News

Charlotte, NC, deploys energy-use kiosks

January 18, 2012

Velociti Inc., a global provider of technology deployment services headquartered in Kansas City, Kan., announced that it had recently partnered with Horizon Display, a provider of touchscreen and digital solutions, to deploy 64 interactive touch display kiosks in the uptown business district of Charlotte, N.C. The deployment was part of Envision Charlotte, a program that uses digital grid technologies to display real-time energy data throughout the city. The goal of the initiative is to curb electricity use by as much as 20 percent over the next five years, enough to heat 40,000 homes for one year.

People in Charlotte will be able to see data about the city's collective energy usage via these digital displays throughout the uptown area. The hope is that through broader energy consumption awareness, consumers will be prompted to make energy-saving decisions to collectively contribute toward the 20 percent reduction goal for the community.

Velociti, which specializes in deploying a broad range of networking, digital signage and transportation technologies, was responsible for placement and installation of all preconfigured hardware and will handle post-installation service on all 64 kiosks.

The Horizon Display kiosk design offers an ergonomic experience that leverages the large display to grab passersby's attention and the interactive technology to keep them involved, all with a minimal use of floor space, according to the company. Behind the scenes, the kiosk contains a professional-grade media server and 4G wireless connectivity.

"We are very excited to be involved with such a ground-breaking project," said Deryk Powell, COO of Velociti Inc., in the announcement. "We hope to see other major metropolitan areas follow their lead and enact similar programs to benefit our communities in such a positive way."

Read more about custom kiosks.