The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Public Buildings Service has just released a new publication that establishes guidance, explores various elements and best practices and lays out the process for designing site security at federal facilities.
"GSA's highest priority is to provide federal customer agencies with safe, secure and productive workplaces in order to carry out their missions," says David L. Winstead, Commissioner for the Public Buildings Service. "These guidelines will assist in achieving the best design security solutions, creating a portfolio of buildings that will endure into the future, and improve the communities in which we work."
The Site Security Design Guide establishes guidance, explores various elements and best practices, and lays out the process security professionals, designers, and project managers can follow in designing site security at GSA's federal facilities. The guide's approach is also applicable to nonfederal facilities as well.
The 152-page guide highlights lessons learned in a variety of test cases from around the nation. It encourages a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach and features numerous photos and images that illustrate methods used to produce safe and productive workplaces. It also pinpoints key security principles that should be integrated into the design process, such as the strategic reduction of risk and long-term development strategy.
GSA follows security standards developed by the Interagency Security Committee that outlines required analysis and performance benchmarks for federal buildings. The Guide supplements, but does not replace, applicable technical security criteria, analysis tools, and other federal project planning guidance. For more information about the Security Design Guide, visit
