The Institute for Building Efficiency (IBE) is a global leadership initiative launched by Johnson Controls in early 2010 to foster a significant reduction in energy use among commercial buildings across the world by driving awareness, analysis and action on issues related to high performance buildings and energy efficiency practices, policies and financing.
The IBE focuses on topics including: Existing Building Retrofits, Green Buildings, Smart Grids and Smart Buildings, Renewable and Distributed Energy, Financing Clean Energy, Carbon Management and Energy and Climate Policy. Internal topic experts conduct original research and develop papers and support materials to educate decision-makers, driving them to ultimately reduce energy and water use, decrease operating costs and limit greenhouse gas emissions.
An innovative leadership initiative, the IBE required a communication platform to reach out to, engage and educate industry audiences while also keeping the group at the forefront of an industry built on constant innovation.
Johnson Controls embarked on the development of a website to create an open, impactful and sustainable dialogue with the industry. The site needed to provide immediate credibility and a practical angle to topics which are often highly theoretical. It also needed to be robust and impactful, establishing itself as an innovative, educational resource and provide ultimate flexibility for future content expansion and on-going monthly content updates.
While many groups talk and post content within the industry, Johnson Controls is in a unique position to provide practical, real-life information to transform theory into practice through the Institute for Building Efficiency. The expectation of www.institutebe.com is not just an information repository but to act as the cornerstone of IBE communications and become the premiere on-line destination for building efficiency information and education.
By design, the site conveys authority and sophistication. The voice for content is that of a practitioner, differentiating it from other industry resources. By experience, the site is simple and easy to navigate. The user experience allows visitors to quickly and easily access content most relevant to their need. The content management system provides flexibility, allowing for frequent updates to be made easily and efficiently.
Monthly content updates including web articles, papers, slide decks, videos and podcasts, are published across the seven topical areas. The supporting resources are easily accessible through a "Resources & Tools" section which pulls all assets into one location, categorized by topic area. A “What’s New” tab provides quick access to the most recent content from each topic area and populates the site's RSS feed. In addition, “What’s New” features a section highlighting the company's signature research study and an “Events & Conferences” section that offers insight and analysis of industry events.
The IBE site is promoted to a niche audience through the Johnson Controls IBE staff at events, speaking engagements, targeted e-mails and monthly linked articles in various Johnson Controls internal and customer newsletters. Traffic to the site has been steady with spikes appearing during these noted events and outreach efforts. This is reflected in site metrics, with 60% of site traffic coming from direct traffic. The site is becoming a resource for people, with 44% of total visits being return visitors. Built-in measurement tools provide ongoing insights, which inform the long-term strategy for the IBE publishing and outreach.
Click here to view a complete list of National BMA B2 Award Winners.