Judges to Determine Smartest Building in America™
Buffalo Grove, IL, Friday, July 30, 2010
When it comes to high-tech intelligence, can a grade school out-smart a college? How about a hospital versus an office building? This week, a group of judges will provide answers.
Fifteen facilities from across the United States are finalists in the competition to win the Siemens Smartest Building in America™ Challenge according to Christoph Vogel, Vice President of Control Products and Systems (CPS), Building Technologies Division of Siemens. A panel of five industry experts will determine which facilities will earn the Smartest Building in America title and win up to $25,000 worth of building technologies products and services from Siemens, he said.
The challenge, which ended July 15, had nearly 5,000 visitors to its web site. “We’ve seen a tremendous amount of interest from people who want to learn about the Challenge, how to compete and how to make their buildings smarter,” Vogel said. “So far, interest is spread among people representing a variety of facilities, including schools, hospitals, an art museum, an Internet company and government facilities.”
The Challenge finalists, appearing in random order, include:
Upper Merion Area School District, Candlebrook Elementary School
CME Group, GFX Corporation’s High Density Data Center
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, E. Donnell Thomas Building
City of Seattle, Parks Department, Northgate Civic Center
Elizabethtown College, Nicarry Hall •Greenwich Hospital•Manchester College’s Science Center
Childress Klein Properties, Duke Energy Center
Iowa Central Community College
Hilton Worldwide office building
Grand View University Rasmussen Building
Compass Rose Consulting, Isabella EEB Project
Cold Climate Housing Research Center
Arkansas Department of Environment Quality
Texas Women's University
The Smartest Building in America™ Challenge promotes how people use the sophisticated technology that keeps America’s buildings operating. The Challenge looks for innovative and creative approaches taken by facility managers. The deadline for entering the 2010 challenge was July 15. Any facility that operates either APOGEE® or TALON® building automation systems was eligible for nomination. Participants were asked to submit brief videos that explain why their buildings are the smartest in America.
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.