LINZ AG

CHALLENGE

Employing more than 3,000 people, LINZ AG is the largest service provider in the Linz metropolitan area. As a multi-utility provider, the organization ensures the high infrastructural standard of living that the people of Linz, Upper Austria enjoy today. The service portfolio includes the supply of energy, water, local public transport and a large number of municipal services. Despite its size, the group is characterized by its ability to react quickly to new requirements. Reliable monitoring of the distributed locations by a flexible CCTV system was therefore of great importance. In the first phase, many separate analog systems had to be replaced by an IP system, which would enable the transition and future expansions step-by-step, integrate well with existing security systems, and provide open interfaces. At the same time, the solution had to be compliant with EU data protection guidelines.

SOLUTION

Step by step, larger and smaller operating units were integrated into the general solution and equipped with different, individually tailored functionalities.

LINZ AG LINIEN

With a total of 75 cameras, the mini-subway and part of the tram network form the largest monitored operating unit. When an emergency signal is received via SNAP (Simple Netavis Access Protocol), a PTZ camera is automatically pointed at the indicated spot, an alarm tone is triggered, and a full screen image is shown in the control room of the traffic monitoring center. Further on, if a vehicle obstructs the tram near one of three very tight temporary parking locations, it is detected by means of integrated video analytics and triggers actions such as an emergency signal to allow the streetcar driver to brake at an early stage.

CONTAINER TERMINAL AT THE PORT

Logistics processes are permanently monitored and documented in the 120,000 m² container terminal. By means of I/O devices, access barriers that enable a control via viewport buttons were integrated. This created a fallback system, as it allows the dispatcher to intervene via the video system and open barriers manually if the card-based primary system fails.

TRAM MAINTENANCE

Previously, the forklift driver had only limited visibility when positioning the wagons in the maintenance hall and needed to be assisted by a co-worker. Now, using the Observer mobile client via tablets installed in the vehicle, the driver can access the monitoring system and see when the wagon’s axle is over the lathe.

PARKING GARAGE IN THE SWIMMING FACILITIES

The barriers in the parking garage, equipped with number plate recognition, open automatically for vehicles with authorization (e.g., of employees), while unknown vehicles trigger a notification to the security personnel. Registering license plates into black & white lists is particularly easy, therefore it is also used for individual events (e.g., for events in the nearby ice hockey arena).

CUSTOMER CENTER

The Linz AG customer center, the first stop for all utility divisions, detects and counts people at entrances and counters using tripwires. User- specific sMart PDF reports are emailed to the department manager on a weekly, monthly and annual basis. The sMart dashboards, on the other hand, are primarily used to check real-time data against manual counts and to ensure their accuracy. Whether customers use a visit to resolve multiple issues was something that could previously only be verified through surveys or interviews. The ratio of visitor counts to business data on the volume of issues handled is a key metric for the customer center’s business model.

DATA PROTECTION

The new solution allows a centralized administration of user rights via Active Directory and maps them accordingly to the different operating units. During specified operating hours, persons in bathrooms and counter areas are protected with a privacy mask to protect the privacy of customers and employees.

BENEFIT

In accordance with the company’s principles, a future-proof system that offers many different expansion options to easily find solutions for new requirements, was created. Additional interfaces and the deployment of the Netavis Security Cockpit are planned to follow next. The NSC enables, among other things, the analysis of system alarms and GDPR-relevant interactions.