What is Secured by Design?
Last updated August 13th, 2026
What Is Secured by Design? A Guide to SBD, PAS 24 and Secure Windows and Doors
Secured by Design (SBD) is the official UK police initiative for crime prevention through building and environmental design. It promotes the use of appropriate security standards, products and design principles to help reduce the risk of crime.
Secured by Design covers many aspects of the built environment, including residential developments, doors, windows, communal entrances, lighting, boundaries and other security measures.
For manufacturers, architects, developers and window and door specifiers, Secured by Design is particularly important because it provides recognised security requirements for products used in residential buildings.
What does Secured by Design mean?
Secured by Design is a UK police-led crime prevention initiative operated by the Police Service of the United Kingdom.
The scheme was established in 1989 and is based on the principle that the design and physical security of buildings can influence opportunities for crime. The College of Policing describes Secured by Design as an approach that aims to improve the security of buildings and reduce crime.
In simple terms:
Secured by Design means designing buildings and specifying products with crime prevention and security in mind.
It is not simply a particular type of lock, window or door. It is a broader approach to the security of buildings and the products incorporated into them.
What is Secured by Design certification?
Secured by Design certification provides recognition for developments and products that meet the relevant security requirements of the scheme.
For residential developments, security considerations can include:
Doors and doorsets
Windows
Communal entrances
Garages
Cycle stores
Boundaries
Lighting
Access control
Other aspects of the built environment
The exact requirements depend on the type of building, development and product being assessed.
Secured by Design also provides a search facility for products that meet its Police Preferred Specification.
What is the relationship between Secured by Design and PAS 24?
PAS 24 and Secured by Design are not the same thing.
PAS 24 is a security performance specification for doorsets and windows. It sets out testing and acceptance criteria for resistance to attacks associated with casual or opportunistic burglars.
Secured by Design is a broader police-led crime-prevention scheme covering the security of buildings, developments and products.
However, the two are closely connected.
PAS 24 is one of the important security standards used when demonstrating that doorsets and windows meet Secured by Design requirements.
Secured by Design’s current guidance recommends security-accredited products, including windows tested to standards such as PAS 24:2022.
This means that when specifying a security-focused window or doorset, it is important to understand both the product’s test/certification status and the requirements of the particular Secured by Design scheme being applied.
Is PAS 24 the same as Secured by Design?
No.
A useful way to understand the difference is:
PAS 24 = security testing and performance requirements
Secured by Design = police-led crime prevention scheme and security requirements
PAS 24 can therefore form part of the evidence used to demonstrate that a relevant window or doorset meets Secured by Design requirements.
The two terms should not be used interchangeably.
What does Secured by Design require for windows?
Security requirements for windows depend on their location, accessibility and the type of development.
Secured by Design guidance recommends security-accredited products for replacement windows and specifically identifies PAS 24 as an appropriate standard for security-tested windows.
For residential developments, easily accessible windows are particularly important.
An easily accessible window can include one that is within the specified vertical distance of an accessible surface, such as ground or basement level, an access balcony or certain roof configurations. Secured by Design guidance sets out the relevant criteria and acceptable security standards.
This is why window security cannot be considered simply as a question of choosing a particular lock or handle.
The complete window system—including its frame, glazing, hardware, fixings and other components—needs to provide the required level of security.
What does Secured by Design require for doors?
Doors are another major part of residential security.
Secured by Design guidance covers front and back doors as well as other entrance and communal door arrangements. It recommends robust, security-accredited doors and appropriate locking systems.
For new or replacement doors, security accreditation is particularly important because a door should be assessed as a complete system rather than judged by an individual lock or component.
Police guidance also recommends considering security-accredited products tested to recognised standards such as PAS 24:2022 when replacing doors.
Does Secured by Design apply to timber windows?
Yes.
Secured by Design is concerned with security performance rather than simply specifying one particular window material.
This means that timber windows can be designed and manufactured as part of security-tested window systems.
For timber window manufacturers, the important consideration is therefore not simply whether timber can be secure, but whether the complete window configuration has been appropriately designed, tested and certified.
This can include the frame, glazing, hardware, fixings, beads and other components that make up the finished window.
Can timber windows achieve Secured by Design?
Yes, provided the complete window system meets the relevant requirements of the Secured by Design scheme.
Timber is not inherently excluded from security accreditation.
For a timber window manufacturer, achieving the required performance depends on the design and specification of the complete window rather than the frame material alone.
This is particularly important when developing traditional-looking or heritage-style timber windows where the manufacturer needs to combine architectural appearance with modern security requirements.
Why are window beads important for Secured by Design windows?
A glazing bead is only one component of a complete window, but its design can be an important consideration when developing a security-focused window system.
A bead helps retain the glazing within the frame and forms part of the interface between the glass and the window structure.
For manufacturers developing security-tested timber windows, the bead therefore needs to work correctly with the rest of the system.
Relevant considerations can include:
Bead geometry
Bead retention
Fixing method
Glazing configuration
Frame design
Hardware
Material selection
Manufacturing tolerances
Installation
The complete tested configuration
However, it is important to make a distinction between a component being used in a certified system and the component itself being certified.
Secured by Design accreditation should not be described as applying automatically to an individual bead simply because that bead has been used within a certified window.
Are Qwood beads Secured by Design approved?
Qwood supplies window and door beads that are used as components within complete window and door systems.
Qwood beads have been fitted to a number of window and door systems that have successfully achieved Secured by Design requirements.
This should not be interpreted as meaning that every Qwood bead is independently Secured by Design certified.
The security performance of a complete window or doorset depends on the tested configuration and the relevant certification scope.
For manufacturers, this distinction is important when specifying replacement or bespoke components for an existing certified product.
