Siemens Announces 2011 Smartest Building in America Contest Winners

BUFFALO GROVE, Ill., Sept. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Siemens Industry, Inc. announced today it has selected the winners of the 2011 Smartest Building in America Challenge.  This year two hospitals will share $40,000 in Siemens products and services. Providence St. Peter Hospital, Olympia, Wash., and Jackson South Community Hospital, Miami, elevated themselves above the other entries to claim Grand and Runner-Up prizes, respectively.

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"Having the facility managers of two hospitals win Smartest Buildings In America demonstrates the sophistication of building management in the healthcare industry and their dedication to leveraging building automation systems to improve their efficiency and environment," said Rich Lattanzi, vice president of Control Products and Systems (CPS), Building Technologies Division of Siemens Industry, Inc.  

Five industry experts judged the 2011 contestants based on criteria including how innovatively the facility managers use their building automation systems to achieve business, efficiency and sustainability goals and how the Siemens systems have contributed to making their buildings more efficient. Submissions were evaluated for creativity and artistic merit and how well the videos articulated the innovations, features and capabilities orchestrated by the building owner, facility manager or consulting-specifying engineer to make the buildings "smart."

Providence St. Peter Hospital earned the contest's $25,000 grand prize and the title of Smartest Building in America. "The Hospital's facility staff did a great job of portraying how it uses its APOGEE® building automation system to provide a comfortable environment for its patients, physicians, staff and visitors," Lattanzi said.  "It also qualified for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star building program."

Jackson South Community Hospital is the runner up and winner of the $15,000 prize.  "The Jackson facility's team highlighted how its building automation system achieved greater efficiencies and cost despite a $102 million expansion project that doubled the building's size," according to Lattanzi.  "The hospital's TALON® system incorporates innovations such as Wi-Fi and the use of actual mechanical floor plans to help the hospital's maintenance team respond to emergencies more quickly.  In addition, the system's ability to capture and utilize building data allowed the team to decide to run the hospital on one chiller plant instead of two."

Providence St. Peter Hospital and Jackson South Community Hospital have the option of accepting their prizes in Siemens products and services or donating them to a charity of their choice.

For more information on Siemens' Smartest Building in America contest or to view the winning video entries submitted by Providence St. Peter Hospital and Jackson South Community Hospital visit: www.smartestbuildinginamerica.com.

Siemens Industry

Siemens Industry, Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Siemens' global Industry Sector business – the world's leading supplier of production, transportation and building technology solutions. The company's integrated hardware and software technologies enable comprehensive industry-specific solutions for industrial and infrastructure providers to increase their productivity, sustainability and profitability. The Industry Sector includes six divisions: Building Technologies, Industry Automation, Industry Solutions, Mobility, Drive Technologies and Osram Sylvania. With nearly 204,000 Siemens Industry Sector employees worldwide, the Industry Sector posted a worldwide profit of $4.7 billion on revenues of $47.3 billion in fiscal 2010.  www.usa.siemens.com/Industry

Building Technologies

A division of Siemens Industry, Inc., Building Technologies is a leading provider of energy and environmental solutions, building controls, electrical distribution equipment, fire safety and security systems solutions. Building Technologies provides a full range of services and solutions from more than 100 locations coast-to-coast, enabling America's buildings to be more comfortable, secure and environmentally friendly as well as less costly to operate. Worldwide, it has nearly 42,000 employees and operates from more than 500 locations in 51 countries. The Building Technologies Division posted worldwide revenues of $9.3 billion in fiscal 2010. www.usa.siemens.com/buildingtechnologies

SOURCE Siemens Industry, Inc.