Cisco News Release:

PRESS RELEASE

The University of British Columbia and Cisco Collaborate on Smart+Connected Buildings and Smart Energy

UBC campus to act as ‘living lab' for initiatives in energy efficiency and smart buildings

VANCOUVER, BC-- May 27, 2013 - The University of British Columbia (UBC) and Cisco today announced an arrangement that will see the two parties collaborate on a number of initiatives focused on smart energy technologies and converged network solutions.

A key component of the collaboration will be Cisco's direct involvement in the university's Campus as a Living Lab Initiative to accelerate the development, demonstration and commercialization of new technologies and solutions. Together UBC and Cisco aim to help create smarter, more energy-efficient buildings while identifying best practices and innovative solutions to reduce UBC's net greenhouse gas emissions and associated carbon costs.

UBC and Cisco intend to pursue activities that will enhance, augment and sustain strategies and opportunities that use the capabilities and expertise of UBC, as well as drive Cisco's solution development, testing and commercialization in Cisco Smart+Connected Communities™, Smart+Connected Real Estate™ and energy management.

Facts and Highlights:

• Cisco envisions investing up to $1 million over five years in collaborative projects.
• Cisco and UBC will explore solution approaches for a campus-wide Smart Energy System that can integrate energy generation, demand and supply to buildings at UBC's Vancouver campus.
• Cisco and UBC will explore the integration of all building systems, such as environmental controls, security, lighting, energy, video, fire and life safety, onto a converged network solution.
• Cisco and UBC will collaborate with multiple building solution manufacturers on the development of new building automation devices using Cisco® Universal Power Over Ethernet (Cisco UPOE™) and Cisco EnergyWise™ software development kits.
• Cisco and UBC will explore the building-scale demonstration and evaluation of converged network solutions.

Supporting quotes:

Pascal Spothelfer, vice president, Communications and Community Partnership, The University of British Columbia: "Cisco and UBC share a vision of achieving environmental sustainability through the transformational use of smart energy systems such as smarter buildings and communities. This agreement will give us the opportunity to act on this shared vision by using UBC as a living laboratory to provide faculty, students and staff with fantastic learning opportunities and more efficient University operations. The living lab will also aim to define new industry benchmarks and a city-scale demonstration for making communities more sustainable through better efficiency and advanced technologies."

Nitin Kawale, president, Cisco Canada: "Cisco is committed to exploring opportunities presented by our increasingly connected world in order to enrich lives through the use of innovative technology. The work done by Cisco and UBC on campus will enable vital energy-saving solutions for the university, and also serve as a roadmap for future smart energy and smart community initiatives not only in Canada, but around the world."

About UBC

The University of British Columbia (UBC), established in 1908, is one of Canada's leading research universities and is consistently ranked among the top 40 in the world. The university attracts 54,000 students from across Canada and 140 countries around the world to two major campuses. For ongoing news, go to www.ubc.ca .

About Cisco

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in IT that helps companies seize the opportunities of tomorrow by proving that amazing things can happen when you connect the previously unconnected. For ongoing news, please go to http://thenetwork.cisco.com. Cisco Systems Canada Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Cisco, has offices across Canada dedicated to customer support, sales and service. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com/canada/.

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Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Cisco's trademarks can be found at www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.

Contact Information

Karin Scott Cisco Canada 416-306-7164 kariscot@cisco.com

Brent Sauder Director of Strategic Partnerships University of British Columbia 604-822-4988 brent.sauder@ubc.ca

GE Launches PowerOn™ Precision to Deliver Real-life Benefits of Managing the Demand and Supply of Power on the Electric Grid

Press release:

18 September 2012

GE Launches PowerOn™ Precision to Deliver Real-life Benefits of Managing the Demand and Supply of Power on the Electric Grid

 

SAN DIEGO—September 18, 2012—A current challenge utilities face—reducing the rise in peak demand along with its high costs—just became easier. Utilities will welcome GE’s (NYSE: GE) new PowerOn^TM Precision demand optimization technology to help ensure a more energy-efficient, reliable grid with economic benefits to both energy providers and consumers.

