Keeping building occupants safe and healthy.

OpenBlue Indoor Air Quality as a Service is being launched by Johnson Controls. The new offering is the first dedicated "as-a-service" Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) solution for buildings, delivering energy-efficient, turnkey clean air outcomes with an innovative financing model.

"Johnson Controls believes the best healthy buildings strategy is a holistic one," said Ganesh Ramaswamy, vice president and president, Global Services at Johnson Controls. "This suite of offerings delivers the market's most comprehensive portfolio of solutions, plus expert guidance, to help customers cut building costs, raise productivity and exploit new revenue opportunities - all while delivering on their sustainability goals, resulting in healthy people, healthy places and a healthy planet."

OpenBlue Indoor Air Quality as a Service provides customers with a long-term proactive approach to IAQ to meet ever-changing health and safety compliance standards while leveraging industry leading OpenBlue technology to optimise IAQ and energy costs. The offering includes five key components:

• IAQ assessments – Together with UL, a global safety science leader, Johnson Controls will use a combination of science and technology to assess indoor air quality, pinpoint areas of risk and determine benchmarks and KPIs that support better IAQ, energy efficiency and cost savings.
• Solution application – Based on the results of the assessment, Johnson Controls will apply IAQ sensors, products and services required to meet customers' desired outcomes. Award-winning OpenBlue technology breaks down data silos and delivers all critical indoor air quality information in one centralised place, making it easy to control devices, display IAQ data and identify trends, helping optimise energy costs and indoor air quality levels with AI-powered recommendations for improvements.
• Remote monitoring & advisory – To ensure desired outcomes are met, Johnson Controls will leverage its global Remote Operations Centres (ROCs) to provide 24/7 monitoring of critical IAQ values and recommendations for improvements from our team of experts.
• Annual IAQ reassessment – Acknowledging the dynamic nature of all buildings, Johnson Controls will provide annual IAQ reassessments and work with clients to enhance their operations as needed to maximise return on their IAQ investments.
• Financing – OpenBlue Indoor Air Quality as a Service will be offered through an optional, predictable monthly financing model. Through this model, customers will not have to worry about making large upfront capital decisions. Since the model is scalable, Johnson Controls can help organisations shift their operational models from being COVID-19-reactive to productivity-proactive to meet longer-term goals.

OpenBlue Indoor Air Quality as a Service is scheduled to launch globally in February this year (2022).

Industry research continues to demonstrate the benefits of a holistic approach to indoor air quality control and management. In a survey of Johnson Controls customers, 60% are actively investing in indoor air quality-related measures. Even a 1% improvement in air quality can have a financial impact equivalent to an average building's annual utility bill, according to Harvard research. In addition, improved indoor air quality can reduce the aerosol transmission of COVID-19, acting as effectively as a population that is 50-60% vaccinated, according to peer-reviewed research published in Nature.

"Now, more than ever, enhancing indoor air quality is a critical business need as employees return to their workplaces and students return to their schools," said Tyler Smith, executive director, Healthy Buildings at Johnson Controls. "Our industry-leading OpenBlue Indoor Air Quality as a Service offering not only enables organisations to keep building occupants safe and healthy indoors in the face of evolving health and compliance regulations, but also empowers organisations to commit to more environmentally sustainable projects by delivering a solution that will also reduce energy use."

@johnsoncontrols @JCI_UKI @teamlewisglobal #AirQuality #BuildingAutomation

Call for bold climate policy.

Johnson Controls has joined a call on governments to work with the private sector to accelerate the race to net zero. Lending its support to an open letter issued by the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders, Johnson Controls has urged world leaders to seize the opportunity presented by the upcoming UN COP26 Climate Conference in Glasgow to set out bold policy agreements to give the world a chance of limiting the global average temperature increase to 1.5°C and achieving a just transition.

