Panasonic to Provide Smart City Technologies, Expertise to Enable Smarter, More Sustainable City Service for Denver Residents

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 5, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Panasonic Corporation of North America, which is creating an operations hub for its Panasonic Enterprise Solutions Company division at the Pena Station NEXT development, today announced that it will partner with Denver and a number of local private entities to make living in Denver  easier and better for residents and visitors.  

By leveraging Panasonic's technologies and expertise, this partnership will ultimately make Denver a more sustainable, smart city by enhancing access to and development of community engagement, energy efficiency, water conservation, public safety, healthcare and other public services.

Panasonic's CityNOW approach, which is based on the company's experience in smart city planning and integration around the world, will be the linchpin of the company's initiatives in the Denver metro area.

"This exciting, new partnership between Panasonic, the city and other Denver entities will connect people to the city services they need through real-time information and technology," said Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock. "That real-time information will work to enhance Denver services while creating more equity, freedom and access to choices that will allow our community as a whole to live better, easier lives."

"Panasonic is delighted to have this opportunity to partner with the city of Denver on providing the technology to help meet their sustainability and smart goals, said Panasonic Corporation of North American Chairman & CEO Joseph M. Taylor. "At Panasonic, our approach is never about developing technology for technology's sake, but instead about how we can enable technology to improve the quality of peoples' lives."

The application of smart technologies to the city's infrastructure, including in and around Denver International Airport, is expected to put more real-time information on city services in the hands of the community. Smart technologies embedded in the city's infrastructure will enable people to have effortless access to information about services, including utilities and mass transit. In addition, this responsive infrastructure will transform smart urban infrastructure like street lighting and energy systems to dynamically sense and respond to the presence of people and deliver services as needed. 

The net result will be to have people in the community better connected with the local government and the services they need, when they need them, while increasing their level of engagement and awareness of the need to save energy.

Towards this goal, Xcel Energy has presented a project to build a microgrid with contributions from Panasonic and Denver International Airport that will demonstrate the use of Solar Photo Voltaic and Lithium Ion storage batteries working together. The Microgrid, made up of a 1.3MW AC Solar Carport System and a 1MW/2MWh Battery Storage System, if approved, will be "the most comprehensive project of this type in Colorado history and the first with actual customer participation in a real-world environment," according to Alice K. Jackson, regional vice president for rates and regulatory affairs at Xcel Energy.

Panasonic is also working with Aviation Station North Metropolitan District No. 1, developerStat. Fulenwider, Inc. and Denver International Airport to pilot a system of "smart" LED Street lighting at the Peña Station NEXT development district near the Panasonic Enterprise Solutions hub that is now under construction. The system is designed to save energy, optimize usage and bring new video analytics technology to streets that can support parking management, traffic analysis, security, and many other potential future services. 

Smart technologies will also be used to contribute to community health and well-being.  The Peña Station NEXT Health and Wellness Center, supported by Panasonic's On4Care Remote Health Care solution will enable the commercial and residential population to access health and wellness activities ranging from fitness and health-related education to traditional healthcare and alternative medicine services. Patients with chronic illnesses will also be able to benefit from in-home biometric readings and advanced, real-time, patient-doctor interactions while in the comfort of their own homes.  On4Care has potential transformational implications for the delivery of health care services in an urban environment.

About CityNOW
Panasonic CityNOW refers to Panasonic's approach to Smart City development in North America and is based on the company's experience in planning and integrating Smart City technology around the world.

About Panasonic Corporation of North America
Panasonic Corporation of North America provides a broad line of digital and other electronics products and solutions for consumer, business and industrial use. The company is the principal North American subsidiary of Osaka, Japan-based Panasonic Corporation and the hub of Panasonic's U.S. branding, marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. In the Interbrand 2014 annual "Best Global Green Brands" report, Panasonic ranked number five overall and the top electronics brand in the report. As part of continuing sustainability efforts, Panasonic Corporation of North America relocated its headquarters to a new facility, adjacent to Newark Penn Station in Newark, NJ.  It is the first newly constructed office tower in Newark to earn both LEED Platinum and Gold certifications from the U.S. Green Building Council. Learn more about Panasonic at us.panasonic.com/news.

About the City and County of Denver
Rising from the Great Plains at 5,280 feet above sea level, Denver is Colorado's capital city. With nearly 700,000 residents, the Mile High City sits at the center of a fast-growing, seven-county region boasting a population of more than three million. A hub for business development, innovation, higher learning, and progressive energy, the true heart of Denver lies in its diversity of people and neighborhoods. Its Western cultural landscape, seven professional sports teams, 5,000 acres of city parkland, and Rocky Mountain backdrop make Denver a nexus of urban sophistication and outdoor adventure. Mayor Michael B. Hancock, the 45^th Mayor of Denver, and the employees of the City and County of Denver work to provide a safe, sustainable, and accessible place for every resident and visitor to live, work, and play. For more information visit, www.DenverGov.org

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