system administrators and end users, like employees, are beginning to expect in a digital-first world.
When selecting a card-free access system, it’s essential to work with a vendor who designs customer-driven features that make the transition easy, flexible, scalable, and as cost-efficient as possible. The right vendor will support your efforts for the full life cycle of the mobile access system, from considering your current assets to scaling system integration to monitoring that ensures your credential flows are seamless.
3. Getting real with real-time location systems
Leverage existing mobile access control systems for real-time location systems (RTLS). In this approach, facilities and employers use accurate positioning of people to manage a building more sustainably.
Data from the access system can be integrated into existing smart building technology, which can analyse the pseudonymised data and guide a decision to, for example, reduce ventilation in an empty part of a building. This real-time intelligence and analytics can support sustainable decision making around office space utilisation, underuse monitoring, and asset and energy management.
Customers who are implementing a mobile access system and smart building system should look for solutions that include RTLS functionality, which may not require significant additional infrastructure investment. However, it’s important to work with experienced partners who can guide you through the integration of existing systems.
With a solid RTLS system in place and the appropriate building management system integration through APIs (Open Application Programming Interfaces), organisations can implement strategies to better use the resources that facilities require, such as HVAC, lighting, cleaning, and water. As a result, organisations can operate more effectively with a mindset on sustainability practices.
Optimising building energy use can be evidenced by frameworks such as the NABERSNZ star ratings, which is an independent system backed by the New Zealand government.
4. Energising sustainability by reining in energy use
Whether the credential is mobile or bamboo or PVC, physical access control card readers operate on Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and/or near-field communication (NFC). Readers need to be active constantly to control access to doors, elevators, turnstiles and more. This results in constant energy consumption, which can impact sustainability efforts, particularly in organisations that require hundreds, or even thousands, of readers.
Transitioning to readers that consume less energy can improve a building’s sustainability. Look at a reader’s environmental product declaration (EPD) for transparency around its energy usage. The EPD will also provide a holistic view of the reader’s life-cycle environmental impact, from manufacturing to disposal, so you can make informed decisions about how a particular reader will impact green initiatives.
Access readers with EPDs can help contribute toward LEED certification. Likewise, third-party certifications, like GreenCircle, can provide assurance that a reader provides the life-cycle qualities that assure its eco-friendliness.
In addition, the longevity of the reader’s service life on the wall can also be an important consideration for the environment — and your sustainability efforts. A reader that lasts only three years requires much more energy and materials to replace than one that lasts 10 years.
Choose a reader manufacturer proven to design high-quality, low-energy readers that stay in commission for long periods and provide futureproofing, allowing administrators to upgrade readers in the field as security technology evolves.
Energy consideration isn’t just for onsite components like readers. Digital aspects of a physical access system, like cloud computing, aren’t inherently “green.” For example, the data centres that make cloud computing possible have an environmental impact. From cables to cell towers to air conditioners and computer servers, this infrastructure can have a significant impact on waste as well as water and energy usage.
Some manufacturers like HID are conducting studies to determine and document how much energy is consumed by their cloud services for solutions such as mobile access. With information from these studies, it will be easier to make informed decisions even about using mobile physical access systems and the impact on your own environmental goals.
Sustainability has gone beyond buzzword
In the discussion about access systems and sustainability, there is one more point to consider. Generation Z, born between 1995 and 2010, is often credited with making decisions based on their concern for the planet. As the environment’s health becomes more of a priority for all age groups, putting sustainability into action can have a positive impact on every stakeholder, from employees and visitors to potential investors and the community. What’s more, solutions like sustainably sourced bamboo cards or mobile access serve as daily visual representations of an organisation’s commitment to sustainability.
Organisations should leverage every opportunity to meet their sustainability goals. Whether you switch from PVC to bamboo cards or transition to a mobile access system, you can leverage the access system to measurably boost those efforts while ensuring secure access to physical and digital places.
