A system and method for detecting access to a monitored space including one or more controllers, one or more data collectors, and one or more sensors. The sensors are self-powered, wireless components having two states. Each time a sensor detects a physical change within the space, the sensor switches from one state to another. Each incidence of a sensor changing states is recorded within the sensor. The sensors do not continuously transmit the changed state information and rather report data only when queried by a controller. A data collector may be used to process the data from the sensors before transmitting it to the controller. The wireless, self-powered, limited data storing sensors enable the system to function independently of the environment's network infrastructure and power source. Once a human operator receives notice of an access event via the controller, the operator can escalate the level of inspection of the area.