Microsoft Surface Powers Sustainability Solutions from Johnson Controls

Microsoft Surface will act as the platform for sustainability solutions from Johnson Controls, the two companies revealed. The Redmond giant’s tabletop computer with the default interaction model based on the concept of Natural User Interfaces, will be leveraged in order to allow customers to access and evaluate energy-efficient solutions for commercial buildings. Specifically, Johnson Controls has turned to Microsoft and the company’s first example of a commercial surface computing product in order to deliver a new experience for users, which will be able to get insights into energy data for specific buildings through an innovative interface that supports multitouch and gesture interaction and comes with object recognition capabilities.

“The Surface technology offers a new way for our customers to look at their building and identify ways to make it more comfortable, safe, productive and energy-efficient — all with a touch of a finger,” noted Laura Farnham, vice president, Global Controls Line of Business, Building Efficiency, Johnson Controls. “This is the type of innovation that Johnson Controls continuously brings to its customers, and we are excited for the possibilities that this technology can offer end users.”

The custom Microsoft Surface units will come pre-installed with applications designed to centralize data and information from the Metasys building management system, but also from additional enterprise information solutions developed by Johnson Controls. The systems are capable of harvesting energy consumption data from either a single building, or from multiple locations. The information is subsequently repackaged, making it easier to swallow, in scale graphs, pictures, and videos. The software giant underlines that one of the biggest advantages of Microsoft Surface is that the large horizontal form factor is perfect for delivering collaborative experiences which involve multiple users accessing the data simultaneously.

“Businesses today are looking for ways to cut costs and reduce their impact on the environment at the same time,” added David Graff, director of U.S. automotive and industrial equipment industry solutions, Microsoft. “Johnson Controls offers a wealth of solutions that help companies do this, and now with Surface, they’re able to demonstrate the full spectrum of their offerings in a visual, compelling way.”