PowerOn Precision is a demand response management system that allows GE utilities to manage peak demand and/or provide support for grid stability and operations. The new technology is a comprehensive solution that uses proven GE software and continuous-learning algorithms to deliver dynamic pricing incentives and direct load control capabilities to consumers. Designed with open standards and a modular architecture that increases the functionality, flexibility and ease of integrating future technologies into the system, this solution delivers real-life benefits of greater power reliability, a cleaner energy mix and consumer empowerment. Utilities can reduce operational costs while consumers can lower their electric bills as the smart grid becomes more efficient.

By empowering consumers, PowerOn Precision helps contribute to economic development and a greener use of energy. Residential, commercial and industrial consumers will be able to participate in rate programs to adjust their energy usage and make other consumption-changing moves. In many cases, they can qualify for energy discounts and bonuses that lower their electric bills without affecting their way of life. The result is a better balance of power demand with available power supply to meet peak-time loads. GE’s smarter solution optimizes the load while minimizing the impact on participating customers.

“Today’s energy challenges are making us re-think how we deliver energy,” said Mike Carlson, general manager−smart grid solutions for GE Energy Management’s Digital Energy business. “Increased peak demands, growing grid constraints and power interruptions are costly to global businesses. The demand optimization technology that utilities can implement will enable more reliable, efficient and cleaner energy, spurring economic development and improving lifestyles.”

PowerOn Precision enables several forms of communication—from home energy portals and smart appliances to building management systems, electric vehicle charging stations and other energy management systems. The solution will help lower the peaks of energy demand that occur throughout each day and during energy-intensive events, such as heat waves, adjusting the most practical loads at the right time and locations.

As PowerOn Precision continues to be implemented across the U.S., Europe and other regions, GE’s technology will help utility partners better manage the demand side of business, enable consumers to make smarter energy decisions and power a more productive and sustainable energy future.

GE Energy Management’s Digital Energy business is a global leader in protection and control, communications, power sensing and power quality solutions. Its products and services increase the reliability of electrical power networks and critical equipment for utility, industrial and large commercial customers. From protecting and optimizing assets such as generators, transmission lines and motors, to ensuring secure wireless data transmission and providing uninterruptible power, GE Energy Management’s Digital Energy business delivers industry-leading technologies to solve the unique challenges of each customer. For more information, visithttp://www.gedigitalenergy.com.

About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.

Follow GE Energy Management’s Digital Energy business on Twitter@YourSmartGrid.

ThinkEco and Best Buy Bring Smart Wireless Control to Window Air Conditioners in New York City

News release:

ThinkEco and Best Buy Bring Smart Wireless Control to Window Air Conditioners in New York City