The Alliance is an informal group facilitated by the World Economic Forum, of which Johnson Controls is a member, consisting of Chief Executive Officers representing large multinational companies that collectively employ over 8 million people. All members of the Alliance have committed to set or have already set Paris-aligned targets across their value chains, which the Alliance estimates will mitigate over 1Gt of emissions annually by 2030. In its letter, the Alliance calls for “bold climate policy agreements at COP 26” and says leaders should use the summit as the best chance to agree on the steps that are required to halve greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 2030, reach net-zero emissions by 2050 and build nature-positive economies.

“The recent IPCC report spelled out in no uncertain terms that the climate crisis is here and needs urgent action now. COP26 is the perfect opportunity for governments to set out the policies that can help the private sector to better support that effort,” said George Oliver, chairman and CEO, Johnson Controls. “Technologies exist today that will enable us to bend the carbon emissions curve to reach net-zero by 2050. At Johnson Controls we have been lowering the global carbon footprint of our customers, our supply chain, as well as our own operations through the use of technologies such as OpenBlue, which is playing a key role in decarbonizing buildings. Buildings are a major component of global emissions – as much as 40 percent of global CO2 emissions are from the building sector.”

Johnson Controls believes that taking meaningful government action would not only accelerate private sector investment in major carbon emitting areas such as buildings, industry and infrastructure, but would also bring greater accuracy and transparency to corporate emissions data, thereby achieving net zero faster and more reliably.

The Alliance letter follows a call in June on the G7 for greater collaboration between business and government on achieving net-zero ambitions, and also identifies several points that will enable businesses to accelerate emission reductions, scale-up innovations and achieve a net-zero world by 2050.

Technology and collaboration are key to meeting global net zero targets. With the capability to drive 50 percent and more in improvement in energy efficiency and corresponding carbon emissions, the OpenBlue platform is already at the cutting edge of technology for decarbonizing buildings. The company is now pushing innovation further through collaboration, such as the recently announced joint collaboration on data and services with Atos. This will accelerate clients’ net zero journey by marrying Atos’ Net Zero Transformation Portfolio and EcoAct advisory solutions with the OpenBlue Net Zero Buildings portfolio of sustainability offerings.

Johnson Controls is a signatory to The Climate Pledge, an initiative of business leaders co-founded by Amazon and Global Optimism. Signatories to the pledge commit to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2040 – ten years ahead of the Paris Climate Agreement goal. The company aims to cut its operational emissions by 55 percent and reduce customers’ emissions by 16 percent before 2030. These ambitious 2030 emissions reduction targets have been approved by the Science Based Targets Initiative. Johnson Controls also recently issued a Sustainability Linked Bond to support its commitment to achieving ambitious absolute GHG emission reductions by 2025.

The company is continuing to exercise its leadership in climate action through the Business Roundtable, with George Oliver joining the organization as chair of the Energy & Environment Committee in January. Business Roundtable is an association of chief executive officers of America’s leading companies. Its Energy & Environment Committee is dedicated to advancing policies that encourage innovation and support an environmentally and economically sustainable future.

@johnsoncontrols @JCI_UKI @COP26 #Environment #HVAC #COP26

Tackling the global cyber threat!

The first Founding Members of the International Society of Automation's Global Cybersecurity Alliance (GCA) have been announced. They are Schneider Electric, Rockwell Automation, Honeywell, Johnson Controls, Claroty, and Nozomi Networks.

ISA created the Global Cybersecurity Alliance to advance cybersecurity readiness and awareness in manufacturing and critical infrastructure facilities and processes. The Alliance brings end-user companies, automation and control systems providers, IT infrastructure providers, services providers, and system integrators and other cybersecurity stakeholder organizations together to proactively address growing threats.

ISA is the developer of the ANSI/ISA 62443 series of automation and control systems cybersecurity standards, which have been adopted by the International Electrotechnical Commission as IEC 62443 and endorsed by the United Nations. The standards define requirements and procedures for implementing electronically secure automation and industrial control systems and security practices and assessing electronic security performance. The standards approach the cybersecurity challenge in a holistic way, bridging the gap between operations and information technology.

