Johnson Controls, a leading building system, has joined forces with software giant IBM to create a new era of smarter buildings that can improve operations and cut energy and water consumption in buildings across the globe.

Building on an existing relationship formed between the two organizations in 2007 to create energy efficient datacenters, this new offering benefits any building or portfolio of buildings, said the companies in a statement.

The companies said they are working to provide a smart building solution that can improve operations and help reduce energy and water consumption in buildings in the Middle East region.

'Johnson Controls will combine its global leadership in energy efficiency and sustainable services and technologies with IBM’s global leadership in software, hardware and services to come up with a solution, said a senior official.

The result will help clients address the growing pressure they face to improve energy and asset management performance across their enterprises.

“The integration of IBM Tivoli software and Johnson Controls’ building technology solutions provides complete information in order to make decisions that impact the bottom line,” said Magdy Mekky, vice president and managing director, Middle East for Johnson Controls.

“With our Smart Building Solution, energy and asset management is enhanced in new ways that optimize environmental performance and operational efficiencies across a single building or an entire portfolio of buildings,” Mekky noted.

'We can help businesses reduce energy and utility consumption and the associated costs between 15 per cent and 50 per cent,' he added.

'With the help of Johnson Controls technology - developers and other organizations in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the GCC in general, can get a clear and accurate picture of their facilities that are running over or under budget whether it is for a new or an existing building,' Mekky explained.

According to him, the end users can identify energy intensive applications and the amounts being spent on repairs and maintenance building by building on a real time basis.

'They can also see where they have opportunities to reduce costs and be more profitable,' he added.

According to a report published by the US Green Buildings Council, a green building on an average saves 70 per cent electricity, 50 to 60 per cent of water and 36 per cent of energy in the US as compared to standard buildings.

With the recent economic downturn, building owners are more interested in making their facilities more energy efficient to save money and decrease operating costs.

“The Smart Building Solution from Johnson Controls and IBM will deliver the ability to optimize energy and environmental performance by integrating building, infrastructure, and enterprise systems,” said William Sawyer, vice president, Tivoli Maximo Operations, IBM Software Group.

“This will provide our clients with advanced intelligence capabilities that will measurably improve building operations,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service