Pictures of the Future Spring 2007
Livable Megacities – Chicago
My Kind of Metropolis
Chicago was once the commercial center of an aspiring U.S. But it later fell behind Los Angeles and New York. Now, the city is rapidly regaining its past glory as a progressive and dynamic city in the heart of America. The metropolis on Lake Michigan offers a high quality of life and is one of the safest cities in the U.S.
Waterfront skyline. Chicago offers a high quality of life. Apartments and office space are cheaper than in other major U.S. cities. What’s more, the city itself is one of the safest in the country
Chicago is back in the fast lane, and the most visible signs of this are the many construction sites that dot the city. New buildings are going up because more and more people want to live here. Even New York real estate mogul Donald Trump says that investments in Chicago pay off better than those in his own home town, which is why he’s building a new residential and mixed-use skyscraper downtown. Chicago also has a good chance of hosting the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. The only serious U.S. rival is L.A., which has already hosted the games twice.
Surveillance systems keep an eye on Chicago’s harbor facilities 24/7. Siemens supplied the systems and the evaluation software (shown in a demonstration scenario)
Olympic Opportunity.
One factor that could help is Chicago’s reputation as one of the country’s safest cities—despite Al Capone’s gangster legacy from the prohibition era. According to Chicago Police Superintendent Philip J. Cline, aggressive crime-fighting strategies and the innovative use of new technology have helped Chicago keep ahead in the fight against crime. "Unlike the national trend that shows a 2.5 % increase in crime in 2005, Chicago saw a 2.4 % decrease, according to recent FBI statistics," says Cline.
Between 2002 and 2005 the number of homicides fell by 26 %. The police use a combination of street presence and modern technology to combat problems such as the illicit drug trade. More than 225 police cameras are wirelessly linked to all 25 police stations and the 911 emergency center. Siemens set up the pilot program for this comprehensive security system. During this project Siemens installed a network of more than 60 surveillance cameras. The network uses intelligent software (see Video Surveillance in Pictures of the Future, Fall 2006) that can differentiate between suspicious and routine activities and then alert the authorities.
The company has also improved safety in many commercial and residential buildings by installing sophisticated emergency communication systems in accordance with a new fire ordinance. This was passed by the city in the fall of 2004 in the wake of a tragic fire that took the lives of six city workers. The system enables residents trapped in a fire to directly contact the fire department and provide it with information that will aid the rescue operation.
Chicago’s role as a center of shipping and commerce made it a hub for U.S. railroad companies. One rail line still in operation is the South Shore Line, which was built in 1908 and is now used by commuters and day trippers who want to enjoy wonderful views of the lake. Siemens was recently commissioned to equip all of the line’s rail cars and its 25 stations with Internet Protocol (IP)-based digital video cameras. The state-of-the-art IP system provides a reliable surveillance infrastructure platform that can be expanded quickly and economically.
Chicago’s significance as a transit hub is also in evidence at O’Hare Airport. The facility, which was completed in 1943, handles almost 80 million passengers per year. Video-based surveillance and fire detection alarm systems from Siemens help ensure the safety of passengers and ground personnel. More than one million tons of cargo are transshipped via the Illinois International Port District every year. In 2005 Siemens was selected to provide perimeter surveillance security improvements to the port’s Iroquois Landing and Calumet Harbor facilities. In line with tighter security stipulations for the nation’s coasts, the almost 50,000 m² transshipment area is now under 24/7 video surveillance.
Here, Siemens delivered an extensive video monitoring system, which alongside cameras consists of intelligent analysis software and a high-capacity network for data transmission. "The problem with comprehensive video monitoring is that you need to analyze it in real time. That’s because no one can constantly digest what’s happening on dozens of monitoring screens," says Pete Vitone, head of Security System Sales at SBT in Chicago. The software automatically generates a bird’s-eye view of the entire area from the camera images. If a suspicious activity is registered, the system immediately notifies the security personnel and activates the zooming feature on the cameras.
