Case Study

Monitoring and Guarding Solutions for CBRE

CBRE is the world’s largest commercial real estate and investment firm, operating in over 100 countries. It provides end-to-end property services including leasing, sales, facilities management, valuations, and investment advice. With clients spanning investors, occupiers, and developers, CBRE delivers strategic insight and operational excellence across all asset types.

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Meeting our customers’ needs

CBRE approached Orbis to help secure a 145,000 sqft listed building in Westminster, currently vacant and undergoing redevelopment into high-end residential accommodation. Located near the River Thames, the property faces flood risk at basement level and further security concerns due to its size, value, and visibility.

Following a thorough onsite assessment, we agreed with CBRE to implement the following comprehensive protection measures:

  • 24/7 on-site Security in Residence officer providing continuous presence and rapid response
  • Bespoke integrated monitoring system covering intrusion, fire, and flood detection
  • Real-time alerts to support swift action and incident management

Our Challenges

The project faced various key challenges:

Flood Risk Management

  • Basement vulnerability to flooding during high tide required proactive prevention measures.
  • Continuous monitoring and rapid response systems were needed to protect valuable infrastructure.
  • Flood detection systems had to provide early warnings without triggering false alarms.

Security Risks

  • Vacant, high value listed property increased risk of unauthorised access, vandalism, and squatting.
  • The building’s size and complex layout made comprehensive coverage and patrols demanding for a single officer.
  • Heritage restrictions were limiting where modern surveillance equipment could be installed.

Monitoring and Integration

  • Integrating intrusion, fire, and flood sensors into a single bespoke monitoring platform required precise design and calibration.
  • Coordination between on-site security and remote monitoring teams was essential for rapid response.
  • Redevelopment planning created logistical challenges in maintaining security coverage during construction works.

Operational Continuity

  • Ensuring 24/7 security presence and system reliability in an unoccupied property required robust staffing, training, and maintenance.
  • Balancing cost-effectiveness with comprehensive risk mitigation remained a continuous operational challenge.

Providing real solutions

Our solution provided a comprehensive approach to managing the property’s unique risks. A 24/7 on-site security in residence officer ensured constant physical presence, allowing for immediate response to any security breach, suspicious activity, or emergency. To compliment this, we installed bespoke monitoring equipment designed to detect intrusion, fire, and flooding.

The system was tailored to the building’s layout and heritage constraints, providing real-time alerts that allowed the on-site officer and remote monitoring teams to respond swiftly and effectively. Together, these measures ensured continuous protection, minimised the risk of damage or loss, and gave the CBRE team confidence that threats were being actively managed.

Results that matter

The results of our approach were highly effective. The property remained secure throughout the redevelopment period, with no incidents of unauthorised access, vandalism, or squatting. Early detection systems successfully identified minor flood and fire risks before they could cause damage, preventing costly repairs and downtime.

CBRE benefited from peace of mind, knowing that both security and environmental threats were being actively monitored and managed, and our close collaboration ensured solutions were tailored to their specific challenges and operational needs.

Case Studies