Josef Šachta

Sharry, a Czech company that supplies smart solutions to state-of-the-art office buildings in Europe, the USA, and Africa, has developed a special solution for touch-free elevator control. This innovation contributes to countering the spread of COVID-19 and other diseases. Ondřej Langr, Sharry's product manager, describes how this product works: “When a person passes through turnstiles on the ground floor, our system automatically calls an elevator set to stop on the floor where they work. If they miss the elevator or want to go to a different floor, they can simply use their mobile phone to choose the floor number.” Portable electronic devices Users can thus control the elevator from their mobile phones and avoid using its buttons, which in normal operation are touched several times a day by virtually every employee and visitor to the building. "We are developing this new technology in cooperation with major elevator suppliers and based on the requirements of our customers all over the world," adds Ondřej Langr. Their 'favorite floors' that they visit most often will be displayed, or they can choose a different one" The touch-free elevator system works uses special sensors – Bluetooth low energy beacons – located by the elevators. This proximity device runs on a single battery for up to four years and broadcasts its identifier to nearby portable electronic devices such as smartphones or smart watches. “When a user approaches the elevator beacon, the system automatically sends a push notification to their phone's display, through which they can call the elevator. Their 'favorite floors' that they visit most often will be displayed, or they can choose a different one,” says the Sharry product manager. Mobile access system Key benefits of touch-free elevator control from Sharry: Automatically calls an elevator when a user arrives at the building. Elevator control using a specific user's own phone. Minimizes the transmission of infection from surfaces touched by a large number of people. Special sensors (beacons) or GPS user location prevent the elevator from being called remotely, for example from home. Users will first see "their" floor and ground floor on their phone, the two most frequently visited floors, for quick selection. The new touch-free elevator feature is fully integrated with Sharry's mobile access system that offers a flawless and unique experience in premium office building. This feature will be available in Q3/2020 in the Sharry Workplace product line, and will be available for the Apple Watch in Q4/2020. Touch-Free elevator control "The world has changed. We must prepare for the fact that even after the coronavirus pandemic subsides, efforts will continue to eliminate contact with other people and things as much as possible. The future is touch-free. But touch-free elevator control is no science fiction, it's already here,” points out Josef Šachta, Sharry's CEO. With touch-free elevator control, Sharry is expanding its palette of services and functions it is integrating into its smart ecosystem, and which users can control using a modern application directly from their smartphones. "At the same time, we're giving administrators and property managers additional tools to eliminate the risk of infection in the building and prepare for people returning to the office from their homes," says Jakub Řezníček, Chief Product Officer (CPO) and co-founder of Sharry. Disposable plastic cards If the workers or guests drive, a smart camera link recognizes their license plate and opens the gates automatically The company also offers touch-free lobby check-in for visitors, who thus do not have to write anything in a visitor log book or use disposable plastic cards, but simply identify themselves at the reception desk using a QR code on their mobile phone. If the workers or guests drive, a smart camera link recognizes their license plate and opens the gates automatically without any touch-needed gesture. Parking management ensures maximal utilization of parking spots. Sharry also allows the use of a mobile app and digital signage (displays) in the building to inform users and visitors what measures are currently in force and how to behave as considerately as possible in the building. The products all have a common denominator: they minimize contact with surfaces in the building's common areas of the building and make being in the building as pleasant as possible. Channel for quick communication At the same time, building managers have a channel for quick communication with all users through digital signage or messages sent directly to the mobile app. Why are elevators high-risk areas and what are people afraid of upon their return to the office? “Contamination on surfaces touched by employees and customers is one of the main ways that COVID-19 spreads," says the World Health Organization. Elevator buttons have a greater potential to transmit infection than toilet flush handles, indicates research published in Open Medicine magazine. Real estate consulting company Knight Frank puts elevators at the head of the list of high-risk areas in office buildings. Viruses can spread very quickly in offices. According to a study by the American Society for Microbiology, within four hours they spread from one infected site to 40-60% of users, visitors, or frequently used surfaces. In order for people in an office building to feel safe again, it is advisable to limit elevator capacity. In a survey conducted by HubbleHQ and Concrete VC, 85 % of respondents were in favor of this measure.

