Overview
#039 – Today’s guest is Paula Balmori Beltrán, Global Director of Security Design and Integration at Brivo, President of the Secure Building Council, and Director of the U.S. CPTED Association. Paula is a recognized leader at the intersection of architecture, security, and PropTech. Her background spans architectural design, risk consulting for military bases, and security leadership for global enterprises.
In this episode, we talk about her journey from design to security, how she’s leading the development of the SHIELD certification for secure buildings, and why CPTED and PropTech are essential to building safer, smarter environments. We also dig into lessons learned from enterprise projects, strategies for aligning stakeholders, and the growing role of AI in security design.
Highlights from This Episode
- Security Must Be Integrated Early: Security design should be embedded into the earliest architectural decisions, not treated as an afterthought.
- Design with Risk in Mind: Contextual risk—like proximity to roads or cultural/security/etc climate—should shape architecture, not just aesthetics or function.
- Resource Constraints Drive Innovation: Her work in Kenya taught her how to design effective solutions with minimal personnel and limited budgets.
- PropTech is Part of Security: Modern security design isn’t just cameras and card readers—it includes sensors, temperature controls, and open API ecosystems.
- User Experience Matters: Security professionals should focus on how users actually interact with systems and spaces, not just hardware specs.
- Stakeholder Alignment is Crucial: Facilities, operations, legal, and safety teams all need to be part of the security design conversation.
- CPTED is Foundational: Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design is the baseline knowledge every architect and security designer should have.
- SHIELD Certification Fills a Major Gap: The industry has lacked a comprehensive security design certification—SHIELD is aiming to change that.
- AI is a Daily Tool: She uses AI (including ChatGPT) as a personal assistant to write, brainstorm, research, and problem-solve.
- Young Professionals Should Cross-Train: Security people should learn design and project management; designers should learn security systems.
Memorable Quotes:
- “Ever since then, I couldn’t look away. This is the problem I want to solve. – On discovering the gap between security and architecture.
- “Architecture has allowed me to understand how to take into consideration context and concepts in order to design in the most elevated way—not as an afterthought.”
- “We’re not just designing barriers—we’re designing experiences and ecosystems.”
- “If you come from the security side, learn about architecture. If you come from architecture, learn about security.”
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Books:
- ZBeta blog posts on security design
Websites / Tools / Platforms
- ZBeta (implied, for blogs)
- ChatGPT (used extensively for ideation, document breakdowns, summaries)
People
- Art Hushen – Founder of the U.S. CPTED Association
- Macarena – CPTED advocate in Latin America
- Lee Odess – Recommended follow for PropTech updates
- Zack and Debra – Key contributors to the SHIELD certification at the Secure Building Council
Organizations
- Secure Building Council (SBC) – Launching the SHIELD certification
- U.S. CPTED Association
- Brivo – PropTech
- Z-Beta – Security consulting firm with great digital publications
- Training / Courses
- CPTED training courses, such as NICP (highly recommended)
- AIA (American Institute of Architects) – for architecture-related continuing education
Events
- GSX – Global Security Exchange (ASIS)
- ISC East / ISC West
- U.S. CPTED Association Conference – Held annually in February
Related Episodes
- Architecture, Risk & Security Integration
- Expanding CPTED: Designing Safer Communities
- Involuntary Employment Termination Strategies