Salto KS

We were invited by Coworkies to attend the widely anticipated event Hack Coworking London 2019 , which was also co-sponsored by SALTO. Our very own Alexander Rosdorff (KS Connect Partner Manager) and Kateryna Tokar (Senior Backend Developer) had the pleasure of attending and representing SALTO KS at the event. It was great for us to participate in this event and meet with coworking partners with whom we could collaborate with.

The hackathon itself had a very interesting standpoint for our representatives. It was an opportunity for them to interact with other participants and come up with new ideas to bring back home.

The event started with a brief presentation conducted by our vertical coworking manager, Xabier Apellániz. He provided some insight about what SALTO KS is, what it does, and what we are hoping to achieve. This also involved having our KS Connect partner manager, Alexander, take a walk around and meet with current and potential partners, like Cobot who was also one of the participants at the Hackathon, and one of our latest KS Connect partners.

 

 

 

- Adapted, Group Challenge Winners

 

Next, an important part of the hackathon was, of course, our SALTO KS challenge. On the technical side, Kateryna opened up our API to the participants and they were challenged to come up with the best integration with our API that they could come up with.

The group called ‘Adapted’ ended up winning the prize sum of 1,500 pounds. Congratulations Adapted! Their impressive solution involved creating meeting room space with mobile walls and the SALTO KS smart locking access system. This design allows a user to book as much space as they need in a meeting room by adjusting the position of the walls to their comfort. This means it you would be physically building a room of your preferred size with just a few clicks of a button. Adapted says they were inspired to come up with this idea as a result of fixed installations of office spaces and that the solution was some utilization of industrial design concepts.

Thank you Coworkies for giving us the opportunity to participate in this inspiring Hackcoworking event!

 

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SALTO KS provides a flexible access control management system that requires no software installation or the added expense of a fully-wired electronic product. Modern cloud-based, wireless access control system is easy and simple to use for businesses including Coworking Spaces, Coliving Buildings, Purpose Built Student Accommodation, Retail, Multi-Tenant Housing, Gyms and many more. Our best in class wireless access control solution and smart locks guarantee the efficiency for your business. Integrate smart locks, start easily managing wireless access control now!

What is a coworking space?

You need to find some peace and quiet to work or a change of scenery to let the creative juices flow, right?

Coworking spaces are always a good idea! Coworking spaces are booming all around the world, including Amsterdam.

That’s why we made a top 5 of the most outstanding coworking spaces in Amsterdam, to help you pick the right one for you!

Salto Systems' top 5 coworkings in Amsterdam

1. Regus

Regus is the world’s largest provider of flexible workspace solutions, with customers including some of the most successful entrepreneurs, individuals and multi-billion dollar corporations. It is ideal for larger companies that are looking for a more corporate environment, with opportunities to use multiple workspaces around the world. Currently, all new Regus business centres opening around the world are using the Regus access control app.

Several locations throughout the world: http://www.regus.nl/workspace/Amsterdam

2. Spaces

Spaces, born in Amsterdam acquired by Regus, has beautifully designed coworking spaces measured to your needs! Whether you need a cosy get-together nook, a large lunch table or a small phone booth, anything is possible at Spaces! It provides a less corporate, more hip working environment compared to its ‘big brother’ Regus. Just like Regus, Spaces is also a customer of SALTO KS.

Several locations in Amsterdam, Den Haag, Rotterdam and throughout the world: https://www.spacesworks.com

3. TNW

‘A curated tech space in the centre of Amsterdam’. TNW has become the heart of the Amsterdam startup community. During the day you can find yourself working in the members only club, attending an interesting event and then drinks afterwards every Friday evening. TNW is all about helping your startup grow and focus on what’s important, by providing a productive workplace with a big international network.

Singel 542, Amsterdam: https://thenextweb.com/spaces

4. The Thinking Hut

A true coworking space for the creative individuals! This old horse stable was built in 1912 and renovated in 2012 by a group of friends who decided they needed a place where they could work on their projects while meeting creative like minded people. The Thinking Hut was born. On your break, you can stroll through the lovely Oosterpark. A meeting room can be booked per hour, but if a day pass is more your thing: no problem! The Thinking hut is a very cosy creative coworking space where you most certainly will come up with a new life-changing idea!

Mauritskade 55c, Amsterdam: http://www.thethinkinghut.com

5. Zoku’s social spaces

Zoku is the international living room of Amsterdam! What makes Zoku different from others is that it offers flexible home/office hybrid apartments in Amsterdam with communal working areas. They have an impeccably designed space on the top floor of a hotel. It feels light and warm. When it’s a summer day you can sit in one of the glass houses on the roof terrace or hang in a hang mat to think your presentation over. Whether you sit in the living room, game room or at the large kitchen table everyone feels welcomed at Zoku!

