You have technical questions or need support for your physical security installation?
You want to access technical documentation and software downloads for our physical security products?
The implementation of Qognify VMS at the IFEMA Exhibition Center has improved the performance of the video security system considerably.
Event locations such as the IFEMA Exhibition Center place a high value on physical security strategy. Visitors from all over the world trust they’ll be in a safe and pleasant environment secured by systems that are state of the art and cover the entire site — indoor and outdoor areas, parking garages and logistics zones. The sheer size of the exhibition grounds and the large number of people on site — visitors, exhibitors, service providers, suppliers — require a high-performance, holistic physical security system. Adding to the challenge are the number and scale of events that take place, each entailing different setups.
IFEMA was looking for a solution to replace an analog video system that had reached end of life. IFEMA expected the new solution to provide substantial improvements in processing video footage to resolve incidents quickly. Some of the prerequisites in the new tender were state-of-the-art technology, a powerful event search capability and an open and integrated platform with easy integration of third-party solutions such as video analytics, access control and license plate recognition.
After assessing a number of options for the update of its video system, IFEMA selected Hexagon in partnership with Sicuralia System and the video analytics partner BriefCam as the best overall solution to meet its needs.
The powerful security functions of Qognify VMS — as well as its openness to third-party software integrations, especially with BriefCam video analytics — tipped the scales so that Hexagon software was chosen to be at the core of the new video-based security system. For faster and more efficient investigations, IFEMA decided to use video management software (VMS) technology that would allow for the integration of outside analytics and traffic monitoring system.
The deployment of Qognify VMS as a video surveillance platform has allowed IFEMA to not only expand and upgrade its technology, but also realize a complete integration with its physical security ecosystem so that overall surveillance for the entire compound is contained within a single solution.
Many cameras — both fixed and pan, tilt and zoom models — have been installed to improve safety and security on-site and to allow for video analysis in critical areas, making the system more efficient and actionable. From the very beginning, IFEMA made it clear that it would only accept a system that fully met its technical requirements to build an advanced security infrastructure. Qognify VMS fit the bill in part because of its reliability, which ensures the continuous protection of people and goods no matter how much the center and its event capacity grow.
At the heart of the installation sits a central control room that was designed from scratch. It is where all information converges, allowing for immediate response to any developing situations.
The implementation of Qognify VMS at the center has improved the performance of the video security system considerably. And IFEMA’s plan has delivered on its stated goals: enhanced with the fully integrated BriefCam video analytics platform, the installed system has already served to accelerate investigations and delivers significantly increased situational awareness. Video stream resolution has improved, and users can easily switch from live to recorded video for investigation. The joint Qognify VMS-BriefCam solution allows the security crew to get a better overview in every situation, while at the same time reducing the number of people needed for monitoring and patroling.
In light of the positive outcome of the video technology migration, IFEMA is looking into possible future upgrades as part of its expansion plan for the exhibition center.
The financial effects of IFEMA’s activity on the city and region of Madrid are significant. It works as one of the main drivers for business tourism, which accounts for a revenue of more than €5 billion a year, roughly 3.8% of the region’s GDP, and creates around 40,000 direct and indirect jobs.