In the heart of central Gothenburg lies BRF Masthugget, Sweden's largest housing cooperative, with approximately 1200 apartments. To reduce traffic in the courtyards, the area is surrounded by a boom system.

The old boom system didn't work well. Many unauthorized vehicles, such as taxis, delivery trucks, and even private individuals, entered the area. Not everyone drove calmly and orderly, despite having both a school and a daycare center in the area.
"The problem was that the old booms were opened with an A-key, a widely distributed key that many people have access to," says Fredrik Blidö, who was responsible for operations in the cooperative when a new system was procured.

The decision was made a couple of years ago, and the requirements were that the booms should be robust and have different opening systems. The supplier chosen was Smekab Citylife. "We chose their booms because they are durable and resistant, and they look like ordinary manual booms. The motor is buried in the ground and inaccessible to unauthorized individuals," explains Fredrik.

The system was equipped with several opening options: a key for the fire department for guaranteed access, tags for residents, and remote control for staff. Additionally, there is the option to open the booms remotely with a mobile phone, although BRF Masthugget has not yet activated this service.

With the new system, residents no longer need to handle boom keys, as they can use the same tag for the booms as for other common areas. Tags also have a personal identity and are easy to activate and deactivate.
"We already had remote control for the garage doors in the area, and now we installed the same type for the booms, which facilitates tasks such as waste collection in the area," says Fredrik.

Today, Magnus Kööl has taken over as the technically responsible person at BRF Masthugget and is in charge of the new boom system. In total, there are eight booms, two of which are double booms.
"I think the system works well; it's very convenient for our operational staff who don't have to exit their vehicles when passing the booms, and there are many rounds in a day," says Magnus Kööl.

Meanwhile, renovations are always ongoing in the area, and craftsmen need to enter with their vehicles.
"Those who had their own key may think it has become worse. But keys are problematic; in the end, they are always somewhere in the city. Now we can easily exclude unauthorized individuals," adds Magnus Kööl.

Magnus appreciates that the collaboration with Smekab Citylife has been successful and values that the company is close at hand in Västra Götaland.
"A while ago, we had a boom that was hit, but I received quick assistance, and everything worked well.”

Residential Quarter BRF Masthugget

Tranquility in the Courtyards with a Smart Boom System