Diamond Electronic Systems

Ulster Museum Security

The Ulster Museum reopened at the end of October 2009 following a three year £17 million rejuvenation project represents as one of the most significant cultural projects ever undertaken in Northern Ireland.  It comes as no surprise therefore that safe guarding the museum’s treasures is a top priority for its trustees - National Museums Northern Ireland - and so the replacement of the 25-year old security system with a modern and flexible system providing top level security for the museums collections and artefacts formed a core element of the redevelopment project.

The project involved redeveloping and combining the neoclassical 1929 original building with the 1970s concrete extension to create a light and modern building with excellent facilities for maximum public appeal. The recently completed rejuvenation of the building features a new 23- metre high entrance atrium with glass and steel walkways leading into the history, art and science galleries at different levels. In addition to this, three new interactive learning zones and a new high-level gallery for the display of glass,ceramics, silver and jewellery have been created as well as a new restaurant with a terrace leading out into Botanic Gardens.

The museum closed to the public in October 2006 for the three year rejuvenation project. Due to extensive renovations aimed at opening up the space within the building, the new museum required a totally new security system which would protect its most precious artefacts while keeping the open, accessible feel to the building. The museum’s aim ‘to become a more accessible place to visit and to offer an attractive new venue for hosting corporate events, weddings and other functions, meant that the security system needed to be flexible so that the museum could protect different exhibitions on different floors at different times. The system would also be required to integrate with other newly installed building control systems.

Having identified the risk, the client specified that the system had to comply to PD6662 Grade 3 security standards and that the installation company required full NACOSS approval. Diamond Electronic Systems Ltd won the security installation contract due to our proven track record in providing security solutions for high end applications, customer support, technical knowledge and systems expertise.

As a Honeywell Elite Systems Integrator, Diamond recommended the latest Galaxy Dimension intruder alarm system for the project due to its ability to integrate with other building management systems, its 520 zones, and its proven reliability. Knowing that our proposal would be able to deliver the flexibility that the museum was looking for coupled with our integration experience with many different building management systems left us in no doubt that the Galaxy Dimension was the right system for the job. We were appointed to the contract in October 2008 and started the work on the security system within two weeks.  The Ulster Museum security system is among the larger intruder systems within the United Kingdom.  With 500+ zones it required 56 Galaxy powered Remote Input/Output Units (RIOs), a Galaxy Ethernet module, 3 Galaxy keyproxes, and almost 400 detectors including Viper shock sensors and door and shutter contacts. The shock sensors provide an extra level of protection in specific locations where particularly high value items are located.

Diamond Electronic Systems Ltd conducted all system testing and completed the system installation in April 2009. Following a successful Intruder Alarm Installation we also provided the installation of a full IP based 150+ network camera CCTV system.

Client Quote:  “Diamond Electronic Systems Ltd’ utilisation of Honeywell’s Galaxy Intruder System has provided the Ulster Museum with a flexible and reliable security solution that will ensure the ongoing protection of the Museum’s most valuable and priceless assets.”
Ray Williams (Facility Manager - Ulster Museum)