First Web- and App-Enabled Window AC Thermostat Now Available to New York City Residents at Select Best Buy Stores New York (May 24, 2012) – ThinkEco, Inc., the energy efficiency firm, is now offering New York City residents an easy way to take control of their air conditioning bills this summer.  Using the modlet smartAC kit – available exclusively at select Best Buy stores throughout New York City – residents will now be able to remotely control their window air conditioners via smartphone app or browser, and preset convenient savings schedules so their rooms are only cooled as needed. Best Buy is offering the modlet smartAC kit in partnership with the coolNYC program (www.coolnycprogram.com), created by ThinkEco and Con Edison. The coolNYC program combines the modlet smartAC, an easy-to-use energy efficiency product, with an incentivized program that uses real-time energy reduction capabilities to help manage residential peak usage on window air conditioners. It also allows Con Edison customers to help protect the environment by using less energy while keeping their homes cool during the summer heat. By Memorial Day, Best Buy will be offering modlet smartAC kits for $69.99 for the coolNYC program ($150 MSRP). As a coolNYC partner, the Geek Squad will also be available to support the installation of smartAC kits and get consumers connected, making this experience as easy as possible for everyone. NYC purchasers will receive a $25 rebate upon setting up their smartAC account, and an additional $25 thank you gift at the end of the summer. The $25 thank you is a recurring gift that users will receive each summer that they use the modlet smartAC kit and participate in coolNYC. “At Best Buy, we believe retail-utility partnerships are critical in the education of our consumers to reduce energy consumption.  We bring innovative technology to our customers, and teach them how easy it can be to help the environment, save money and enhance their lifestyle,” said Kris Bowring, senior director of Home and Energy Management at Best Buy. “We are excited to partner with ThinkEco and CoolNYC, and credit them for being a leader in this type of market-based program.  The modlet smartAC fits perfectly with our commitment to educate and assist our customers’ concerns about their energy use.” ThinkEco’s modlet (http://themodlet.com/demo.html) is a smart outlet that wirelessly combines with the smartAC thermostat. When used together, users can remotely view their current room temperature, change the target temperature for the room, or simply turn the window air conditioner unit on/off from any smartphone or browser. In addition, users can preset convenient on/off schedules for their window AC units, so that their rooms are cooled only when needed, and the savings associated with those schedules are tracked.  This transforms the stand-alone window air-conditioner into a smart, networked device that gives users enhanced convenience and control.  Customers who participate in the coolNYC program also have the opportunity to play a role in maintaining electrical service in NYC during times of heavy usage. When a peak usage event is called, customers can opt-in to have Con Edison adjust the temperature of their air conditioner unit. With over six million window air-conditioner units in Con Edison’s service area – which sometimes run unnecessarily when residents are not home – the ability for Con Edison to adjust air-conditioner temperatures remotely during a heat wave could help to manage peak summer demand. “The modlet smartAC is the only user installable demand-reduction product with a strong consumer and utility benefit,” said Mei Shibata, Chief Strategy Officer of ThinkEco, Inc.  “What this ease-of-use enables is an entirely new way for leading retailers, like Best Buy, to play a pivotal role in the distribution of utility-sponsored solutions by partnering with utilities and technology providers.” About ThinkEco, Inc. New York City-based ThinkEco, Inc. is a leading provider of easy-to-use energy efficiency solutions for homes and businesses. Its patented modlet system is a networked and scalable smart-plug platform that wirelessly connects any plug load to ThinkEco's robust cloud solution, powered by proprietary algorithms. The modlet provides the remote metering of plug-load power consumption in real time, and enables users to set savings schedules to better control their energy use and quantify savings. For more information, visit www.thinkeco.com or follow the company on Twitter @ThinkEco and Facebook at www.facebook.com/ThinkEco. About Best Buy Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE: BBY) is a leading multi-channel global retailer and developer of technology products and services. Every day our employees - 167,000 strong - are committed to helping deliver the technology solutions that enable easy access to people, knowledge, ideas and fun. We are keenly aware of our role and impact on the world, and we are committed to developing and implementing business strategies that bring sustainable technology solutions to our consumers and communities. For information about Best Buy, visit www.bby.com and to shop at Best Buy, visit www.bestbuy.com.

Press release:

IBM Smart Building Technology to Increase U.S. Federal Buildings Energy Efficiency

Innovative smart building systems to be installed initially in 50 government buildings, has estimated annual savings of $15 million
        

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WASHINGTON, D.C. and Armonk, N.Y. - 21 May 2012: The U.S. General Services Administration has awarded a contract to IBM (NYSE: IBM) to develop and install advanced smart building technology in 50 of the federal government’s highest energy-consuming buildings. Part of GSA’s larger smart building strategy, this initiative will connect building management systems to a central cloud based platform, improving efficiency and saving up to $15 million in taxpayer dollars annually.

Commercial buildings account for nearly 40% of the United State’s primary energy use and GSA owns nearly 182 million square feet of office space nationwide. GSA's plan to meet the requirements of President Obama’s Executive Order 13514 includes a goal of reducing energy consumption in federal buildings by 30% by 2015.

