Archive for the ‘Facilities Management’ Category

Johnson Controls acquires lighting services company, expands capabilities

March 2nd, 2010

Johnson Controls, Inc. has announced the acquisition of National Energy Services (NES), a lighting services company headquartered in Roswell, Ga. Specific terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The acquisition expands Johnson Controls lighting services beyond the school, healthcare and government markets it currently serves as NES provides lighting upgrade and maintenance solutions largely for retail, commercial, and industrial customers. Johnson Controls also will provide effective  turnkey distribution and installation of those services for customers across market segments. » More: Johnson Controls acquires lighting services company, expands capabilities

A room temperature of one’s own with Johnson Controls’ Personal Environments

March 1st, 2010

The Boston Globe

In the late 1980s, Johnson Controls, an American company, developed a system, which is still commercially available. In Johnson Controls’ “Personal Environments” modules, air is delivered through desktop control units, and workers can adjust temperature, airflow, and lighting. Over the years, units have been installed in a number of buildings – for example, at the Security Benefit Group in Topeka, Kan., and JohnsonDiversey in Sturtevant, Wis.

Read more in The Boston Globe. Submit comments below.

IBM and Johnson Controls partner on smarter buildings

February 22nd, 2010

Earth2Tech

Two of the biggest players in the emerging smart building industry have joined forces. IBM and Johnson Controls announced Monday the launch of a joint initiative called Smart Building Solution — combining the business analytics and enterprise software of Big Blue with the building technology and energy efficiency solutions of Johnson Controls – that the companies said will improve operations, lower costs and reduce energy and water use in buildings.

The initiative will be co-marketed by the companies and target government and education buildings, large commercial real estate owners and industrial facilities.

Read the complete story on Earth2Tech. Submit your comments below.

Triple pane energy gains at the Empire State Building

February 22nd, 2010

Energy, Water and Taxes, LLC

One of the owners of the Empire State Building, Tony Malkin, set out to prove that a whole-building retrofit to greatly enhance energy efficiency could be financially justified in a multitenant office building. Malkin assembled a team that included Jones Lang LaSalle, the Rocky Mountain Institute and Johnson Controls. Their task: Identify which of several dozen potential strategies would yield the best balance of low upfront cost and long-term financial benefit.

Read the complete blog on Energy, Water and Taxes, LLC. Submit comments below.

Self-funding project cuts energy costs

February 22nd, 2010

National League of Cities

The centerpiece of the project is the City of Rome’s wastewater treatment plant. Through an energy performance contract with Johnson Controls, an NLC Capstone Corporate Partner, Rome was able to replace outdated mixing equipment and install a fine bubble aeration system to replace mechanical aerators, some of which were 30 years old. The state-of-the-art fine bubble aeration system includes energy efficient variable-vane blowers, dissolved oxygen controls and efficient membrane diffusers. The dissolved oxygen controls automate the output of the blowers, thereby minimizing energy consumption.

Read the complete story on the National League of Cities website. Submit comments below.

Colorado county gets $5.2 million energy efficiency loan

February 15th, 2010

Pueblo Chieftain

Pueblo County has been selected for a $5.2 million, low-interest loan by Gov. Bill Ritter’s energy office to pay for installing new energy efficient lighting, plumbing and air-conditioning systems in county buildings.

County officials say the cost of the loan will be paid for by the annual energy savings — and that savings is guaranteed by the company that is overseeing the upgrade, Johnson Controls.

Read the complete story in the Pueblo Chieftain. Submit comments below.

Johnson Controls opens Pa. test labs

January 28th, 2010

The Business Journal of Milwaukee

Johnson Controls Inc. has opened two new performance-test laboratories for commercial air-conditioning equipment at its Grantley Technology Center in York, Pa.

The labs will verify the operating performance of air-handling units and air-cooled chillers, as well as augment research, development and test capabilities at the Grantley Technology Center, which also houses advanced labs for underfloor-air distribution systems and water-cooled chillers.

Read the complete story in The Business Journal of Milwaukee. Submit comments below.

Grand Junction, Colorado buildings go green

January 28th, 2010

KJCT8 News

The City of Grand Junction is starting 2010 a little greener. Officials say that will make your tax dollars go farther. 

For about two years, city leaders have been working on a project to make buildings more energy efficient. The City has been working toward a goal of reducing energy consumption at all city buildings and facilities by 20 percent by 2012. 

In 2008, consultants from Johnson Controls began reviewing power and water consumption at all of the city’s forty-four buildings.  The consultants suggested how changes in lighting, water, heating and cooling systems could lead to much greater energy efficiency.

Read the complete story on the KJCT8 News website. Submit comments below.

Johnson Controls delivers energy efficiency at University of Oklahoma

January 27th, 2010

The Oklahoma Daily

Various campus buildings received energy-efficient upgrades under a performance-based contract with Johnson Controls, said a spokeswoman for the OU Physical Plant.

The upgrades have been in place for more than a year and will continue into this semester, said plant spokeswoman Amanda Hearn.

“When that process is complete, we expect to see an annual reduction in energy use equivalent to 415 single-family homes,” Hearn said.

Read the complete story in the The Oklahoma Daily. Submit comments below.

Energy efficiency made easy with ENERGY STAR®

January 25th, 2010

By Juliet Pagliaro Herman, Johnson Controls

Preparing my presentation for an ENERGY STAR panel discussion at the Air-conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration (AHR) Expo gave me a chance to reflect on why we’ve been able to use the ENERGY STAR® program for buildings and plants to help ourselves and our customers reduce their energy consumption and costs. » More: Energy efficiency made easy with ENERGY STAR®