Safe Hotels. You’ll also find Siemens security solutions at the top of the Sears Tower. These include the fire detection and alarm system and the security systems for the transmitters on the roof. In the Grand Hilton Chicago—which with 1,544 rooms is the city’s largest hotel—and other Hilton hotels, Siemens fire detection and alarm systems provide optimal protection. "If all of Chicago’s hotels installed such systems, hotel guests and my people would sleep a lot easier," says Cortez Trotter, formerly Chicago’s Fire Commissioner and now Chief Emergency Officer. The fire detection system upgrade was undertaken by Hilton on its own initiative; it was not legally obligated to do so.
Many theaters, international companies and banks have put down roots in the area around Michigan Avenue. One of the most prominent of these is Boeing, which moved its corporate headquarters from Seattle to Chicago in 2001. Large-scale building complexes such as these need efficient climate control systems. Siemens has installed a building automation system that saves energy and improves occupant comfort in Hyatt’s new Chicago headquarters building. Conserving energy is now a top priority, especially since buildings use some 40 % of all the energy consumed each year in the U.S.
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley plans to drastically reduce energy consumption in the city’s schools. To this end, Siemens has provided a natural gas and electricity-use monitoring system that compares energy use data with billing data to spot errors. Even small discrepancies can add up to millions of dollars. But even more important is the evaluation of significant differences between schools. Plans call for those schools that conserve energy to be rewarded. Some schools in Chicago’s suburbs are already ahead of the game. For example, in addition to installing a state-of-the-art climate and light control system in a school in the suburb of Glenbrook, Siemens has insulated the windows and doors. The result: annual savings of $400,000. Many other school districts have signed energy-savings contracts with Siemens, whereby the company guarantees a certain level of savings from which the investment can be paid off.
Siemens also installed energy-saving technologies during the renovation and expansion of the NFL’s Chicago Bears stadium. A big problem in the stadium, which holds 61,500 spectators, was how to effectively manage temperature control in interior spaces, which can heat up very quickly when thousands of people show up at once to grab a snack or use the restrooms. The high-performance cooling system from Siemens reacts rapidly, and can ensure that things stay cool in the summer months. Siemens also equipped the stadium with a fire detection and alarm system that is integrated with sprinklers to prevent fires or put them out early on.
This year the Bears had a chance to win the Super Bowl for the first time in 21 years, but lost to the Indianapolis Colts before a television audience of 93.2 million. But ever tough and resilient, Chicago remains optimistic—thanks in no small measure to safety and security systems from a company that’s called the city home for over one hundred years.
Harald Weiss
Olympic Opportunity.
One factor that could help is Chicago’s reputation as one of the country’s safest cities—despite Al Capone’s gangster legacy from the prohibition era. According to Chicago Police Superintendent Philip J. Cline, aggressive crime-fighting strategies and the innovative use of new technology have helped Chicago keep ahead in the fight against crime. "Unlike the national trend that shows a 2.5 % increase in crime in 2005, Chicago saw a 2.4 % decrease, according to recent FBI statistics," says Cline.
Between 2002 and 2005 the number of homicides fell by 26 %. The police use a combination of street presence and modern technology to combat problems such as the illicit drug trade. More than 225 police cameras are wirelessly linked to all 25 police stations and the 911 emergency center. Siemens set up the pilot program for this comprehensive security system. During this project Siemens installed a network of more than 60 surveillance cameras. The network uses intelligent software (see Video Surveillance in Pictures of the Future, Fall 2006) that can differentiate between suspicious and routine activities and then alert the authorities.
The company has also improved safety in many commercial and residential buildings by installing sophisticated emergency communication systems in accordance with a new fire ordinance. This was passed by the city in the fall of 2004 in the wake of a tragic fire that took the lives of six city workers. The system enables residents trapped in a fire to directly contact the fire department and provide it with information that will aid the rescue operation.