Weesperstraat 105, Amsterdam: https://livezoku.com

A wireless access control solution to redefine the experience of coworking

SALTO KS provides a flexible access control management system that requires no software installation or the added expense of a fully-wired electronic product. Modern cloud-based, wireless access control system is easy and simple to use for businesses including Coworking Spaces, Coliving Buildings, Purpose Built Student Accommodation, Retail, Multi-Tenant Housing, Gyms and many more. Our best in class wireless access control solution and smart locks guarantee the efficiency for your business. Integrate smart locks, start easily managing wireless access control now!

In the modern world we live in, flexible work has evolved into a highly beneficial aspect for the workforce population. The demand to have flexible work as an option in peoples’ jobs is rapidly rising. Not only are employees demanding flexible work, but business leaders are also globally encouraged to offer flexibility due to its perceptible success with their employees. The old norm of working 9 to 5 in an office cubicle is being overcome by the concept of flexibility. Employees relatively show higher levels of happiness, engagement, and productivity as a result of being able to work not just flexible hours, but also in flexible spaces. This includes working from home, cafes or libraries rather than solemnly being in the same office 24/7, five days a week.

In order to accurately calculate the statistics behind the benefits of flexible work, IWG, conducted a global workplace survey. The survey consisted of users from their numerous worldwide offices, taking into account the responses of approximately 15,000 participants across 80 countries.

In order to accurately calculate the statistics behind the benefits of flexible work, IWG, conducted a global workplace survey. The survey consisted of users from their numerous worldwide offices, taking into account the responses of approximately 15,000 participants across 80 countries.

Perhaps the most substantial findings of the survey were that an astounding 85% of respondents perceived higher productivity in their businesses as a result of implementing flexible working standards. This shows that higher efficiency can be achieved by properly stimulating flexibility. Respondents indicated that this efficiency relates to some factors such as commuting and work environments. Many employees tend to go through long commutes to get to work and often leads them towards lower productivity. Some of them describe their commutes as “the worst part of their day”. Offering them the ability to sometimes work from home or a location that is situated closer to home. Some employees feel dissatisfied when working in the same office on a daily basis. Therefore, the ability to work in different environments allows them to often feel reconciled and more motivated to work efficiently.

One of the key findings of the survey is that a global average of 77% of companies use flexible working benefits as an incentive to attract and retain talented employees. A few countries that rank amongst the highest in this global average are Australia, The Netherlands, and Canada. The previous figure correlates to a finding from respondents that 83% of people would be more inclined to choose between two job offers if one of them offers flexible working standards.

One of the key findings of the survey is that a global average of 77% of companies use flexible working benefits as an incentive to attract and retain talented employees. A few countries that rank amongst the highest in this global average are Australia, The Netherlands, and Canada. The previous figure correlates to a finding from respondents that 83% of people would be more inclined to choose between two job offers if one of them offers flexible working standards.

Whilst flexible working proves to be a successful factor in increasing productivity of employees, businesses need to ensure that they properly implement this concept in order to reach that higher level of productivity. For example, providing their employees with proper equipment for remote work is a crucial aspect. Some businesses expect professional work from their employees, whilst not providing them with the professional equipment to accomplish that. This shows that by offering flexible work, a business must also invest in providing their employees the proper equipment.

Another important challenge that businesses face through flexible work is data security. It is easy to fear data breaches when working from remote locations. This raises a possible threat for some companies that then need to further implement precautions to prevent something like this from happening.

Want to read more about various concepts that redefine the workplace? Check out our previous blog post here , or read more about how IWG came to partner up with SALTO KS.

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SALTO KS provides a flexible access control management system that requires no software installation or the added expense of a fully-wired electronic product. Modern cloud-based, wireless access control system is easy and simple to use for businesses including Coworking Spaces, Coliving Buildings, Purpose Built Student Accommodation, Retail, Multi-Tenant Housing, Gyms and many more. Our best in class wireless access control solution and smart locks guarantee the efficiency for your business. Integrate smart locks, start easily managing wireless access control now!

The year 2018 was a great one for SALTO KS. Many changes were made on the front and back-end of the applications, improving, for instance, user experience and the speed of the platform. With these steps forward, ensuring solid grounds for the future, we are expanding the KS family with external KS services such as Comelit and many more to come! The SALTO KS Cloud Business Development team is continuously in search of brands we can successfully integrate with.

The Comelit Group SpA is a company operating on a worldwide scale and specializing in the design and manufacture of video entry, video surveillance, anti-intrusion, home automation and fire protection systems. For an overview of Comelit offices worldwide click here.

 

 

 

Kicking off A joint project in the UK kicked off the partnership between Comelit and SALTO KS. The project was formalized at the end of 2019, and three bricks from SALTO KS travelled to Bologna (Italy), to discuss the integration. The crew consisted of our two mobile developers (for both iOS and Android) and our UX designer. This trio was put together to fully grasp the possibilities that the Comelit mobile SDK (Software Development Kit) offered.

