Smartest Building In America?

A challenge from Siemens Industry, Inc. is putting the intelligence of buildings in the U.S. to the test. The company’s recently announced Smartest Building in America™ challenge looks at how facilities equipped with Siemens APOGEE® or TALON® building automation systems are using the technology. The challenge looks for innovative and creative approaches taken by facility managers; anyone may submit a nominating entry for a building that operates either of those Siemens systems.

Facilities can enter the Siemens contest until July 15, 2010.
Facilities can enter the Siemens contest until July 15, 2010.

“The challenge is really designed to recognize the intelligence and ingenuity of the men and women who manage America’s buildings,” says Christoph Vogel, vice president of control products and systems (CPS), Building Technologies Division of Siemens. “The United States has a small army of facility managers and building engineers who work under tremendous pressure to balance priorities–control lighting, increase efficiency, prevent fires, meet security and emergency requirements, and maintain budgets. When you think of the variety of ways we use buildings and the number of people going in and out every day, you realize how monumental their job is to keep this country in business. This challenge gives facility managers and engineers a chance to illustrate their creativity and hard work.”

Participants are asked to submit brief videos that explain why their buildings are the smartest in America. They can submit their entry form and video at: www.smartestbuildinginamerica.com. Entries will be accepted until July 15, 2010 at 11:59pmCDT.

A panel of authorities in facility management, such as Jim Sinopoli, Managing Principal, Smart Buildings, and Paul Ehrlich, president, Building Intelligence Group, will judge the entries. Two prizes will be awarded to each product category: APOGEE and TALON. Grand prize winners will receive $25,000 in products and services from the Building Technologies Division or a $25,000 contribution to a qualified charity of their choice. Runner-up prize winners will receive $15,000 in products and services from the Building Technologies Division or a $15,000 contribution to a qualified charity of their choice.

The Siemens APOGEE Building Automation System provides an open system architecture that allows all of the information throughout a facility to be accessible to all who need it, when and where they need it. APOGEE System’s backward and forward compatibility help facilities of all types improve performance and expand functionality to adapt over time.

The Siemens TALON Building Control System provides integrators with an open architecture based on BACnet or LonTalk® protocols. Its benefits include unlimited flexibility and project management tools to keep projects on schedule and within budget. Its wireless sensors help improve a building operator’s return on retrofit investment, fulfill new tenant needs, and ensure building and energy efficiency.