SL Green Realty Corp., one of Manhattan's largest office landlord, has appointed Sharry to be a technology partner for the One Vanderbilt project scheduled to be opened in September 2020 in midtown Manhattan. Smart, integrated building systems Sharry is a pioneer in the newly emerging market of PropTech (property & technology). The company supplies an ecosystem of smart and integrated functions for premium commercial office buildings and customers in the Americas, Africa, and Europe. Recently, Sharry, the PropTech company, announced a new touch-free elevator system for COVID-safe buildings. One Vanderbilt Sharry was appointed by SL Green Realty to be a technology partner for One Vanderbilt in New York" A sky-line defining skyscraper tower, One Vanderbilt will be the epitome of the 21st century workplace space. Developed by SL Green Corp., the 1,401-foot-tall (427 m) commercial office building will be the 5th tallest building in the U.S. TD Bank is signed on as the anchor tenant of the 1.7-million-square-foot property, which is due to open in September of 2020. All users and tenants will be equipped with smart and mobile products delivered by Sharry. “Sharry was appointed by SL Green Realty to be a technology partner for One Vanderbilt in New York,” confirms Michal Cerovsky, Chief Operations Officer (COO) and a Co-Founder of Sharry. The company is headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic, EU. Digital solutions for a safer work environment "One Vanderbilt is already an architectural icon in New York, but its completion will open a new era in which digital solutions will provide a healthier and safer work environment," adds Vladimír Mašinský, Head of Business Development at Sharry, who also manages Sharry's partnership with SL Green Realty. Anchoring the modernization of East Midtown region of New York City, One Vanderbilt will provide tenants with an impressive slate of amenities unrivaled in history of real estate in NYC, including a 30,000-square-foot tenant-only amenity floor with large format meeting spaces, club-style lounge and an extraordinary outdoor terrace. Direct connection to transit network Immediately adjacent to Grand Central Terminal, the building will create direct connections to the surrounding transit network. The building will also include an 11,000-square-foot high-design restaurant from world-renowned chef, Daniel Boulud. SL Green’s unprecedented US$ 220 million private investment to improve Grand Central’s public transit infrastructure has already begun to materialize. Tenants include a star roster of top-tier financial, banking and legal firms that have committed to One Vanderbilt. Integrating individual services and technological systems There are many innovations by Sharry that improve the commercial office building experience “It's a major milestone for Sharry to be a partner of the One Vanderbilt project, a prominent part of the New York City skyline, less than four years after the company was founded. At the same time, it tells us that we were correct in taking the more demanding approach, integrating individual services and technological systems available in buildings into a single platform,” said Josef Šachta, CEO and Co-Founder of Sharry. There are many innovations by Sharry that improve the commercial office building experience. The company brings in a new set of smart features integrated to the building, such as mobile access that allows workers to open doors or turnstiles, just with their smartphones. If the workers drive, a smart camera link recognizes their license plate and opens the gates. Smart parking management Parking management ensures maximal utilization of parking spots. All users can take advantage of a tenant engagement platform for sharing important building-related news, chatting with other users, or booking shared amenities. Visitors to buildings where software from Sharry is installed can also expect the utmost in convenience. "A guest will receive a meeting invitation with a QR code. They can reserve a parking space, and the system will then automatically let in upon arrival thanks to smart cameras. The guests will then report to the reception using the QR code, just like check-in at airports. The host who invited the guest will then be notified that their visitor is already in the lobby," said Product Manager, Ondřej Langr, in describing another example of the multi-level integration offered by Sharry. Touch-free elevator system for COVID-safe buildings Recently, the company has announced a touch-free elevator system for COVID-safe buildings Recently, the company has announced a touch-free elevator system for COVID-safe buildings as its latest innovation. This anti-coronavirus feature enabling users to control elevators from their mobile phones or smart watches will be presented during Q3/2020 in the Sharry Workplace product line as part of a revolutionary mobile access system. Along with One Vanderbilt, Sharry is completing the implementation of its smart tools ecosystem in several other office buildings on the East coast of the USA. Thanks to these projects, it is firmly placed among the top players in the PropTech segment and especially in NYC, which last year ranked first on the Tech Cities index, which is compiled by the Savills consulting company. “We always wanted our software to be in the best buildings in every city to which we expanded. And New York was our dream destination. I am very proud of our entire team that we can work together here on the iconic building One Vanderbilt will soon be,” adds Josef Šachta.