The concept In short, the concept is as follows: The owner of a multi-tenant/residential building purchases a Comelit intercom and SALTO lock for the main entrance. The KS service allows a single app approach therefor reducing investment costs for indoor panels and/or expensive rewiring. By activating this service on mobile devices, tenants of the building are able to:

The concept In short, the concept is as follows: The owner of a multi-tenant/residential building purchases a Comelit intercom and SALTO lock for the main entrance. The KS service allows a single app approach therefor reducing investment costs for indoor panels and/or expensive rewiring. By activating this service on mobile devices, tenants of the building are able to:

 

 

All of the above can be managed from the SALTO KS mobile app.

 

 

Design & development To create a common understanding of the tool and how it eventually will work on mobile devices a ‘Customer Journey’ was created. This not only describes the integration itself but the complete flow of the product, including the communication with the building manager.

After approval of the design, the development team could begin as well. Geared up with a Comelit demo-case containing all the hardware, the first technological proof of concept was created. It didn’t take long before it was possible to activate an intercom and receive a call from the SALTO KS mobile app.

Releasing a great KS Service The following months the design and development of the integration continued, until the new mobile app version could be released. Loyal to the initial Customer Journey, SALTO KS now offers an easy integration with Comelit intercoms. This enables the owner/manager of a building to offer a new service to tenants: Be notified about someone ringing your doorbell, having a live video/audio feed, and unlocking remotely.

How does it work The building tenant creates an account to log in to the mobile app, and selects Comelit from the KS Services.

After a successful activation of the device, a walkthrough is presented which explains in four illustrated steps the benefits and functionality of the KS Service. After this walkthrough the connected intercom is presented, meaning that all is set and done to make full use of the functionality.

 

Now, a guest arrives at the main entrance of the building, and he enters the number of a specific apartment. The Comelit intercom will send a push message to the SALTO KS mobile app, directly notifying those who have activated their device. The notification is presented as a regular phone call, which can be either answered or ignored. Answering the call will open the two-way audio feed of the intercom, just like a regular call. From the same call screen, the visitor can be let in directly. The app will remotely grant access for a few seconds! Alternatively, if the guest is not known, a video feed can be started (depending on the type of intercom). This screen offers similar functionality to the previous: Either let them in, mute or end the call.

 

With this integration the path to many more successful, time and costs reducing collaborations has been paved.

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SALTO KS provides a flexible access control management system that requires no software installation or the added expense of a fully-wired electronic product. Modern cloud-based, wireless access control system is easy and simple to use for businesses including Coworking Spaces, Coliving Buildings, Purpose Built Student Accommodation, Retail, Multi-Tenant Housing, Gyms and many more. Our best in class wireless access control solution and smart locks guarantee the efficiency for your business. Integrate smart locks, start easily managing wireless access control now!

For you to run your business with ease and offer the best user experience, SALTO KS is integrated with the software you love.

We are very proud to offer this SALTO KS Service: An integration with Eagle Eye Networks, a global manufacturer of cloud surveillance systems. 

Eagle Eye Networks was founded in 2012 by Dean Drako and offers cloud-based security camera solutions for every circumstance indoor or outdoor, for multiple locations and is built to make the security camera system easier and more accessible for companies. With two Headquarters in Austin, Texas and Amsterdam, 850 resellers globally and customers in 48 countries (and counting) Eagle Eye Networks has proven to be the right partner to integrate with the KS platform.

“Our integration with Eagle Eye Networks has grown over the last few years to be a milestone cloud-based integration in the security market. We are very excited to keep supporting and developing this integration to continue to provide value to customers globally" - Alexander Rosdorff, Global Technology Partner & Integrations Lead

The reason why we are so excited about this integration with Eagle Eye Networks is it enables an intelligent way of keeping a close eye on any door you want with the use of a single app.

In the SALTO KS application, the Eagle Eye Networks Cloud VMS surveillance product has been integrated via the Cloud to provide SALTO KS customers with a more cyber secure video experience connected to access control events. Within the SALTO KS mobile app, a user can confirm a person’s identity before remotely granting access to any door, and share the video footage with offsite, cloud backup.

A coworking space owner can, for instance, go to the KS Services page in his or her SALTO KS app and find the Eagle Eye Networks integration which shows the real-time recording of any door.

You can see twenty-five seconds of footage from the time stamp a certain door is opened and five seconds before the event of a door opening.

This is especially helpful to confirm the correct person entered the space or building.

‘Widgets’ were created because some things are so important, they need to be at your fingertips at all times. Even without opening your favourite app, they enable you to have instant and effortless control. With widgets, you are able to check the weather, the latest news and as of today even open your door! SALTO KS is proud to announce the Digital Key Widget for iOS and Android. In this blog post, we’ll explain how to enable this convenient widget on your phone.

What is Digital Key?

In a nutshell, Digital Key is the virtual equivalent of physical keys. It is the key that lives within your smartphone and with the widget, all you need to do is press a single button that reads ‘Use Digital Key’ and tap your phone to the lock. There you have it, you have just instantly unlocked a door with your smartphone!

