Living Smarter at This Aquarium

    June 9, 2016

    Automation dips a toe into the smart aquarium waters.

    The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago is home to more than 32,500 animals representing 1,500 species including fish, marine mammals, birds, snakes, amphibians and insects, all of which originate from seven different parts of the world.

    This diverse ecosystem of life under one roof requires a lot of help to sustain an environment that is comfortable for each group at all times—and that includes the humans who visit the aquarium, as well as the caretakers of the creatures.

    Schneider Electric stepped in to help the Shedd by deploying its Building Management System (BMS) that controls everything from lighting to HVAC and even aquatic life support systems. The BMS technology is also used for ozone control, security monitoring and management, the CCTV video system and electrical metering.

    But with sustainability a key concern, the aquarium took its operations outside, too.

    A turnkey solar system installed on the roof of the Oceanarium includes 265KW of solar panels that generate clean, renewable energy and reduce energy costs. The move supports the aquarium’s commitment to cut energy consumption in half by 2020.

    About the Author

    Stephanie Neil | Editor-in-Chief, OEM Magazine

    Stephanie Neil has been reporting on business and technology for over 25 years and was named Editor-in-Chief of OEM magazine in 2018. She began her journalism career as a beat reporter for eWeek, a technology newspaper, later joining Managing Automation, a monthly B2B manufacturing magazine, as senior editor. During that time, Neil was also a correspondent for The Boston Globe, covering local news. She joined PMMI Media Group in 2015 as a senior editor for Automation World and continues to write for both AW and OEM, covering manufacturing news, technology trends, and workforce issues.
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