Under the terms of the contract, IBM will develop a system to monitor building performance nationwide and stream data to a central facility, allowing faster analysis and more informed decision-making. This project uses innovative building management technology, linking major building controls in real-time to make federal buildings more energy efficient. When fully implemented, GSA will use newly available data and analytics to save energy and reduce building operating costs in GSA’s entire owned inventory.

“The development of this industry-leading smart building system begins a new era in how GSA manages our nation’s public buildings and will prove the feasibility of this technology for the larger industry,” said GSA Acting Public Buildings Commissioner Linda Chero. “This program connects existing building technologies in new ways to improve building efficiency in over 32 million square feet of real estate. Awarding this contract benefits taxpayers, as it will reduce maintenance and operating costs of the federal building portfolio -- saving taxpayers an estimated $15 million annually.”

When the system is fully integrated, tenants will be able to view the performance of their buildings on dashboards with real time metrics on energy savings and recommendations on how to further increase efficiencies. In the first year, 50 buildings will be integrated on this building management system. As additional federal buildings are constructed and other facilities are upgraded, those buildings will also be managed with this platform. The new technology will give property managers real time information and diagnostic tools to keep buildings performing at peak efficiency, increasing cost savings across the federal building portfolio.

“We are at a tipping point in terms of advancing the greening of our buildings and making them smarter,” said IBM Vice President of Industry Solutions Dave Bartlett.  “When you look at buildings holistically, with end-to-end visibility across all systems,  you can more clearly see the connections, the interactions, and opportunities for efficiency among the various systems.  Using analytics, we can make better decisions about how to best visualize and optimize these systems.  The data exists – it's a matter of understanding and responding to what the data is telling us, and that's what we're helping GSA to do.”

For additional information on GSA’s smart building efforts, visit:  http://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/100731

For more information on IBM Smarter Buildings, visit: www.ibm.com/smarterplanet/buildings

IBM Team Finds Innovative Use of Technology Could Ease Nairobi’s Traffic Jams

Execution of identified projects could help relieve city gridlock within 90 days of implementation

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NAIROBI, Kenya - 11 May 2012: A team of IBM (NYSE:IBM) top experts assigned to Nairobi today provided a cohesive framework and roadmap to the city to improve the flow of road traffic and increase revenues from the transportation sector.

The recommendations complement Nairobi's considerable ongoing investment in underlying roadway infrastructure.  They include making traffic information more readily available to citizens, motorists, police, policymakers and planners so that better transportation decisions can be made in the near and far term.  

The blueprint presented by the IBM team also includes suggestions for using available technologies, including mobile phones, sensors and closed-circuit television, to more automatically pinpoint traffic issues.  In the recommended plan, parking and licensing would also be digitized and automated -- streamlining bureaucratic processes and increasing citizen satisfaction.  The plan prescribes enhanced collaboration between various transport bodies.

The IBM team, which performed several months of preparation before spending three weeks in local residence, studied Nairobi’s transportation system as part of an IBM Smarter Cities Challenge grant valued at Sh33 million (US$400,000), announced in March of this year.   

“A city is a system of systems.  One key finding of the study is that technology could provide a relatively simple way of bringing together existing systems to streamline the city’s transport sector and increase revenues for the government,” said Tony Mwai, Country General Manager, IBM East Africa.

Despite impressive investments in building road networks, inefficiencies within the city's transport sector cost Nairobi an estimated Sh50 million per day, negating revenues and commercial benefits from otherwise significant road infrastructure, and limiting the region’s economic growth. 

“The government has made immense investments in infrastructure over the last 10 years but we are challenged by the fact that many departments within government are working in isolation and not collaborating,” said Dr. Bitange Ndemo, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Communications. 

“We will review these recommendations made by the IBM team with a view to fast-tracking them to help maintain Nairobi’s position as a key regional economic hub,” Dr. Ndemo said.

Intelligent Transport Solutions

The team of IBM consultants recommended the creation of a cross-departmental Smarter Transportation Authority that would harness initiatives taking place across government agencies under a single unit. 

This would allow for faster rollout of decongestion plans, enhancing revenue collection for government agencies and tightening enforcement of traffic rules. 

