Deerfield Beach to Become Florida’s Next Smart City

The City of Deerfield Beach, Fla., and Siemens recently announced the official start of a city-wide energy efficiency project to reduce the city’s environmental footprint. Last month, the Commission of Deerfield Beach approved a 17-year contract with Siemens for energy performance services. Valued at more than $9.2 million, the infrastructure improvement project will allow the city to reduce energy consumption in more than 20 of its facilities and increase the use of alternative energy sources. Energy and operational savings are approximated to be $15 million by the end of the 17-year project.

“Not only will we see cost savings for our tax payers, but we will also be one step closer to becoming the kind of sustainable city that others can point to as an example of excellence,” said Deerfield Beach Mayor Bill Ganz.

To help the city meet its energy-efficiency goals, Siemens is providing smart infrastructure solutions in conjunction with cloud-based digital technologies. In addition to replacing more than 40 aging HVAC systems and renewing lighting in more than 20 facilities, an integrated building management system will be installed. It will use sensors and analytics to collect data from each facility to remotely monitor and operate building applications such as air conditioning, lighting systems, energy usage and other major building systems. By displaying all vital information of the facilities at a glance, the city will be able to optimize its power and energy usage. In conjunction with Siemens’ cloud-based building data analytics platform, another layer of intelligence is added, enabling the evaluation and collection of data for further optimization.

To increase the use of alternative energy sources, a compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station will also be built for the city’s solid waste collection vehicles, which will reduce operating costs, lower carbon emissions, and boost the city’s fleet resiliency. Another driver to meet the city’s energy-efficiency goals will be the installation of solar photovoltaic panels on several buildings to generate energy from renewable sources and increase the city’s energy resiliency.

Considering that buildings account for nearly 40% of energy consumption globally and 10% of carbon dioxide emissions, smart building solutions are a key contributor to increase energy efficiency and sustainability in these critical pieces of infrastructure.