Installing Salto KS Digital Key Widget

You can have this extension at hand by adding Salto KS to your personalized list of widgets.

With the Digital Key Widget, we offer an enhanced customer experience where you don’t even have to open your app anymore: Opening doors has never been this easy.

Before you start using the widget, be sure to:

1. Install the Salto KS app on your phone if you haven’t already (iOS or Android).

2. Activate the Digital Key functionality from within your Salto KS app for the first time.

3. Turn on your Bluetooth.

4. Unlock your phone.

Digital Key Widget for iOS

Your widgets can be easily accessed from your Home screen. Unlock your phone and swipe right. Here you can find your personalized list of widgets. For iOS, this screen is called ‘Today View’ and this is where you can manage your widgets.

Here, scroll all the way down until you see the button that says ‘Edit’. Tap on it and then scroll down again and click on ‘Customize’. This brings you to a list of widgets you can choose to remove or add. Now you can add the Salto KS Widget to your Today View screen by selecting ‘Salto KS Digital Key’.

Digital Key Widget for Android

For you to enable the Salto KS Widget on your Android, simply unlock your phone and navigate to your home screen to add the widget. Now, press and hold a blank spot on your home screen. A pop-up menu will be shown and you can select the widget tab.

To add the widget of your choice, in this case, Salto KS Digital Key, tap on the widget and hold it.

You are now able to drag and drop the widget directly into your home screen. Your new Digital Key Widget is ready to use!

New Salto KS app release for iOS and Android: What has changed?

The Salto KS team has been working on the below changes within the iOS and Android app that will advance its performance:

iOS (4.4.0)

• Features
  -The Digital Key Widget: Open your doors without opening the KS app
  -It’s now possible to activate your IQ through e-mail (instead of text message)
  -From the Lock detail page, it’s now possible to activate your IQ by clicking the new ‘Activate now’ button
  The re-activation flow when Digital Key is no longer valid has been improved
• Bugfixes
  -The ‘blank Site’ selection screen has been fixed

Android (5.4.0)

• Features
  -The Digital Key Widget: Open your doors without opening the KS app
  -It’s now possible to activate your IQ through e-mail (instead of text message)
  -From the Lock detail page, it’s now possible to activate your IQ by clicking the new ‘Activate now’ button
  -Improved re-activation flow when Digital Key is no longer valid

 

We are continuously working on improvements and bug fixes. Keep an eye on the blog and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram to stay updated!

More product updates? Read about the latest changes on the Access Group Page here.

SALTO KS provides a flexible access control management system that requires no software installation or the added expense of a fully-wired electronic product. Modern cloud-based, wireless access control system is easy and simple to use for businesses including Coworking Spaces, Coliving Buildings, Purpose Built Student Accommodation, Retail, Multi-Tenant Housing, Gyms and many more. Our best in class wireless access control solution and smart locks guarantee efficiency for your business. Integrate smart locks, start easily managing wireless access control now!

One of the faces behind our marketing efforts is a fairly new addition to the SALTO KS team. Started out as a marketing intern we are very proud to introduce this ambitious young woman today as Junior Marketer!

We have asked Anya about her time at SALTO KS, her favourite projects and basically, what makes her get out of bed and behind her laptop every day.

Read on to find out what makes Anya tick:

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Hi, my name is Anya and I’m a Junior Marketer at SALTO KS! I started as an Intern in September of 2019 and became a full-time Brick as of January 2020. I’m 22 and am of Indian and German origin. I moved to Amsterdam in 2015 to study and graduated with a master’s degree in New Media and Digital Culture from the University of Amsterdam. I have always been fascinated with technology and digital marketing which led me to pursue this degree, and when I found that SALTO KS was looking for a new Marketing Intern at the time, I knew that this presented a unique and valuable entry into the tech world.

I started my new chapter (post-student life) with SALTO KS and since then, my life has been impacted in more ways than I ever could have imagined, each more positive than the other!

What made you choose SALTO KS?

I chose SALTO KS because I was intrigued by the way in which the company presented itself. With a technical product of cloud-based access control, the focus was more about the solutions provided rather than only the key features or unique selling points. To me, this displayed the nuance in marketing and the way the company viewed it’s product’s potential.

Additionally, I was immediately captivated by the character and personality of the team as a whole, which was evident through their website, blog, Instagram, and LinkedIn. I was new at the time to the access control industry so it really was the marketing which pulled me in and made me eager to pursue an opportunity to join the team. It is crazy to think that now I operate the same SALTO KS platforms that once resonated with me and I can only hope to make a similar impact on others.

How would you describe the company culture?

7 months later, I can safely say that no medium could completely capture the energy, creativity, and diversity of SALTO KS’ company culture! I know this, as I try my best to do so when I post on social media and on our blogs; so I’m truly fortunate to be part of a team as international and multi-faceted as the Bricks.

Most importantly, the team has become my second family in Amsterdam. They are as warm and lovely as they are talented!

What do you like most about your job? And what would you change about it?