In addition, the IBM consultants advised the development of a Smarter Transportation Platform with an intelligent operations command center, leveraging existing and new closed-circuit television networks that show vehicle, traffic and roadway conditions as events unfold.

Enabling stakeholders such as citizens and police to view these video feeds online would lead to a decrease in traffic congestion by allowing commuters to plan their trips accordingly and police to allocate manpower more efficiently.

Another suggestion was to integrate data from multiple sources, including mobile phone signals generated from citizens stuck in traffic jams, to pin-point traffic hot-spots.  Analytics software could then be used to predict future flow issues, pushing the information needed to re-direct traffic to the intelligent operations center. 

The team also suggested digitizing parking for the speed and ease of finding parking spaces, to minimize congestion and to reduce environmental impact as well as using mobile devices to empower traffic police to monitor and manage traffic offenders through an intelligent enforcement solution.

The team’s findings follow the recent launch of an IBM research report titled "A Vision of a Smarter City: How Nairobi Can Lead the Way into a Prosperous and Sustainable Future," which highlights transportation, energy and public safety as three critical areas that the city must address in order to boost its economic competitiveness.

Smarter Cites Challenge

Nairobi beat 140 other cities around the world to become one of IBM’s Smarter Cities Challenge winners in March.  Launched in 2011, the IBM initiative is a three-year, 100-city US $50 million program and is IBM's single-largest philanthropic outreach.

Along with the deployment of a specialist team of expert consultants who focus on the city’s primary challenge, IBM provides special assistance to each winning city on the use of City Forward (http://www.cityforward.org), a free online site IBM created with public policy experts.  Citizens, elected officials and urban planners can use the site to explore trends and statistics in a visual and accessible way, which can be adapted for the examination of any number of urban issues -- leading to better decision making.

“Nairobi demonstrated a desire to set an example for other municipalities, an eagerness to collaborate with multiple stakeholders, and a strong commitment to consider implementing recommendations the city felt would be the most feasible and beneficial to its residents." said Stanley S. Litow, IBM vice president of Corporate Citizenship & Corporate Affairs, and President of IBM's Foundation.

To find out more about IBM Smarter Cities Challenge grants, please visithttp://smartercitieschallenge.org/  and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sJ_3H0K3zo

For more information about IBM's philanthropic initiatives, please visit www.citizenibm.com.

GE Capital Fleet Services Launches New IntelliGauge℠ Tablet and Mobile Application

Press release:

10 May 2012

GE Capital Fleet Services Launches New IntelliGauge℠ Tablet and Mobile Application

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn.--10 May 2012-- GE Capital Fleet Services today announced the launch of IntelliGauge, a mobile fuel and CO2 calculator application that allows users to compare components of their current vehicles against future vehicles. IntelliGauge is designed to help companies and consumers alike make smart decisions on their vehicle purchases. IntelliGauge is free to use and is optimized for use on iPads, smartphones and desktops. It is available at www.geintelligauge.com.

Using IntelliGauge, decision makers can quickly and intuitively calculate annual fuel savings, CO2 emissions and the fuel efficiency to assist in budget planning, vehicle selection and other decisions that take these factors into account. The application asks users to provide information regarding the makeup of their vehicles, annual mileage estimates, and allows users to edit fuel prices delivering a customized report that can be saved, shared, or compared against other scenarios.

“Fuel price volatility continues to have a big impact on the decisions companies make, including vehicle replacement strategies,” said Brad Hoffelt, senior vice president and general manager of products and services at GE Capital Fleet Services. “We’re focused on identifying ways to couple technology solutions with our deep domain expertise to help our customers preserve capital and optimize fleet efficiency.”

The application also includes links to a number of other GE Capital Fleet Services mobile and educational resources, including GE’s ecomagination℠ site, an alternative fuel locator application, a U.S. fuel price map, and information regarding GE’s WattStation™ technology.

