- Smart city technologies will automate water meter readings and billing process
- Upgrades worth $85.7 million made possible through a Performance-Based Contract
- Project guarantees $177 million in savings over 20 years
- Reinforces Johnson Controls commitment to Healthy People, Healthy Places and a Healthy Planet
MILWAUKEE (March 25, 2021) –Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI), the global leader for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, is proud to announce a collaborative partnership with the City of Toledo, Ohio that will benefit the City, Lucas County and surrounding communities. As a leader in the building space for more than 135 years, Johnson Controls’ mission is to reimagine building performance and deliver Healthy Buildings that contribute to healthier people, healthier places, and a healthier planet. The new systems and software will equip the City with the latest water metering technology, enhancing customer service and affordability, as well as sustainability. Using a Performance-Based Contract, the operational and maintenance savings will self-fund the entirety of the $85.7 million project.
“We are proud to help the City of Toledo take the next step toward its digital transformation using efficient equipment and digital technology. Working closely with the City of Toledo, we created a plan to address deferred maintenance, which includes updating aging meters and integrating meter reading and billing systems that are smart, sustainable and user-friendly for residents and businesses,” said Mark Reinbold, vice president and general manager, Performance Infrastructure for Johnson Controls. “Other cities can look to Toledo as a model of how they can make similar improvements in their communities – making it a more desirable place to live, work and enjoy – without impacting their budget.”
At the center of the project were comprehensive Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), state-of-the-art water meters as well as customer-facing software solutions. AMI provides incremental data that enables a new software platform to help customers understand usage patterns while providing insight on each customer’s water usage through the prompt detection of water leaks, reverse flow or meter tampering. Additionally, AMI helps eliminate the time-consuming and potentially inaccurate process of manual meter readings.
Johnson Controls OpenBlue Healthy Buildings, the most comprehensive suite of connected solutions that powers wellness and high-performance teams, optimizes the performance of customers, buildings and assets, and drives customer sustainability goals and community health. Using Johnson Controls digital solutions, the communications network installed will allow for advanced communication between the City of Toledo Department of Public Utilities and updated water meters. This network serves as the backbone of creating smart communities by improving efficiencies, reducing costs and providing the city with more options for addressing their Healthy Buildings goals.
“Providing modernized infrastructure that benefits our residents and businesses, while also prioritizing aesthetics and safety, was key for us,” said Ed Moore, City of Toledo Director of Public Utilities. “This project has been a goal for the City, but funding has always been an obstacle. We are thrilled a trusted partner like Johnson Controls was able help make this project a reality through a Performance-Based Contract that will produce guaranteed savings of approximately $177 million over the lifetime of the project.”
A comprehensive list of project components includes:
- Approximately 126,000 water meter upgrades and replacements across large commercial, intermediate and residential locations
- AMI Network installation including towers and 38 base stations. The antennas will be mounted on both existing structures and new poles
- A new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software to interface with the AMI network
- A customer service portal allowing for both direct customer interface and customer to City interface
- Interface of the ERP software to the existing City workflow system to allow for improved asset management and more efficient system maintenance
- Improved communications to ensure transparent, timely, and accurate information to customers
- Change Management to establish new process and procedures that ensure the sustainable use of the new technologies and realization of the long-term benefits of the program
In keeping with health and safety guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic, Johnson Controls helped the City of Toledo adjust to the unprecedented environment by virtualizing meetings and through close communication and coordination of necessary onsite tasks. Through detailed, open and frequent communication, all stakeholders have had insight into the planning and progress of the project, which will continue into the installation phase. The project is estimated to be completed by the end of 2023.
To learn more about Johnson Controls efficient and sustainable water solutions, click here.
Media Contact:
Anne Lines: Matter on behalf of Johnson ControlWork + 1 978-518-4512 JCI@matternow.com
Kellie Harris, Director: Public Relations and Media Johnson Controls // Work + 1 733-294-4753 Kellie.Harris@jci.com
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About Johnson Controls
At Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI) we transform the environments where people live, work, learn and play. As the global leader in smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, our mission is to reimagine the performance of buildings to serve people, places and the planet.
With a history of more than 135 years of innovation, Johnson Controls delivers the blueprint of the future for industries such as healthcare, schools, data centers, airports, stadiums, manufacturing and beyond through its comprehensive digital offering OpenBlue. With a global team of 100,000 experts in more than 150 countries, Johnson Controls offers the world’s largest portfolio of building technology, software as well as service solutions with some of the most trusted names in the industry. For more information, visit www.johnsoncontrols.com or follow us @johnsoncontrols on Twitter.
