Guide · Specifications and drawings · 28 10 05

Check electronic security system specifications against drawings

A security device plan can show sensors, readers, and cameras without confirming which of the specification’s subsystems each one belongs to, or whether a controlled opening’s door hardware matches the access-control programming intended for it. Review the subsystem and the opening together before treating a device symbol as complete.

Trace each electronic security device from the plan into its intrusion detection, access control, or video surveillance subsystem, then compare credentialing basis, programming logic, and door-hardware interface for the same opening before treating a device plan as coordinated.

Assemble the review package

Gather the security device plan, the door hardware schedule, the access-control programming narrative (anti-passback, two-person rule, guard tour, door interlocking), the camera coverage or lighting plan, and the issued electronic security systems specification. This guide covers intrusion detection, access control, video surveillance, and the security command center as a single unified system; review one controlled opening or protected boundary completely before assuming a similar device elsewhere shares the same subsystem and programming.

WBDG publishes UFGS 28 10 05: Electronic Security Systems (ESS) as a public guide-specification reference (accessed September 24, 2026). Use your project’s issued specification and amendments for the actual comparison; the guide specification does not automatically govern your project. The checklist below is an original suggested review workflow, not a reproduction of the UFGS requirements.

Eight checks to run against the issued set

Use one record per location or system. The CSV contains the same eight prompts plus fields for source revisions, observed evidence, the review owner, the decision, and closure references.

Eight specification-to-drawing checksSwipe or scroll sideways to read all columns.
CheckSources to compareQuestion to resolve
Subsystem scope assignmentDevice symbol on the security plan + specified intrusion detection, access control, or video surveillance subsystemDoes each device symbol resolve to a defined subsystem and component type in the specification, rather than a generic security note?
Sensor type and UL listingSensor location and protected boundary + specified sensor type and referenced UL standardDoes the specified interior or exterior sensor type (high security switch, glass break, fence-mounted, buried, microwave) match the referenced UL listing and the boundary shown on the site or floor plan?
Credential and PIV complianceCard reader type (contact or contactless) + specified personal-identity-verification credential requirementWhere the project requires PIV-compliant credentials, does the specified reader and credential type support that requirement at the scheduled openings?
Programming logic assignmentOperational narrative for the area (anti-passback, two-person rule, guard tour, door interlocking) + specified access-control programming featureDoes the documented operational intent for each controlled area match a programming feature the specification actually supports, rather than an assumed default behavior?
Camera performance and analytics basisCamera location and lighting condition + specified resolution, low-light sensitivity, and video-analytics featureDoes the specified camera performance and any video-analytics function (intruder identification, subject tracking) match the coverage intent and lighting condition at that location?
Door hardware interfaceDoor hardware schedule locking device + specified electric strike, mortise lock, or electromagnetic lockDoes the door hardware schedule’s locking device and fail-safe or fail-secure behavior match what the security specification and door-interlocking programming assume for that opening?
Communications and cabling basisHead-end wiring diagram + specified hardwire, radio-frequency, or local-area-network cabling requirementDoes the documented cabling path from each device to the security command center match the specified communications method, including any structured-cabling reference?
Backup power and surge protectionDevice count and standby-duration basis + specified uninterruptible power supply and surge-protection requirementDoes the documented device count and standby-duration assumption match what the specified battery-capacity calculation and surge-protection scope require?

Worked example: an entry booth without its door-interlocking assignment

Illustrative example: a personnel entry booth is shown on the security plan with a camera, a weight-check monitor, and a double-occupancy sensor consistent with the specification’s entry-booth equipment list. The door hardware schedule lists locking devices for both booth doors but does not identify a door-interlocking function, even though the specification’s access-control programming article lists door interlocking as a feature for preventing both leaves from being open at once.

Confirm the intended interlocking behavior for the booth with the security designer, add the door-interlocking programming reference to the access-control documentation, and recheck the booth’s door hardware and controller wiring for the added interlock signal before closing the item.

Avoid a false conflict

A device list that matches an equipment article, such as an entry booth’s camera and weight-check monitor, does not by itself confirm that the programming logic tying those devices together, such as door interlocking, was carried into the door hardware and controller documentation.

When requirements disagree, follow the project’s document-control and clarification process. Do not assume that drawings always override specifications, or the reverse. Identify the exact sources and request an authorized decision.

Close the issue across the affected documents

Record the location or tag, drawing and specification references, issue dates, observed difference, and the decision needed. Assign an owner and keep the item open until the response identifies the governing requirement. Check the revised drawings and specification references together; a response email alone may leave the issued package inconsistent.

For the overall process, use the guide to drawing and specification conflicts. Mark an inapplicable checklist row with a reason, and distinguish a verified correction from a question that still needs design information.

Where Groundbook fits

Groundbook’s drawing and specification review helps investigate potential disagreements in the documents you supply. Include the relevant specification sections and drawing references, then verify the cited evidence with the responsible reviewers before acting on a finding.

Questions, answered

FAQs

What should an electronic security system review compare?

Compare subsystem scope assignment, sensor type and UL listing, credential and PIV compliance, programming logic, camera performance, door hardware interface, communications basis, and backup power for the same opening or protected boundary.

Does this checklist confirm the system meets a specific security threat rating?

No. It is a document-consistency review confirming the drawings and specification describe a matching subsystem and device configuration. Threat assessment, system design, and acceptance testing remain with the responsible security engineer and accrediting official.

Why does door interlocking need its own check?

Door interlocking is an access-control programming feature tied to specific hardware and controller wiring at a two-door opening such as an entry booth, so a device list that matches the equipment article does not by itself confirm the interlocking logic was documented.

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