About GE Capital, Fleet Services

GE Capital, Fleet Services, based in Eden Prairie, Minn., is a global fleet management company with operations in the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Visit the Web site at gefleet.com or follow the company’s eco news and updates via Twitter (@GEFleetSvcs)

GE Capital offers consumers and businesses around the globe an array of financial products and services. For more information, visitwww.gecapital.com or follow company news via Twitter (@GECapital). GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.

GE Bright From The Start™ Bulb Now ENERGY STAR® Qualified

Press release:

03 May 2012

GE Bright From The Start™ Bulb Now ENERGY STAR® Qualified

 

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EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio – May 3, 2012 – (NYSE:GE) —GE’s award-winning Energy Smart® Bright from the Start^TM bulb is the nation’s first hybrid CFL light bulb to receive ENERGY STAR® qualification. This innovative hybrid bulb combines the best features of an incandescent, CFL and halogen bulb in one. The result is an instant-on technology that uses 75 percent less energy than an incandescent bulb and lasts eight times longer.

“The ENERGY STAR qualification is just one more validation of how truly special this light bulb is,” says Jeff Patton, general manager of consumer marketing, GE Lighting. “It’s already been widely embraced by consumers and received top-notch award nods. We’re so pleased that this latest recognition now conveys this important energy-saving distinction.”

GE engineers carefully crafted this bulb to eliminate the delayed start associated with the CFL bulb. They discovered a solution by nestling an instantly bright halogen capsule inside the swirl of a compact fluorescent light bulb. The halogen element comes on instantly and turns off once the CFL comes to full brightness, thus preserving the energy efficiency of the bulb. It’s also housed in the incandescent-shaped shell consumers are used to and has an extremely low amount of mercury: 1 mg. CFLs typically contain 1.5 mg to 3.5 mg of mercury.

When comparing the 15-watt hybrid halogen-CFL with a light output of 800 lumens to the standard 60-watt incandescent with 840 lumens, consumers will see an energy savings of $39 over the life of the bulb (seven years at 3 hours of usage per day).

Available in both Soft White and GE Reveal^® styles, the GE Energy Smart Bright From The Start 15- and 20-watt bulbs are meant to replace 60- and 75-watt incandescent bulbs. Retailers set prices, but customers could expect to pay $5.99-$9.99 based on product line and wattage.

To find out just how much they can save by making the simple switch to this bulb, consumers can visit www.GELighting.com/Lighttransforms to calculate their savings.

About GE Lighting
GE Lighting invents with the vigor of its founder Thomas Edison to develop energy-efficient solutions that change the way people light their world in commercial, industrial, municipal and residential settings. The business employs over 17,000 people in more than 100 countries, and sells products under the Reveal^® and Energy Smart^® consumer brands, and Evolve™, GTx, Immersion™, Infusion™, Lumination^® and Tetra^® commercial brands, all trademarks of GE. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information, visitwww.gelighting.com.

Oracle Press Release

Oracle Announces Availability of Advanced Metering Infrastructure Vendor Adapters for Oracle Utilities Smart Grid Gateway

Redwood Shores, California – May 1, 2011

News Facts

Oracle announced the availability of several advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) vendor adapters for Oracle Utilities Smart Grid Gateway. These adapters provide utilities with a simplified link between smart grid devices and the applications that use their data.

Using Oracle Utilities Smart Grid Gateway and a vendor adapter can create a central interface point between AMI head-end systems and a variety of other applications such as meter data management, customer care and billing, and network management systems.

This unified approach allows utilities to quickly connect multi-vendor solutions without requiring complex integration efforts. As a result, utilities can reduce total cost of ownership and more efficiently implement their smart grid initiatives.

The adapters handle the most common AMI processes including remote connect/disconnect, meter ping, and on-demand reads. They can also be extended, in concert with Oracle Utilities Smart Grid Gateway, to support additional devices or commands.