What I like most about my job is the learning potential I have every day. This ranges from creating content to learning about the product and technology itself. There is an endless capacity for me to be inspired by my teammates who are each skilled in their own ways.

When I started as an intern, I was fortunate to work in an all-woman Marketing team with Irem Tucaltan, my manager at the time, and Kristin Pater, who currently leads the team at SALTO KS. I felt empowered to be guided by Irem and Kris and learn first-hand how to tackle various challenges in the tech industry. Marketing requires you to adapt easily, as one moment you could be communicating and networking, and the other you need to be focused and independent. I observed how my colleagues made these transitions, and additionally, they would always go the extra mile in sharing their own learning experiences, hardships, and advice with me. If I could change anything, it would be to spend even more time than I do with these two incredible women.

“What I like most about my job is the learning potential I have every day. This ranges from creating content to learning about the product and technology itself. There is an endless capacity for me to be inspired by my teammates who are each skilled in their own ways.” - Anya Doshi, Junior Marketer at SALTO KS

What is your favourite project(s) to work on at SALTO KS and how do you approach it?

I joined the team at a significant turning point for the company where Clay Solutions was being rebranded to SALTO Keys as a Service (SALTO KS). As you can imagine, this was an incredibly exciting time for the marketing team in particular.

If I had to choose a favourite project, it would be Digital Advertising. I initiated and lead collaborative projects with industry leaders such as Coworking Europe and Allwork.Space. This changed my view on advertising as I realised that these meaningful collaborations stem from shared interests and observations within cutting-edge technologies and forward-thinking industries.

For instance, Coworking Europe is an annual conference which brings together facilitators and operators within the industry to focus on entrepreneurship, innovation and the future of the workplace. Allwork.Space is an online publication dedicated to the future of work and flexible workspaces. Our collaboration has led to articles on simplifying coworking management and creating self-service coworking spaces with smart tech.

What advice would you give the next Marketing Intern at SALTO KS?

I would perhaps just say that the next marketing intern at SALTO KS should do their best to believe in themselves and be ready to learn. At the same time, share their own interests, perspectives, and skills.

During my internship, I was given several opportunities to contribute independently and take responsibility for certain tasks. So I would say the best thing you can do is take full advantage of this and enjoy every moment!

What’s next for you?

Well right now, I’m a few months into being a full-time Brick and I have enjoyed every second working with my manager, Kris(tin)! Our team has been working from home as a result of the pandemic and we now find ourselves placed within a historic moment in time where we have to keep going and be even more grateful for the little things which we previously took for granted. Presently, I’m working on an exciting new project in connection with the Product team where I get to collaborate with talented freelance designers.

The magic of marketing is that we can constantly brainstorm, and be creative in delivering relevant and genuine content. So I guess my next steps will be navigating through this challenging time, together with the wonderful team that I have by my side.

To read more about SALTO KS, click here or follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn for the latest product features, team updates and news from the industry.

SALTO KS provides a flexible access control management system that requires no software installation or the added expense of a fully-wired electronic product. Modern cloud-based, wireless access control system is easy and simple to use for businesses including Coworking Spaces, Coliving Buildings, Purpose Built Student Accommodation, Retail, Multi-Tenant Housing, Gyms and many more. Our best in class wireless access control solution and smart locks guarantee the efficiency for your business. Integrate smart locks, start easily managing wireless access control now!

This week marks the 3 year anniversary of the SALTO KS Blog! This milestone is a special one for us, as our blog has proven to be a channel for connecting with our audience all over the world. Every week over the past few years, we have written and published blog posts on our website that discover the world of access control; and even further to creative and critical thinkers across several industries and events. These include Coliving, Coworking, experience design, and hackathons, among others.

This has led to the origin of various blog post series which have given our blog a purpose far beyond what we could have anticipated. The platform allows us to throw a spotlight onto meaningful work done by driven individuals. We are referring to ‘Spotlight on a Dealer’ and ‘Spotlight on a Cloud Team’ that travel the world, ‘Think Tank Partners’ in Coliving, an Infographic in Coworking, and KS Connect Partners. Other series are meaningful to us in a different way, as these have given us a chance to champion our own: Recap, Intern Diaries, KS-Catch-up, and A day in the life of a Brick.

To celebrate, we have put together a list of your favourite and most-read blog posts below!

1. Top 5 coworking spaces in Amsterdam

Choosing a flexible working space in Amsterdam is no easy task owing to the broad array of attractive options. That is why we’re not surprised that our blog, ‘Top 5 coworking spaces in Amsterdam’ is our most-read blog post with well over 3000 views! With suggestions ranging from global coworking giants Regus and TNW, who both use SALTO KS solutions, to creative and forward-thinking spaces such as The Thinking Hut, every digital nomad or local businessman should find something to their liking. Find out more about these spaces, and why we chose them, here.