Leveraging the ISA/IEC 62443 standards, the Global Cybersecurity Alliance will work to increase awareness and expertise, openly share knowledge and information, and develop best practice tools to help companies navigate the entire lifecycle of cybersecurity protection. The Alliance will work closely with government agencies, regulatory bodies, and stakeholder organizations around the world.

"Accelerating and expanding globally relevant standards, certification, and education programs will increase workforce competence, and help end users identify gaps, reduce risks, and ensure they have the tools and systems they need to protect their facilities and installations," said Mary Ramsey, ISA Executive Director. "Through the proliferation of standards and compliance programs, we will strengthen our global cyber culture and transform the way industry identifies and manages cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities to their operations."

The first Founding Members of the Alliance are leading multi-national, industrial-technology providers with deep expertise in technology and applications, and they'll apply their experience and knowledge to accomplish the Alliance's priorities.

"Participating in the Alliance truly shows the commitment our founding members have to the safety and security of the industrial ecosystem, as well as the criticality of collectively moving forward together to ensure the standards, best practices and methods are applied," Ramsey said.

"ISA engaged with discussions, initiated by Schneider Electric, to create an ISA-led global, open and industry-wide alliance comprised of all cybersecurity stakeholder companies. ISA quickly expanded those conversations to include Rockwell Automation, Honeywell, Johnson Controls, Claroty, and Nozomi Networks. These first Founding Members have since worked together to help us define the Alliance's objectives. We are thankful for their collaboration and commitment. Together we welcome companies and organizations from all segments of industry to join our efforts."

The Alliance is seeking additional members to support its initiatives. End-user companies, asset owners, automation and control systems providers, IT infrastructure providers, services providers, and system integrators and other cybersecurity stakeholder organizations are invited to join. Annual contributions to fund initiatives are based on company revenues and are tax-deductible.

GCA Founders' statements "Over the last few years, global industry has recognized that taking on increasingly dangerous cyber risks can't be limited to a single company, segment, or region. However, until now, there has been limited ability to respond as a unified whole to these worldwide threats. But by establishing an open, collaborative, and transparent body, with a focus on strengthening people, processes, and technology, we can drive true cultural change. We are pleased that ISA has stepped forward, and we look forward to working openly and collaboratively with them, our fellow Founding Members, and many others affiliated with global industry, especially end users. Together we will bring to bear the standards-based technology, expertise, and special skills required to better secure and protect the world's most critical operations and the people and communities we serve." --- Klaus Jaeckle, Chief Product Security Officer, Schneider Electric "Cybersecurity is critical to digital transformation. It's critical not only for the protection of information and intellectual property, but also for the protection of physical assets, the environment, and worker safety. We make it a priority to collaborate with partners and research institutions to develop secure products. Rockwell Automation participated in the development of the 62443 standards from the beginning and continues to support ISA cybersecurity initiatives. Our engagement with the Global Cybersecurity Alliance will be another important step in our efforts to help customers identify and mitigate risks." --- Blake Moret, CEO, Rockwell Automation "At Honeywell, we see cybersecurity as a core part of the future we are making, and we see the Global Cybersecurity Alliance as an important way to work together to make that happen. Cybersecurity is critical to the connected world we live in and the cornerstone of trust that the world needs to be able to operate. Whether protecting critical infrastructure or managing a building's operations, users need to do this with the confidence that the employed systems are robust and secure. We are committed to and proud to work together with ISA and the GCA members to continue to drive the adoption of the ISA/IEC 62443 series of standards and identify further ways to secure and protect the connected world. Honeywell has a robust history with ISA and is also founding member of the ISA Security Compliance Institute." -- Matthew Bohne, Vice President and Chief of Product Security, Honeywell Building Technologies "Digital transformation in the building sector continues to accelerate, which heightens the urgency for cybersecurity across the industry and beyond. As a leader in the industrial automation controls business, Johnson Controls is already a strategic member of the ISASecure program and is consistently taking proactive actions to protect customers against cyber-threats and risks. Joining ISA Global Cybersecurity Alliance is a necessary and meaningful step as it supports our company values, customer adoption of the ISA/IEC 62443 standard and efforts to educate global government and regulatory bodies. We are proud to solidify our commitment to this important effort." --- Jason Christman, Vice President, Chief Product Security Officer, Global Products, Johnson Controls "One of the most effective ways to drive consistency in an industry is by putting standards in place, and we're looking forward to collaborating with all of these founding members, as well as future Alliance members, to help drive global best-practices forward in this historically standard-less environment. Claroty is committed to the mission of protecting all IoT and OT networks from cyber risks. Through our work with the Global Cybersecurity Alliance, we will be able to help shape the future of cybersecurity in these high-risk industries." --- Dave Weinstein, Chief Security Officer, Claroty "Nozomi Networks believes real community collaboration, actionable standards and effective education are key ensuring a secure future for industrial organizations around the world. That's why we are helping develop secure-by-design standards as a working member of ISA99 standards committees, why we've designed our industrial cyber security solutions for easy integration across the broadest possible set of industrial and IT technologies; and why we are thrilled to help establish the Global Cybersecurity Alliance. Together we will build a secure future for the industrial infrastructure that runs the world." ---  Andrea Carcano, Nozomi Networks Co-founder and Chief Product Officer Companies interested in joining the Alliance should contact Rick Zabel at rzabel@isa.org