Why is Secured by Design important for window manufacturers?
Secured by Design is particularly relevant to manufacturers because security requirements increasingly form part of the specification process for residential developments.
Architects, housebuilders, developers and specifiers may need to identify products that can demonstrate compliance with recognised security requirements.
For a window manufacturer, this means security needs to be considered during product design—not added as an afterthought.
A successful security-tested window is a system in which all the components work together.
That includes:
Frame + glazing + hardware + fixings + beads + manufacturing + installation
Changing one element of a tested configuration may affect its performance, so manufacturers should always check the scope of the relevant certification before substituting components.
What is the Police Preferred Specification?
The Police Preferred Specification is part of the Secured by Design product accreditation framework.
Products that meet the relevant performance requirements can be recognised through the Secured by Design scheme. The official Secured by Design resource provides a search facility for products meeting its Police Preferred Specification.
This gives specifiers a way to identify security products that have been assessed against recognised requirements.
Does Secured by Design reduce burglary?
Secured by Design is based on the principle that designing buildings to reduce opportunities for crime can improve security.
The College of Policing’s Crime Reduction Toolkit currently rates the overall evidence for Secured by Design’s impact on crime as showing an overall reduction, with a very strong effect rating, although it also notes limitations in the quality and availability of evidence across the intervention.
This is one reason SBD is relevant not only to individual products but to the wider design of residential developments.
What is the difference between Secured by Design, PAS 24 and Part Q?
These three terms are often confused.
Secured by Design
A UK police-led crime prevention initiative covering the security of buildings, developments and products.
PAS 24
A UK security performance specification that provides testing and acceptance criteria for doorsets and windows.
Approved Document Q
Building-regulation guidance concerning security in dwellings in England.
The three can therefore be connected, but they perform different functions.
For example:
Building Regulations → Approved Document Q → security requirements
PAS 24 → testing/performance evidence for relevant windows and doorsets
Secured by Design → broader police-led security and crime-prevention requirements
Understanding these distinctions helps manufacturers and specifiers avoid making inaccurate claims about certification.
Secured by Design for new homes
Secured by Design is particularly relevant to new residential developments.
Developers can work with police Designing Out Crime Officers (DOCOs) to incorporate appropriate security measures into the design and construction of developments. The College of Policing describes SBD as encouraging developers to build properties to specified security standards.
This means security can be considered at the design stage rather than relying solely on additional security measures after construction.
For windows and doors, that can mean specifying appropriately tested and certified products from the outset.
What should architects and specifiers look for?
When specifying windows or doors for a Secured by Design project, it is important to check:
Which SBD requirements apply to the project?
Is the window or doorset within the required scope?
What security standard has the product been tested against?
Is the product independently certified?
What is included in the certification scope?
Are the proposed glazing, hardware and other components covered?
Are replacement or alternative components permitted?
Does the final installed configuration match the tested configuration?
This last point is particularly important.
A window should not be described as Secured by Design simply because one of its components has been used in another certified window.
The complete product configuration and certification scope need to be considered.
How Qwood supports security-focused window and door design
Qwood manufactures window beads, door beads and bespoke profiles for the fenestration industry.
Our products are used as components within timber window and door systems, including systems where security performance is an important part of the product specification.
Qwood beads have been fitted to window and door systems that have successfully achieved Secured by Design requirements.
If you are developing a timber window or door system and need a standard or bespoke bead profile, Qwood can work with you to develop a solution suited to your manufacturing requirements.
Frequently asked questions about Secured by Design
What is Secured by Design?
Secured by Design is the UK police initiative that promotes crime prevention through the design and security of buildings, developments and products.
What does Secured by Design mean for windows?
It means that windows used in relevant projects need to meet the security requirements applicable to the particular SBD scheme. Security-accredited products tested to recognised standards such as PAS 24 are commonly used.
Is Secured by Design the same as PAS 24?
No. PAS 24 is a product security testing specification, while Secured by Design is a broader police-led crime prevention scheme.
Can timber windows be Secured by Design?
Yes. Timber windows can form part of Secured by Design developments when the complete window product meets the relevant security requirements and certification criteria.
Are Qwood beads Secured by Design certified?
Qwood beads have been fitted to a number of window and door systems that have successfully achieved Secured by Design requirements. However, certification of a complete window or doorset should not automatically be attributed to an individual bead component.
Does Secured by Design require PAS 24?
PAS 24 is an important security standard used for relevant doorsets and windows, but the exact requirements depend on the type of SBD project and product. The applicable current SBD guidance should always be checked.
What is the Police Preferred Specification?
It is a Secured by Design product accreditation specification for products that demonstrate the required performance against criminal attack. SBD provides a search facility for products meeting the Police Preferred Specification.
Does Secured by Design apply to doors as well as windows?
Yes. Secured by Design covers security considerations for both doors and windows, as well as other elements of the built environment.
Secured by Design: the key points
If you need a quick explanation of Secured by Design, remember these five points:
Secured by Design is the UK police initiative for crime prevention through building and environmental design.
It covers much more than individual locks or security products.
Doors and windows are important elements of Secured by Design residential security.
PAS 24 is an important security standard for relevant doorsets and windows, but PAS 24 and Secured by Design are not the same thing.
For manufacturers, certification applies to the relevant product/system and its defined configuration—not automatically to every individual component.
Need a bespoke window or door bead?
Qwood manufactures standard and bespoke window and door beads for timber and other fenestration applications.
If you are developing a security-focused window or door system, our team can discuss your profile requirements and help develop a bead solution suitable for your manufacturing process.
Contact Qwood to discuss your requirements or request a sample.
Last updated: August 2026
Next in the knowledge bank