2. Digital Key: A multitude of possibilities

Digital Key is one of the SALTO KS Ways of Opening and is the virtual equivalent of a Tag, enabling your phone to unlock a SALTO lock. With a single download of the SALTO KS Mobile App on a registered and verified smartphone, your guests can gain access to doors by means of their Digital Key. Users can receive Digital Keys anytime and anywhere, making issuing and receiving access rights much easier and more flexible. This blog post runs you through the Digital Key and the various scenarios and features that follow with it!

Take a look at this post for more on how this solution helps you to unlock your potential.

3. Not a millennial trend but a necessity: The success of Coliving decoded

We’ve written many blogs about the Coliving industry over the past three years, including its approaches, trends and stakeholders, but this post is where it all started! Here, we introduced the concept of Coliving to our readers. We highlighted its ability to solve problems such as shortage of affordable housing and lack of social support, its benefits for senior citizens and the retail industry, and the importance of technology for designing successful Coliving spaces. This post provided a comprehensive overview of the reasons why Coliving has been and will continue to be, a successful industry.

4. The first KS Service of 2019: Comelit

In July of 2019, we announced a new KS Service: Comelit. The path leading up to this consisted of changes made on the front and back-end of the applications, developing user experience and improving the speed of the platform. With these steps forward, ensuring solid grounds for the future, we expanded the KS family with external KS services Eagle Eye Networks and Comelit. The Comelit Group SpA is a company operating on a worldwide scale and specializing in the design and manufacture of video entry, video surveillance, anti-intrusion, home automation and fire protection systems. With this integration, the path has been paved for many more successful time and cost-reducing collaborations.

Learn more about the intercom service of Comelit with SALTO KS here.

5. Top 5 trends in student housing

Student housing has changed a lot in the past few years, as students’ requirements are rapidly evolving. To help building owners design the best housing experience for their future tenants, we outlined the top 5 trends in student housing. Sustainable designs and privacy measures were among the most important requirements, as well as fast internet and smart solutions. We’ll continue monitoring the future development of these trends and what it means for the access control industry, but for the time being, you can read all about these trends here.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this compilation of our most-read blog posts as much as we have enjoyed reminiscing about them.

The diversity of the topics reflects the broad range of industries who push the envelope and solutions provided by access control. We look forward to the future of our blog and even more collaborations with industry pioneers, fellow Coliving and Coworking enthusiasts, and other stakeholders!

If you feel your company is missing, or we didn’t cover a certain subject on the blog, feel free to contact us, we are happy to collaborate.

To read more about SALTO KS, click here or follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn for the latest product features, team updates and news from the industry.

SALTO KS provides a flexible access control management system that requires no software installation or the added expense of a fully-wired electronic product. Modern cloud-based, wireless access control system is easy and simple to use for businesses including Coworking Spaces, Coliving Buildings, Purpose Built Student Accommodation, Retail, Multi-Tenant Housing, Gyms and many more. Our best in class wireless access control solution and smart locks guarantee the efficiency for your business. Integrate smart locks, start easily managing wireless access control now!

COVID-19 has challenged governments around the globe to act in the best possible way during a pandemic. Each country manages its protocol in a different way. Needless to say, this has an influence on the number of COVID-19 patients. Since SALTO KS is a cloud-based access control solution, able to provide insights with help of real-time data, we have tried to analyse the people’s behaviour during the outbreak with the help of the number of lock openings. We focus on questions such as: ‘are the rules of the national lockdown being obeyed?’ and ‘is there a correlation between an increase in COVID-19 patients and the number of lock openings?’.

The graphs below show lock openings from the beginning of week 9 (24th of February) when all countries were still operating at 100% even though the Chinese authorities, where the outbreak started, had already defined the virus in early January.

Among the countries that are at the top of decreased lock openings are Spain, with 8% of normal lock openings, Italy (11%) and France (6%). While these countries faced a steep drop of lock openings, other countries stayed moderately equal, such as The Netherlands (47%) and Sweden (66%).

Below you can read our observations of the more extreme cases.

Spain
It started with a tourist from Germany that was hospitalized with the Coronavirus when she visited the Canary Islands. At the beginning of February, she was released and declared healthy. Despite the high hopes that she would be the first and last victim, a second case soon followed. At the beginning of March, the Coronavirus made her first (male) victim in Valencia, Spain. This victim was the first of the now over 14.000 deaths. As the second country with the highest ranks in the world (besides the USA), it makes sense the lock openings dropped quickly from a high 87% at the beginning of March to 24% around the 16th of March when the first death was declared.

Italy
Until the end of February, the people of Italy were instructed not to change their behaviour. We can see the lock openings significantly dropped (from 100% to 48%) around the 9th of March (week 11) when the country withdrew their initial instructions and went into full lockdown. Sadly, Italy now has exceeded China as the country with one of the highest death toll (besides the UK and the United States). With an exhausted healthcare system and the lock openings not dropping to 0% but staying at a quite high 16%, we assume this is due to the many healthcare institutions that remain open during the lockdown.

