Access Control Built for Multi-Unit Residential Buildings

A key fob system runs on a central access control panel that manages credentials for every door in the building — one platform, one management interface, full audit logs. Smart locks are standalone devices on individual doors, each with their own app and no connection to the other doors. For a building with more than a handful of units, a centralized fob system is almost always the right choice: you can add or revoke tenant access from one place, run reports on entry activity, and integrate elevator and intercom on the same platform. Smart locks make sense for a single-unit rental, not a 30-unit building.

Yes. Elevator floor access control works by adding a relay module to the elevator cab — when a tenant presents their credential at the cab reader, only the floor buttons they're authorized for become active. A tenant on the 4th floor can reach the 4th floor and designated common area floors (lobby, roof if permitted) but can't press buttons for other residential floors. This is a standard installation in NYC apartment buildings and works with most existing elevator systems. We confirm compatibility during the walkthrough.

We configure time-limited PIN codes on the package room reader — a delivery worker enters the PIN at the keypad to access the package room, and the code automatically expires after a set window (same day, 24 hours, etc.). Building management can generate new codes without any hardware changes. This keeps the lobby and main building locked while still allowing deliveries — no propped doors, no tailgating risk. The entry is logged like any other access event so you know who used the code and when.

Building management logs into the access control software, finds the tenant's credential, and deactivates it — takes about 30 seconds. The credential stops working immediately on every door in the system: lobby, elevator, common areas, all of it. No rekeying, no waiting, no hope that they actually handed back the fob. If they kept it, it's already dead. The new tenant gets a fresh credential issued the same day they move in. This is probably the single biggest operational improvement apartment buildings see when they switch from physical keys to a managed access control system.

The access control panels we install include battery backup, so readers and door hardware continue operating during a short outage. For extended outages, hardware is configured to fail-safe or fail-secure depending on the door — exit doors and fire egress points are always fail-safe (unlock on power loss) to comply with NYC fire code. Lobby entry doors are typically fail-secure (remain locked) with a mechanical key override for emergencies. We spec the fail mode for every door during the design phase so there are no surprises.