WHGA’s Integrated Site Security and Design (ISSD™) is the first detailed security planning process to be created that specifically correlates CPTED principles with physical security and site design considerations. Traditional physical security strives to protect assets and prevent crime using human, physical, and psychological forces. Guards, physical security barriers, electronic sensor/surveillance devices and other security measures are utilized to establish a defensive posture around a protected asset. However, these standard practices, which are proven effective, in many cases produce long-term financial and social costs.
Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) is a method that uses an understanding of how criminals operate to create places that pose a minimum opportunity for crime. The principals of natural surveillance, natural access control, and territoriality, which are the foundations of CPTED, are achieved by utilizing the inherent characteristics of the built environment.
Terrorism is more complex than conventional crime. Terrorists are capable of a wider range of tactics and weapons than conventional
criminals and, because they are mission or cause driven, terrorists are likely to accept greater risks. A degree of physical security
is always necessary in order to provide deterrence, detection, delay, and denial of access to individuals and unpredictable intruders.
CPTED provides an opportunity to lessen the visible signature of physical security and provide an alternative to current standard
anti-terrorism practices. ISSD meets the challenge by merging the tools of physical security and those of CPTED, thus creating a site security program that
maximizes the strengths of each method, while lessening their limitations.
Why ISSD™?
ISSD™ ensures that the client’s security requirements, which are established with the risk assessment, are coordinated at the earliest stages with the site program to identify effective countermeasures.
The Interagency Security Committee (ISC) recommends that a building’s specific security requirements be based on a risk assessment done at the earliest stages of programming. The risk assessment, which looks at threat, vulnerability and consequences, must apply security and safe design considerations critical to the project.
Site security requirements, including perimeter buffer zones, should be developed before a site is acquired … as recommended in the Public Buildings Service Facilities Standards (GSA).
ISSD's™ utilization of CPTED principles is an accepted and endorsed methodology for achieving site security goals and objectives.
The use of CPTED techniques to create a built environment that discourages crime and acts of terrorism is required by the Interagency Security Committee's (ISC) Security Design Criteria, as adopted on September 29, 2004.
The Facilities Standards for the Public Buildings Service (GSA) promotes good strategic thinking on CPTED issues such as site planning, perimeter definition, sight lines, lighting, etc., in order to reduce the need for engineering solutions to address security design.
The GSA Site Security Design Guide states that provisions for an integrated design and security strategy along with a realistic budget must be in place early in a project to create opportunities for creativity and innovation.
WHGA’s “Integrated Site Security and Design” (ISSD™) establishes a mechanism to consider Low Impact Development (LID) options in conjunction with the establishment of site security requirements, such that opportunities are identified to promote sustainable design objectives.
The Public Buildings Service Facilities Standards recommends, where feasible, that features which provide required security should also provide visual and functional amenities for building users and visitors.
The Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG) promotes means by which security and safety measures can be considered within a total project context to reduce impacts on occupants and environment, regardless of the level of protection deemed appropriate. These include CPTED strategies and Low Impact Development Practices.
