Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Applications
    • Applications
    • IT Management
    • Networking

    IBM Lands GSA Smart Buildings Contract

    Written by

    Darryl K. Taft
    Published May 22, 2012
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

      IBM (NYSE: IBM) has won a U.S. General Services Administration contract to develop and install advanced smart building technology in 50 of the federal government€™s highest energy-consuming buildings.

      This project is part of GSA€™s larger smart building strategy and will connect building management systems to a central cloud-based platform, improving efficiency and saving up to $15 million in taxpayer dollars annually, IBM said.

      Commercial buildings account for nearly 40 percent of the United States€™ primary energy use, and GSA owns nearly 182 million square feet of office space nationwide. GSA’s plan to meet the requirements of President Obama€™s Executive Order 13514 includes a goal of reducing energy consumption in federal buildings by 30 percent by 2015.

      Under the terms of the contract, IBM will develop a system to monitor building performance nationwide and stream data to a central facility, allowing faster analysis and more informed decision making. This project uses innovative building management technology, linking major building controls in real time to make federal buildings more energy-efficient. When fully implemented, GSA will use newly available data and analytics to save energy and reduce building operating costs in GSA€™s entire owned inventory.

      €œThe development of this industry-leading smart building system begins a new era in how GSA manages our nation€™s public buildings and will prove the feasibility of this technology for the larger industry,€ GSA Acting Public Buildings Commissioner Linda Chero said in a statement. €œThis program connects existing building technologies in new ways to improve building efficiency in over 32 million square feet of real estate. Awarding this contract benefits taxpayers, as it will reduce maintenance and operating costs of the federal building portfolio€”saving taxpayers an estimated $15 million annually.€

      On its Website, the GSA describes its smart building goals:

      “GSA is implementing a smart building strategy and working aggressively to modernize existing buildings and establish new standards for design and construction in order to achieve department and administration goals of energy efficiency and sustainability while still providing superior workplaces for federal customer agencies at good economies to the American taxpayer. The strategy will build on a solid history, enable staff and existing plans to take a holistic view of buildings, including building systems, occupants, the environment, energy sources, operating policy, and capital and operating expenses. The strategy will be applied to existing inventory or buildings and projects but also specifically address projects and planning related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.“

      The Technology Will Provide Tools to Keep Buildings Performing at Peak Efficiency

      When the system is fully integrated, tenants will be able to view the performance of their buildings on dashboards with real-time metrics on energy savings and recommendations on how to further increase efficiencies. In the first year, 50 buildings will be integrated on this building management system. As additional federal buildings are constructed and other facilities are upgraded, those buildings will also be managed with this platform. The new technology will give property managers real-time information and diagnostic tools to keep buildings performing at peak efficiency, increasing cost savings across the federal building portfolio.

      €œWe are at a tipping point in terms of advancing the greening of our buildings and making them smarter,€ IBM Vice President of Industry Solutions Dave Bartlett said in a statement. €œWhen you look at buildings holistically, with end-to-end visibility across all systems, you can more clearly see the connections, the interactions and opportunities for efficiency among the various systems. Using analytics, we can make better decisions about how to best visualize and optimize these systems. The data exists€”it’s a matter of understanding and responding to what the data is telling us, and that’s what we’re helping GSA to do.€

      €œGSA is implementing a smart building strategy to take advantage of greater tenant satisfaction, reduce energy cost and environmental impact, and decrease operational inefficiencies,€ according to the GSA Website. €œThese advantages will assist GSA in meeting all executive orders and guidance, meet current GSA administrative goals and objectives, and prepare GSA for future building technologies, security issues and tenant requirements.€

      Safety and security are among the primary concerns that smart buildings address. GSA describes a smart building safety scenario:

      “A fire situation is perhaps the most commonly cited example of how GSA smart buildings are beneficial. The alarms sound and other building systems begin to react: Exhaust dampers open, the IP paging and intercom system issues instructions to occupants, the access-control system unlocks doors for evacuation, and CCTV cameras provide emergency responders with a view of the fire.Intelligent buildings offer life-safety enhancements in other emergencies as well. An earthquake sensor or signal from the national geological service can be connected with building systems for facilities in seismic zones. In the event of an earthquake, an integrated building can automatically shut off gas lines, shut down computers and automatically notify occupants of the earthquake.Security becomes mobile in intelligent buildings. Wireless surveillance cameras and a Web-enabled security system allow guards to view live video from a laptop or pocket PC.“

      Darryl K. Taft
      Darryl K. Taft
      Darryl K. Taft covers the development tools and developer-related issues beat from his office in Baltimore. He has more than 10 years of experience in the business and is always looking for the next scoop. Taft is a member of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and was named 'one of the most active middleware reporters in the world' by The Middleware Co. He also has his own card in the 'Who's Who in Enterprise Java' deck.

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Artificial Intelligence

      9 Best AI 3D Generators You Need...

      Sam Rinko - June 25, 2024 0
      AI 3D Generators are powerful tools for many different industries. Discover the best AI 3D Generators, and learn which is best for your specific use case.
      Read more
      Cloud

      RingCentral Expands Its Collaboration Platform

      Zeus Kerravala - November 22, 2023 0
      RingCentral adds AI-enabled contact center and hybrid event products to its suite of collaboration services.
      Read more
      Artificial Intelligence

      8 Best AI Data Analytics Software &...

      Aminu Abdullahi - January 18, 2024 0
      Learn the top AI data analytics software to use. Compare AI data analytics solutions & features to make the best choice for your business.
      Read more
      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Video

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2024 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×