Chicago’s role as a center of shipping and commerce made it a hub for U.S. railroad companies. One rail line still in operation is the South Shore Line, which was built in 1908 and is now used by commuters and day trippers who want to enjoy wonderful views of the lake. Siemens was recently commissioned to equip all of the line’s rail cars and its 25 stations with Internet Protocol (IP)-based digital video cameras. The state-of-the-art IP system provides a reliable surveillance infrastructure platform that can be expanded quickly and economically.
Chicago’s significance as a transit hub is also in evidence at O’Hare Airport. The facility, which was completed in 1943, handles almost 80 million passengers per year. Video-based surveillance and fire detection alarm systems from Siemens help ensure the safety of passengers and ground personnel. More than one million tons of cargo are transshipped via the Illinois International Port District every year. In 2005 Siemens was selected to provide perimeter surveillance security improvements to the port’s Iroquois Landing and Calumet Harbor facilities. In line with tighter security stipulations for the nation’s coasts, the almost 50,000 m² transshipment area is now under 24/7 video surveillance.
Here, Siemens delivered an extensive video monitoring system, which alongside cameras consists of intelligent analysis software and a high-capacity network for data transmission. "The problem with comprehensive video monitoring is that you need to analyze it in real time. That’s because no one can constantly digest what’s happening on dozens of monitoring screens," says Pete Vitone, head of Security System Sales at SBT in Chicago. The software automatically generates a bird’s-eye view of the entire area from the camera images. If a suspicious activity is registered, the system immediately notifies the security personnel and activates the zooming feature on the cameras.
Safe Hotels. You’ll also find Siemens security solutions at the top of the Sears Tower. These include the fire detection and alarm system and the security systems for the transmitters on the roof. In the Grand Hilton Chicago—which with 1,544 rooms is the city’s largest hotel—and other Hilton hotels, Siemens fire detection and alarm systems provide optimal protection. "If all of Chicago’s hotels installed such systems, hotel guests and my people would sleep a lot easier," says Cortez Trotter, formerly Chicago’s Fire Commissioner and now Chief Emergency Officer. The fire detection system upgrade was undertaken by Hilton on its own initiative; it was not legally obligated to do so.
Many theaters, international companies and banks have put down roots in the area around Michigan Avenue. One of the most prominent of these is Boeing, which moved its corporate headquarters from Seattle to Chicago in 2001. Large-scale building complexes such as these need efficient climate control systems. Siemens has installed a building automation system that saves energy and improves occupant comfort in Hyatt’s new Chicago headquarters building. Conserving energy is now a top priority, especially since buildings use some 40 % of all the energy consumed each year in the U.S.
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley plans to drastically reduce energy consumption in the city’s schools. To this end, Siemens has provided a natural gas and electricity-use monitoring system that compares energy use data with billing data to spot errors. Even small discrepancies can add up to millions of dollars. But even more important is the evaluation of significant differences between schools. Plans call for those schools that conserve energy to be rewarded. Some schools in Chicago’s suburbs are already ahead of the game. For example, in addition to installing a state-of-the-art climate and light control system in a school in the suburb of Glenbrook, Siemens has insulated the windows and doors. The result: annual savings of $400,000. Many other school districts have signed energy-savings contracts with Siemens, whereby the company guarantees a certain level of savings from which the investment can be paid off.
Siemens also installed energy-saving technologies during the renovation and expansion of the NFL’s Chicago Bears stadium. A big problem in the stadium, which holds 61,500 spectators, was how to effectively manage temperature control in interior spaces, which can heat up very quickly when thousands of people show up at once to grab a snack or use the restrooms. The high-performance cooling system from Siemens reacts rapidly, and can ensure that things stay cool in the summer months. Siemens also equipped the stadium with a fire detection and alarm system that is integrated with sprinklers to prevent fires or put them out early on.
This year the Bears had a chance to win the Super Bowl for the first time in 21 years, but lost to the Indianapolis Colts before a television audience of 93.2 million. But ever tough and resilient, Chicago remains optimistic—thanks in no small measure to safety and security systems from a company that’s called the city home for over one hundred years.
Harald Weiss