In human history, it's hard to imagine that we don't need a secure entrance when we enter a building. From carved wooden sticks to ubiquitous metal tools, to more modern key cards, and even more advanced passwords, keys have served this purpose for thousands of years. However, over the past few years, high technology has changed in the field of access control as the use of biometrics as a "virtual key" in the built environment has become more common. Biometrics is a multifaceted technology that uses physiological and behavioral characteristics to verify an individual's identity, and this verification, along with access to software, can really open doors. As biometrics continue to evolve, so will the options for building access control. When the personal computer appeared, traditional keys, whether in metal form, or in the form of plastic cards, seemed destined to follow the path of the typewriter. But unlike the shift from typewriters to personal computers, there are many issues to consider when considering abandoning keys in favor of biometrics.
As with many other technologies, the use of biometrics has increased during the pandemic, when contactless access technology has become a tool to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Since then, the reliance on biometrics has been on the rise in controlling access to buildings, as well as access to rooms inside buildings. A 2023 survey of 1,000 U.S. employees familiar with emerging technologies found that 58% of respondents claimed that biometrics are already widely used in business today in one way or another. There are many forms.
Many potential alternatives to keys
Biometrics are divided into two categories: physiology and behavior. This is the physiological part of biometrics that is most commonly used in today's workplace. Contactless fingerprint scanners and facial recognition systems rely on artificial intelligence algorithms to detect the unique features of a person's face and can be found in many high-end office buildings across the country. The Paramount Tower in Manhattan, an 880,000-square-foot 1920s high-rise building at 1501 Broadway, underwent a $50 million renovation in 2018 and is just one of many office buildings in New York City that have adopted facial recognition systems for access control. Vornado announced in 2020 that it would expand the use of facial recognition across its entire building portfolio, including ownership and/or management interests in approximately 20 million square feet of office properties in Manhattan.
Outside of New York City, real estate investment firm Jetall Companies, which has a prestigious portfolio of office properties in the Houston metropolitan area, has installed facial recognition and retinal scanning technology in its largest properties. The plot of yesteryear's futuristic films – where the door opens on some unseen, unheard command – is now a reality.
Not all biometrics are created equal. According to a recent research paper, fingerprint scanning and facial recognition received high scores for convenience and fall into the mid- and low-cost categories. The convenience of iris scanning is average, and it is expensive. Retinal scanning has the highest barrier to adoption because it has a lower convenience score and a higher cost.
There is a wide variety of physiological biometric authentication methods, and as technology changes, they will become more prevalent in the real estate market. Other physiological characteristics that can be analyzed for authentication purposes include palms/hands, veins, ears, and heartbeat. Amazon launched Amazon One Enterprise in late November 2023, giving other businesses access to the handheld-based identities they use in their stores. Amazon One Enterprise provides users with what the company describes as an easy-to-use authentication platform that allows for fast, convenient, contactless access to buildings as well as restricted data records. The system is based on palm and vein images with an accuracy rate of more than 99.99%, which is better than other existing forms of biometric access control.
While the assessment of physiological characteristics is leading the way in biometric-based access control in real estate today, behavioral recognition is coming. Behavioral biometrics rely on the assessment of an individual's behaviors and habits. Speech recognition, gait, and signature recognition all fall under his umbrella. Gaining access by signing or even greeting a virtual security guard doesn't seem so far-fetched, but the door will open for us depending on how we walk, which still seems far away. Because these identification methods are difficult to integrate into other systems and do not easily adapt to growing demand, they are unlikely to be widely used for access control anytime soon. Of course, advances in technology often make the unrealistic more practical and the expensive more cost-effective.
Multimodal biometrics – the use of multiple biometric modes for access and security – are not uncommon. The opportunities for biometric access control are many, and the use of biometric access control as a means of access control in the commercial real estate industry will only increase as technological advancements make many models more practical and less costly. But practicality and cost aren't the only barriers to relying more on biometrics in access control.
Wow, not so fast
For more than a decade, the public has been exposed to biometrics in their daily lives, thanks in large part to mobile phones. In 2013, Apple released the iPhone 5, the first phone to provide users with fingerprint recognition through touch recognition. Four years later, in 2017, iPhone X users could access their phones through facial recognition. Biometrics are used in various industries and are mainly used for security purposes. Many countries around the world, including the United States, Canada, and most European countries, issue e-passports in addition to traditional passports, and a significant proportion of them have invisible electronically stored fingerprints embedded in them. Still, while biometrics continues to permeate our lives, there is still a segment of people who are reluctant to accept this form of identification when accessing outside of their personal devices.
Although employers in many industries have been using fingerprint scanning as a punch-punch tool for years, the trust factor and security concerns still play a role. Caroline Gadaleta, property manager at Jones Lang LaSalle, said: "I do think people are starting to get nervous about biometrics and worry about where this data is going, who is controlling it, who is reading my fingerprints or listening to me. ” 。 "I've just talked to some people in New York City who are uncomfortable with facial recognition, so I can't imagine they would accept any kind of biometric data. ”
Biometric identifiers may be considered too invasive. Some people may totally agree with the U.S. government's use of fingerprints on passports or the Department of Motor Vehicles' use of fingerprints on driver's licenses, but these people may be upset about sharing their personal physiological information or behavioral traits to store in their employer's computer system. In terms of personal information, the question is too much. "I would say that it's better to give people a choice," Gadaleta added. "Some people are still uncomfortable with this. ”
Legal issues
As with the advent of many new technologies, the law has not kept pace with the use of biometrics. There is currently no specific federal law on the private use of biometric information, but there is very little such legislation at the state level. As of mid-2023, only Illinois, Texas, and Washington have biometric privacy laws in place specifically regarding the private collection and use of biometric information. Illinois' Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), enacted in 2008, regulates the collection, use, and storage of biometric information by private companies, and the law has strict guidelines for notification and consent from individuals. BIPA is widely regarded as the strictest biometrics law and has become a guide for anyone in any state who is cautious about invading privacy.
Since 2018, the investigation of complaints submitted under BIPA is an important indicator of the rapid growth of biometrics in the workplace. In 2022, two federally filed BIPA complaints involved technology other than fingerprint clocks, according to a Bloomberg legal file investigation. However, the following year saw a noticeable change. In the first half of 2023 alone, Bloomberg saw a spike in the number of such complaints, with 36% of all employment-related complaints focused on voice and facial recognition. To address this, it can be argued that Facebook parent company Meta reached a settlement in 2023 over a class action lawsuit involving Facebook's violation of biometric privacy laws. The settlement amount is $725 million. Biometrics laws are being developed and legal precedents are being developed. Many states already cover biometrics in general consumer privacy laws, and others are in the process of developing legislation for biometrics. It is also on the radar of the federal government.
Challenges such as privacy concerns, security concerns, and cost will not prevent biometrics from becoming the norm for building access control. "Landlords seem to be in favor of this idea of a seamless flow of people into the building [and inside], essentially minimizing barriers to entry but prioritizing safety," Gadalleta said. It remains to be seen whether the commercial real estate world will completely eschew keys, key cards, badges, and keychains that are prone to loss or theft in favor of biometrics-centric access in the near future. The superior convenience, control, and security offered by biometric-based access can be overwhelming for property owners. Despite its many drawbacks, including its intrusiveness and potential for personal breaches, biometrics is still the future of access control. Humans always need keys, but one day these keys may become part of our bodies.
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