Technology Record - Issue 32: Spring 2024

75 communicate with each other, improving efficiency, safety and user comfort. Technicians extract and analyse data to identify ways to drive specific outcomes such as energy efficiency, carbon reduction, air quality improvement or asset performance. At Johnson Controls, we are playing a pivotal role in the evolution of the smart building which is not only integrated and connected but possesses increasingly more intelligent capabilities that enable it to adapt to people and the organisation’s purpose and goals. What are some of the key benefits of smart buildings and what sort of barriers exist to unlock or tap into these benefits? Firstly, smart buildings improve energy efficiency and sustainability. Optimising energy usage and reducing carbon emissions present a win-win opportunity for organisations by enhancing sustainability and boosting financial performance, without sacrificing productivity or creativity. According to the Forrester report Factors Driving the ROI of Sustainability, “sustainability-focused companies have seen better financial results relative to their peers”. To give you an example of the type of impact we can create, the Children’s of Alabama hospital in Birmingham, USA, looked to us to design, build, operate and maintain its new central utility plant through a 25-year contract. By meeting or exceeding yearly performance guarantees, we provided nearly $250,000 in annual savings and reduced the use of natural gas by 69 per cent. When complete, Children’s of Alabama expects this portion of the project to save $450,000 a year through our OpenBlue solutions, powered by Microsoft Azure. Smart buildings promote spaces for wellbeing and productivity. Last year we acquired FM Systems, a leading integrated workplace Smart building systems use internet of things sensors to collect data and apply AI and machine learning to improve operational efficiency

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