The 144,000-square-foot facility exemplifies Johnson Controls’ dedication to the productivity and well-being of its nearly 1,500 local employees, the company said in a press release. With its new OpenBlue Innovation Center, it also serves as a showcase of solutions for building owners, operators, and other industry leaders looking to create a new class of smart buildings that are secure, healthy, and sustainable.

“This campus has been designed to create a culture of collaboration and sustainability with our OpenBlue digital platform at the core of its design,” said Vijay Sankaran, chief technology officer at Johnson Controls. “We look forward to welcoming visitors to the OpenBlue Innovation Center, where, together, we'll shape the future of building technologies.”

The Innovation Center is a nearly 12,000-square-foot interactive space that will host thousands of visitors per year from a wide range of industries and provide interactive product demonstrations, cutting-edge virtual reality technology, and other multimedia sessions, the company said.

“This new innovation center will serve as a source of inspiration for our customers, helping to improve the design, operation, and maintenance of their indoor environments, ultimately driving value for their businesses,” said Julie Brandt, president of Building Solutions, North America, at Johnson Controls.

The Glendale location is the 11th to join Johnson Controls’ growing network of OpenBlue Innovation Centers across the globe.

The Glendale campus also is a demonstration of how building technology and design can improve a building’s efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and improve occupant experiences, the company said.

Johnson Controls’ OpenBlue solutions, integrated with its Metasys building automation system and other third-party devices, serves as the centralized control network. This platform offers facility management staff a way of tracking the performance metrics of building systems, such as the energy usage of its heating and cooling systems, lighting, and shade controls.

The campus includes a ground-mounted solar photovoltaic array system, generating 250 kW of power and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 827,000 pounds annually. Further, Johnson Controls on-site heat pumps, which use electricity to circulate energy rather than burn fuel, are expected to cut winter heating costs by around 29%.

The renovations also are an investment fostering a positive culture for employees and other occupants. Reimagined floor plans and contemporary workstations give employees multiple work points. Additionally, the newly implemented lighting system not only contributes to energy savings, but also enhances occupant comfort and productivity.

The Johnson Controls Glendale campus has achieved the prestigious WELL Health-Safety Rating from the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) for the past two years. In addition to high-efficiency filtration and fresh-air ventilation, the campus has an IAQ monitoring platform to ensure optimal IAQ.

“As a leader in the smart buildings industry, Johnson Controls is committed to continually evolving our campuses to implement the latest and greatest digital solutions and design principles for more sustainable facilities and a top-notch workplace culture,” said Brandt. “By transforming our North America headquarters, just as we do for our customers every day, we’re truly putting our core values and offerings into action to show what’s possible for our teams and visitors.”