The available adapters include:

Oracle Utilities Smart Grid Gateway Adapter for Echelon

Oracle Utilities Smart Grid Gateway MV-90 Adapter for Itron

Oracle Utilities Smart Grid Gateway Adapter for Landis+Gyr

Oracle Utilities Smart Grid Gateway Adapter for Sensus RNI

Oracle will soon release Oracle Utilities Smart Grid Gateway Adapter for Silver Spring Networks.

Supporting Quotes

“As the smart grid evolves, utilities will gather an ever-increasing volume of data from a growing list of devices. Oracle Utilities Smart Grid Gateway and its AMI vendor adapters provide a single point of connection linking devices to the applications that need their data. This enables utilities to dramatically reduce the cost and complexity of enhancing smart grids with new devices, data streams and business processes. A simplified connection also decreases data duplication, fosters application interoperability, and bolsters the security and auditability of smart grid processes,” said Rodger Smith, senior vice president and general manager, Oracle Utilities.

Supporting Resources

Oracle Utilities

Oracle Utilities on Facebook

Oracle Utilities on Twitter

Oracle Utilities on LinkedIn

Oracle Utilities on Diigo

Oracle Utilities YouTube Channel

About Oracle Utilities

Oracle Utilities delivers proven software applications that help utilities of all types and sizes achieve competitive advantage, business performance excellence and a lower total cost of technology ownership. Oracle Utilities integrates industry-specific customer care and billing, network management, work and asset management, mobile workforce management and meter data management applications with the capabilities of Oracle's industry-leading enterprise applications, business intelligence tools, middleware, database technologies, as well as servers and storage. The software enables customers to adapt more nimbly to market deregulation, meet ever-evolving customer demands and deliver on environmental conservation commitments. Additionally, Oracle Utilities helps utilities prepare for smart metering and smart grid initiatives that enhance efficiency and provide critical intelligence metrics that can help drive more-informed energy and water usage decisions for consumers and businesses. For more information, visit www.oracle.com/goto/utilities.

About Oracle

Oracle engineers hardware and software to work together in the cloud and in your data center.  For more information about Oracle (NASDAQ:ORCL), visit www.oracle.com.

About Oracle Industries

Oracle industry solutions leverage the company's best-in-class portfolio of products to address complex business processes relevant to utilities, helping speed time to market, reduce costs, and gain a competitive edge.

Cities of the Future: Songdo, South Korea – Energy

Songdo International Business District's information technology network manages energy use in every building, making the city very "green." Episode 7 in the series.

March 28 , 2012

Transcript:

As populations expand and economies grow, people are consuming more non-renewable energy sources than ever. The race is on to make cities radically more energy efficient.

Songdo, South Korea, a new city built entirely from scratch, is on the forefront.

In Songdo, a revolutionary information technology network manages energy use in every building.

Jean-Louis Massaut, Director, Cisco Services Korea: The network that we deploy here is actually connecting all of the components in the city, all of the building subsystems together, so that we can bring energy savings.

Scott Summers, Vice President, Gale International:We're improving the efficiencies of each of the buildings. Our windows have low U value that reduces the amount of sunlight coming in and keeps the energy of the heat or cooling inside the building. Another component to reduce energy consumption (is) we light up the buildings with LED lights.

Peter Lee,Sustainable Design Specialist, Cosentini Korea: On the system level, we introduced water-cooled air conditioning system; it has never been applied to any Korean project before. We also have central home network system through which you can control your electricity use to reduce the dependence on the energy.

These innovations are helping reduce energy consumption in each building by 30 percent.  The city is also tapping into renewable natural resources.

Lee Jong-Cheol, Commissioner, Incheon Free Economic Zone: Sunlight, solar energy, windforce energy are being currently used to operate the city. Even human waste isn't simply disposed of. It is processed through a recycling system and a co-generation plant producing necessary energy.

Scott Summers: We have a co-generation facility that uses natural gas to power electricity. And the waste heat is in the form of hot water, and so we use that waste heat to run up our buildings and provide heating for our residential units.

By 2040, worldwide electricity demand is projected to be 80 percent higher than it is today. Songdo is a model for cities trying to keep pace.

Learn more at thenetwork.cisco.com/songdo