France
A country that dropped heavily in lock openings in the short time span of a week was France. Despite President Macron encouraging citizens to practice social distancing, the lock openings stayed at a baseline rate until the middle of March. Then, due to high death rates, a lockdown was issued on March 17th. The steep drop in lock openings is evident on the graph below, with lock openings going from 100% to 14% in the matter of a week.

USA
In mid-March, the number of lock openings decreased from a sky-high 94% to 59%. This is correlated with President Trump’s words on the 13th of March when he officially declared the virus to be a national emergency, eight weeks after the U.S. confirmed its first case of Coronavirus.

China
China started the lockdown in December and is now going back to the new ‘normal’. This has everything to do with the quick and thorough response of the country. In contrast to other countries, it seems China was able to stop the outbreak fast. This strategy also came along with the decision to close the borders, so Chinese citizens got stuck abroad. With a steep drop of openings at the beginning of the year, the lock openings are slowly getting back to normal as one of the first countries around the world. However, the total lock openings have not reached 50%.

The Netherlands
Since the Netherlands enforced a ‘smart lockdown’ the lock openings stayed relatively high. About 50% of lock openings were decreased even at COVID-19’s ‘worst’. By having the population exposed to the virus in a controlled pace the Dutch citizens developed a basic level of immunity. While schools, universities, bars and restaurants were forced to close, citizens were only advised to work from home. Additionally, the country did not impose national travel restrictions; this explains the still relatively high number of lock openings.

Sweden
With roughly 60% of lock openings at the lowest point, Sweden’s lock openings did not decrease as much as the other countries. This percentage has to do with Sweden not forcing any type of protocol regarding the outbreak, except the message that the government trusts their citizens to proceed with common decency: washing hands, staying home and keeping the physical and social distance. While this approach resulted in the Swedish economy being less affected, it also led to higher death rates than in the neighbouring countries. The reason for the high death rate might be attributed to more high-risk residents contracting the disease, such as the elderly.

A few countries maintained a high level of lock openings, which can be linked to the various protocols the respective countries maintained during the outbreak. Countries that have maintained a high level of lock openings are known for their herd-immunity strategy to keep large parts of society open.

The purpose of this article is to investigate lock openings during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic by country. We also provide short explanations of the respective country’s physical/social distancing regulations. However, SALTO KS does not assume causation between the reduced lock openings and amount of Coronavirus infections and/or deaths. This data is derived only from sites with SALTO KS access control systems, which are not necessarily representatives of other sites in that country. High instances of lock openings might be from sites providing essential services, such as grocery stores and health care facilities, or simply residential buildings. Above findings are solemnly to inform and are based on the regular operations at SALTO KS. All anonymous data is collected from our SALTO locks- and systems and will remain anonymous and will neither be shared nor sold.

Find out the policies SALTO Systems is wielding in the light of COVID-19 here.

SALTO KS provides a flexible access control management system that requires no software installation or the added expense of a fully-wired electronic product. Modern cloud-based, wireless access control systems are easy and simple to use for businesses including Coworking Spaces, Coliving Buildings, Purpose Built Student Accommodation, Retail, Multi-Tenant Housing, Gyms and many more. Our best in class wireless access control solution and smart locks guarantee the efficiency for your business. Integrate smart locks, start easily managing wireless access control now!

As Coliving continues to push boundaries, the interest for niche spaces and values within the industry has increased. Coming up with innovative coliving concepts not only helps one gain a foothold in the market, but also provides opportunities to stimulate creativity, solve social problems, and simply bring together like-minded individuals.

This is why we have compiled a list of our 5 favourite niche coliving spaces, each with their own unique characteristics.

Haven: A community for wellness and personal growth

An unreasonably high rent to income ratio, experiencing loneliness despite spending hours on social media, and not finding the time in the day to exercise or meditate are problems experienced by many. These kinds of modern problems are precisely what the founders of Haven wanted to solve.

Providing a place to live at half of the regular rental price in Venice Beach, LA, Haven offers its residents an opportunity to spend their money on experiences, rather than rent or furniture. Communication, a healthy lifestyle, and going carbon-free is encouraged at this coliving space, where each resident is also required to spend two hours a month dedicated to community service.

Haven’s wellness-oriented quarters are designed to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to exercise their body or mind. The communal areas include a yoga studio, a gym, and an outdoor meditation area, as well as a movie theatre and a coworking space. It also offers an impressive range of activities, ranging from motivational talks and vegan community dinners, to star energy healing events and sound baths.

Its mission is to make larger cities more accessible, as well as to create a balance of the need for housing with community growth. As most of their residents work in the health or wellness industry, Haven also provides the opportunity of networking and mutual professional advancement.

Source: Haven Coliving

Nest Copenhagen: Coliving for the creators of tomorrow

At first glance, Nest Copenhagen seems like most other coliving spaces. Residents engage in communal activities such as movie nights and dinner parties, and developing close friendships while still maintaining their private bedrooms. However, what separates Nest from the others, is that they only accept entrepreneurs.

