Multipurpose arena uses phones and wristbands as keys

The arena, designed by the internationally renowned architect Daniel Libeskind – and built above the main line railway – will host large events, including the 2022 Men’s Ice Hockey World Championships.

The central location of the venue in the city centre and its opening hours around the clock highlight the importance of access management. For example, it must be possible to separate semi-public, open areas from premises accessible only to employees or hotel guests. Security solutions as well as access management and control systems for the arena have been implemented by Abloy.

"Nokia Arena is a striking example of security trends, where access rights are becoming digital and door environments are touchless. In this development, various human resource, space and access management systems, for example, are integrated. They share information to improve operational efficiency and security. There has been a lot of discussion about the API economy, i.e., utilising data shared through application programming interfaces, in recent years," said Jari Perälä, Vice President, Domestic Sales and Marketing, Abloy Oy.  

Mobile devices and wristbands acting as keys

In the arena, the doors are opened with access rights on mobile devices and wristbands. Electromechanical keys are also used.

"We have introduced a wide range of keys. Access permits can be sent to smart devices, in which case the door opens with the help of a mobile phone or smartwatch in the blink of an eye. This way, for example, an ice hockey team training in the rink does not have to worry about losing the keys or returning them to the right place when the access rights expire at the end of the game shift. When granting access, it is also possible to determine which premises can and cannot be accessed," said Jani Helenius, Property and Security Manager at Nokia Arena.

"The doors of the arena open with a smartphone or smartwatch, which is really clever. I am convinced that the hockey people will enjoy many moments in the new arena," said Jukka Peltola, Assistant Captain of the Finnish ice hockey league team Tappara. The team is one of the arena's regular users.

"The locks are also integrated into the work shift system of the arena's restaurants. For example, when a waiter arrives at the beginning of his or her shift, the access rights granted to the person immediately take effect in the necessary premises", Abloy's Key Account Manager Mikael Ermala added.  

Push bars speed up the exit in case of an emergency

Directing an audience of 15,000 to safety in case of emergencies is essential for an event centre like Nokia Arena. That's why the locks on the arena doors are integrated with the fire safety system. Smooth evacuation is also ensured by ABLOY push bars. All doors and exit routes in the customer premises are equipped with push bars, also called panic bars or crash bars, so that the doors open quickly and easily when needed.

"Simulations during the construction phase have shown that 4,500 people can be guided away from the main floor of the arena in less than eight minutes. The entire arena can be emptied in about 15 to 20 minutes, in an optimal situation. This would not be possible without effective opening mechanisms on the exit routes," says Jani Helenius.

"Nokia Arena is an important project for us, where together we have been able to develop completely new, technology-enabled ways of using locking solutions. We have good experiences securing similar large arenas, such as the Helsinki Olympic Stadium in Finland and the Warsaw National Stadium in Poland," says Jari Perälä from Abloy.