@ISA_Interchange #PAuto #BAC #Cybersecurity

Advancing cybersecurity standards.

Johnson Controls has joined the ISA Security Compliance Institute (ISCI) as a strategic level member.

The IEC 62443 program most requested by end users ISASecure® is an industry-led initiative established to independently certify the cybersecurity of control systems, automation, and IOT technology. The program strives to include a balance of stakeholders and ensures that end-users fill leadership roles in the ISASecure decision-making; including leading in certification specification development processes. The ISASecure scheme has been well-vetted by end-users, certification bodies, and control system suppliers from many industry sectors including traditional process industries and building control industries. ISASecure has been active for over 10 years with the first certificate of conformance issued in early 2011. The certification scheme is based upon international ISA/IEC 62443 standards developed by subject matter experts from many industries around the globe.

“Joining ISA Security Compliance Institute demonstrates Johnson Controls commitment to advancing cybersecurity standards and certification for the global community of manufacturers and customers of intelligent buildings and smart city technologies,” stated Jason Christman, vice president and chief product security officer, Johnson Controls.

As a strategic level member of ISASecure, Johnson Controls joins thought leaders who are taking action to secure automation and control systems around the world, including support for product conformity assessment to ISA/IEC 62443 standards. The ISA/IEC 62443 series of standards is designed to provide a flexible framework to address and mitigate current and future security vulnerabilities in industrial automation and control systems (IACS).

The addition of Johnson Controls provides leadership for establishing ISA/IEC 62443 standards and ISASecure as the basis for securing smart buildings and smart cities around the globe.

“We welcome the Johnson Controls team and look forward to working with them here at ISCI. Johnson Controls is a leader in cybersecurity for buildings technologies and solutions. Johnson Controls' newly minted leadership role in the ISASecure program is a demonstration of its continued commitment to ensuring safe and secure operations at customer sites around the globe,” stated Andre Ristaino, ISCI managing director.

#cybersecurity @johnsoncontrols #PAuto 

Merger makes huge building automation entity.

Johnson Controls  and Tyco have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which Johnson Controls, a global multi-industrial company, will combine with Tyco, a global fire and security provider, to create the leader in building products and technology, integrated solutions and energy storage.