Founded in 2014, Nest is one of Denmark’s first coliving spaces. A non-profit run by the residents, it is composed of four connected apartments, each containing five or six bedrooms. Nest encourages entrepreneurial discussion and sharing innovative ideas, but emphasizes that it is neither a coworking space nor a “second workspace”. Networking is highly recommended, and they welcome visits by foreign entrepreneurs.

Only people who fit their values are accepted into Nest. The tenants must be trustworthy, creative, supportive, and warm-hearted. They must be social, as they say, that Nest is not a place where people can come and go without speaking to anyone. Each resident must actively contribute to the community, socially and as an entrepreneur. Sharing successes, failures, and advice to help each other grow is what Nest is all about, as well as creating the best home possible for people who understand one another.

Source: Nest Copenhagen on Facebook

G|Code House: Closing the gender gap in the tech industry

G|Code House is a brand new addition to the world of coliving, as it hasn’t even officially opened yet, but its purpose is important enough to be mentioned in this list! Two women, Bridgette Wallace and Carolle Nau, bought a 5,000-square foot Victorian house in Boston, with the purpose of combining affordable coliving, technology instruction, industry placement, and post-secondary education. Tired of the skyrocketing rents and increasing homelessness, they want to use this house as a means to contribute to society.

Realizing that many educational and professional triumphs are owed to people having stable homes, they will recruit young women of colour who have an interest in technology. They will welcome women who don’t have the stability in their lives required to follow their technological ambitions. Their two-year program, provided at the house, will include technical education, internships, and speciality training.

Despite not being opened yet, G|Code House has already started providing their services. They launched a 10-week “Intro to G|Code” program in February 2020 where they taught young women the fundamentals of coding. Originally hosted by the Boston Public Library, the course started providing online lessons when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Currently, they’re in the process of collecting donations and renovating the house, while also celebrating their first graduation; they have a bright future ahead of them.

Source: G|Code House

New Ground: A community built by older women, for older women

As waiting lists for retirement homes are steadily increasing because of the ageing population, and many senior citizens have had to relocate away from their loved ones to find appropriate accommodation, it is perhaps not surprising that some have started to take matters into their own hands. Enter the Older Women Co-Housing group, which founded the UK’s first senior cohousing community, New Ground, in 2016. Their mission was simple: developing a community that cares for one another and is actively managed by the women themselves.

Refusing to be confused with sheltered housing or a retirement village, these women look out for each other instead of relying on on-site care. They eat dinner together once a week, and have schedules for cleaning and tending to the communal garden. They even carpool to shops and doctor’s appointments!

Besides the financial benefits of sharing costs and utilities, cohousing also benefits the mental and physical health of its residents. Loneliness and social isolation is a common problem among retirees and is linked to health risks such as depression, anxiety, and cardiovascular disease. Coliving can help alleviate these problems by providing opportunities for social interactions and helping retirees feel valued, independent, and a part of a community.

Source: Older Women Co-Housing Group

Suderbyn: Self-sufficient, sustainable, and socially positive

Whether it is intentional or not, there is no doubt that Coliving spaces are contributing to sustainability. Due to the sharing of food, furniture, and amenities, coliving frequently leads to less consumption and food waste. It also takes up less land space and is more energy sufficient. Some Coliving communities are taking the adoption of a sustainable lifestyle even further, and are trying to become entirely self-sufficient. One of those communities is Suderbyn.

Located on a small island in the middle of the Baltic Sea, Suderbyn was built on an old farm property. Their goal is to live in a way that creates a prosperous living environment while minimizing their environmental footprint. They place an emphasis on living close to nature and each other, creating a new model of society where everyone has a part to play.

While growing most of their food on their property according to Permaculture principles, they also buy organic, local, and seasonal food in bulk from farmers or wholesalers. Only biodegradable products are allowed, to avoid chemical residues in the soil where they grow their food. They live a vegetarian lifestyle and distance themselves from mass-consumption. Entrepreneurship is encouraged, but only when it stimulates sustainability.

Ecovillages such as Suderbyn are resilient and are not as affected by the goings of the outside world as others might. While the COVID-19 pandemic has made its mark on the world, Suderbyn claims that their daily lives have “barely changed” despite many of their projects and events having been cancelled. They attribute their resilience with their proximity and relationship with nature, as well as their access to a supportive and nurturing community.

Source: Suderbyn

Looking at these 5 diverse homes, it seems that there are endless opportunities for creativity while designing Coliving facilities. Does the future of Coliving lie in niche spaces? Only time will tell, and we can’t wait to find out!

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SALTO KS provides a flexible access control management system that requires no software installation or the added expense of a fully-wired electronic product. Modern cloud-based, wireless access control system is easy and simple to use for businesses including Coworking Spaces, Coliving Buildings, Purpose Built Student Accommodation, Retail, Multi-Tenant Housing, Gyms and many more. Our best in class wireless access control solution and smart locks guarantee the efficiency for your business. Integrate smart locks, start easily managing wireless access control now!