Building Resilience Through
Impact-Driven Innovation

When the world faces challenging moments, the strength of infrastructure and technology in surrounding environments is put to the test. In such moments, Johnson Controls has proven to possess a long-standing heritage of engineering excellence. This was particularly brought to life in one historic instance that illustrated how our technology upheld mission-critical operations: The attacks of September 11, 2001 in the USA.

During one of the most difficult moments in modern US history, our technology helped maintain critical operations at the Pentagon, headquarters of the Department of Defence in Arlington County, Virginia. As part of a wider large-scale renovation of the facility, our Metasys® building automation system was installed to provide fully automated building controls across the sprawling campus. Refurbishment works had been completed just weeks before the attack.

On that day, Metasys enabled facility managers to act decisively and use real-time controls to manage airflow, contain hazards and restore functionality across 4.5 million square feet of space. Advanced HVAC controls contained smoke and brought in fresh air; communications were back online within hours.

According to Steve Carter, the assistant building manager at the time, “The systems we put in to save money were now instrumental in saving lives by getting smoke out and getting fresh air into the building and in keeping areas operational.”
 

A heritage of innovation in critical infrastructure

This event represented more than human resilience; it reflected capabilities developed, tested and refined over time – capabilities shaped by experience and applied consistently as infrastructure, risk and operational demands have evolved.

• Integrated building automation: Built on decades of engineering practice, our integrated approach brings essential building systems – HVAC, lighting, security and energy – into coordinated operation, reflecting the steady evolution of increasingly complex environments.
• Operational continuity for mission-critical environments: Our solutions reflect a long history of supporting facilities where continuity is essential. Designed to perform reliably under pressure, these solutions help ensure that essential operations are maintained, even under the most challenging circumstances.
• Commitment to safety and sustainability: For generations, our innovation has responded to shifting priorities around health, efficiency and environmental responsibility, with advancements that protect people and assets while supporting the long-term performance of infrastructure.
  
  

Setting the foundation for precision performance in critical buildings

Our commitment to performance in environments that require 24/7 operations has been shaped over decades of continuous engineering advancement. As infrastructure has become more complex and more essential, our capabilities have evolved in step. Our continued innovation is grounded in experience and informed by the demands of each generation of buildings, including ongoing platform evolutions such as Metasys 15.0.

Whether supporting a single facility or expansive, mission‑critical environments, our technology reflects a long‑standing heritage of innovation. Across decades of progress in building systems, safety and automation, our legacy is defined by a sustained commitment to reliability, adaptability and the critical operations that depend on them.