Under the terms of the agreement, which has been unanimously approved by both companies' Boards of Directors, Johnson Controls shareholders will own approximately 56 percent of the equity of the combined company and receive aggregate cash consideration of approximately $3.9 billion. Current Tyco shareholders will own approximately 44 percent of the equity of the combined company.

"The proposed combination of Johnson Controls and Tyco represents the next phase of our transformation to become a leading global multi-industrial company," stated Alex Molinaroli, chairman and chief executive officer, Johnson Controls. "With its world-class fire and security businesses, Tyco aligns with and enhances the Johnson Controls buildings platform and further positions all of our businesses for global growth. Through this transaction, we will also expand our ability to further invest globally, develop new innovative solutions for customers and return capital to shareholders."

"The combination of Tyco and Johnson Controls is a highly strategic, value-enhancing step that brings together the unique strengths of two great companies to deliver best-in-class building technologies and services to customers around the world," said George R. Oliver, chief executive officer, Tyco. "We believe this transaction will allow us to better capture opportunities created by increased connectivity in homes, buildings and cities. Joining forces with Johnson Controls pairs our leading established businesses with robust innovation pipelines and extensive global footprints to deliver greater value to customers, shareholders and employees of both companies."

Walt Boyes comments in Industrial Automation Insider:  "What this will really do is to make a huge building automation company. Here’s a nice graphic provided by Johnson Controls to indicate all the technological synergies. Note that there are signifi-cant Johnson Controls strengths, as well as Tyco strengths, and they appear to be throughout the building. There are a lot of over-laps with the world of process and factory automation, especially when the Internet of Things becomes a consideration." (IAI: Jan 2015)

Under the terms of the proposed transaction, the businesses of Johnson Controls and Tyco will be combined under Tyco International plc, which will be renamed "Johnson Controls plc." Upon the closing of the transaction, the combined company is expected to maintain Tyco's Irish legal domicile and global headquarters in Cork, Ireland. The primary operational headquarters in North America for the combined company will be in Milwaukee, where Johnson Controls has been based.

Strategic Rationale
The combined company brings together best-in-class product, technology and service capabilities across controls, fire, security, HVAC, power solutions and energy storage, to serve various end-markets including large institutions, commercial buildings, retail, industrial, small business and residential. The combination of the Tyco and Johnson Controls buildings platforms creates immediate opportunities for near-term growth through cross-selling, complementary branch and channel networks, and expanded global reach for established businesses.

The new company will also benefit by combining innovation capabilities and pipelines involving new products, advanced solutions for smart buildings and cities, value-added services driven by advanced data and analytics and connectivity between buildings and energy storage through infrastructure integration. As a result, the new company will be able to better partner with its customers to help improve their overall performance and operations, enhancing the experience for their own customers in areas such as comfort, safety and accessibility. In addition, the combined company will have one of the largest energy storage platforms with capabilities including traditional lead acid as well as advanced lithium ion battery technology serving the global energy storage market.

• Johnson Controls is in the midst of a strategic transformation to become a top-quartile multi-industrial company with leadership in attractive spaces connected to core growth platforms in buildings and energy storage. This focus has resulted in significant portfolio changes over the past few years including the divestiture of its Automotive Electronics and Interiors and Global Workplace Solutions businesses, as well as the acquisition of Air Distribution Technologies and the formation of Johnson Controls - Hitachi joint venture. The company announced in July 2015 that it is planning to spin off Adient at the beginning of fiscal year 2017.

• Tyco has transformed from a diversified holding company to a streamlined operating company with a focused and leading portfolio in fire and security that will complement Johnson Controls' buildings platform. Tyco combines best-in-class products with a world-class installation and service capability delivered across a global network of branches. The company's core strengths include security and fire systems integration, commercial security monitoring, as well as fire, security and life-safety products.

• More details on financial side of this merger may be found here.

@johnsoncontrols #Tyco #PAuto #BAS