Latin America. Johnson Controls announced that it will launch a comprehensive suite of digital solutions, called OpenBlue Healthy Buildings, to make shared spaces safer as people begin to return to their usual workplaces.
These solutions protect and instill trust among a building's occupants and visitors, minimize disruption if an employee tests positive for COVID-19, and accelerate building reoccupation by automating and simplifying safety protocols.
OpenBlue Healthy Buildings' solutions, which are integrated and can also be deployed in a modular way, include a combination of hardware and software – such as smart equipment, digital sensors, security systems, cameras, monitors, powerful analytics and control boards, infection control and other connected devices – and also a mobile app to manage spaces and occupant experiences. The Workplace solution has been developed using the Privacy by Design approach and offers Default Privacy support.
Solutions for re-entry, re-occupation and re-conception include:
- Contact tracking. Contact tracking capabilities allow the use of other technologies. Overall, these solutions allow a building's management and employers to understand the risks of exposure to building occupants. In the event that an occupant tests positive for the virus, the system can retroactively trace their person-to-person and person-to-space contact to provide immediate support to the Human Resources and Facilities teams to determine which workers are at risk. In addition, contact tracing gives employees peace of mind in case someone tests positive for the virus.
- Social distancing monitoring. OpenBlue Healthy Buildings will monitor social distancing in real time, sending custom rape alerts if occupants get too close or if there is over-occupancy of spaces, making it possible to report comprehensive compliance and behavioral changes in real time to prevent the spread of infection.
- Thermal detection cameras. OpenBlue Healthy Buildings includes a temperature-based screening technology that takes measurements while an individual is walking.
- Planning of possible scenarios. Solutions proactively determine connections between people and spaces, predict the impacts of potential negative events, enable intervention before disruptions, and reduce risk.
- Infection control. OpenBlue Healthy Buildings creates a layered approach to connectivity between the various systems that are integrated for infection control. This includes, but is not limited to, systems that reduce pathogens in indoor spaces and that are transported in the air by increasing air ventilation outward, disinfection with ultraviolet C (UV-C) light, and remote monitoring of the pressurization of each space, rates of air change, humidity, and temperature to create healthier air.
- Generation of maps and monitoring of space utilization. OpenBlue's mobile app provides the display of live maps indicating disinfection status, occupancy data and recommendations for navigating the building safely in order to maximize and monitor how spaces are being used. The system works seamlessly with existing building management systems.
- Improved communication and experience. The mobile app helps engage employees and occupants in real time by providing updates to shared spaces and new policies, targeting preferred routes to a space to avoid crowded areas, space availability and security details, phone as an access card, SOS response, support with rotating schedules/schedules, options for self-assessment and health condition reporting and much more.
"As more buildings welcome their employees back, it is crucial that we deploy state-of-the-art technologies coupled with our building expertise to create smarter, safer spaces for occupants and visitors," said Mike Ellis, Executive Vice President and Chief Customer & Digital Officer at Johnson Controls.
Johnson Controls' OpenBlue platform—launched in July 2020 around the world—was designed to be agile, flexible and expandable to enable buildings to become dynamic spaces. By making use of the platform, customers will be able to manage operations in a more systemic way, offering buildings that have memory, intelligence and unique identity.
To read more about OpenBlue Healthy Buildings, go to: https://www.johnsoncontrols.com/es_latinamerica/openblue
