Projects

QA Graphics Provides Sales Tool for Johnson Controls Branch Partners

June 10, 2013

Contact:
Sarah Erdman, Marketing Director
515.965.3403
serdman (at) www.qagraphics.com

June 10, 2013

QA Graphics, leading provider of design services for the building automation industry, has developed a new sales tool available for their Johnson Controls branch partners.

QA Graphics recently introduced a new product to market, the Reveal Sales Tool, and has developed a Reveal Sales Tool for their JCI branch partners to demonstrate graphic examples when discussing projects with clients. This interactive technology can greatly simplify the sales process. Reveal serves as a central resource, allowing branches to use the interactive application to provide examples of BAS graphics and energy dashboards to help sell graphic solutions for JCI projects.

QA Graphics Helps Calgary Zoo Educate About ENMAX Conservatory

April 26, 2013

Contact:
Sarah Erdman, Marketing Director
515.965.3403
serdman (at) www.qagraphics.com

April 26, 2013

QA Graphics, the provider of the award-winning Energy Efficiency Education Dashboard®, has created an educational display for Calgary Zoo’s ENMAX Conservatory in Alberta, Canada, to educate visitors on the building’s renewable energy technologies and other environmental features.

In March 2012, the ENMAX Conservatory was recognized as a LEED® Gold Certified building by the Canada Green Building Council. The Calgary Zoo and ENMAX Corporation then looked to QA Graphics to create an Energy Efficiency Education Dashboard to educate visitors on the design aspects that were put into place to achieve this certification. The solution is an interactive application displayed on a 46-inch touchscreen located in the main atrium of the Conservatory.

“We are proud to share with Calgary Zoo visitors the new kiosk that will provide information on the benefits of renewable energy technologies, energy efficiency and the many other environmental aspects of the building,” said Karla Wingate, Manager, Community Investment and Sponsorship for ENMAX Corporation.

QA Graphics Helps NYC Applebee’s Educate about Green Initiatives

March 19, 2013

Contact:
Sarah Erdman, Marketing Director
515.965.3403
serdman (at) www.qagraphics.com

March 19, 2013

QA Graphics, the provider of the award-winning Energy Efficiency Education Dashboard®, is helping New York City’s first LEED Gold-certified restaurant showcase its green initiatives.

Apple-Metro, Inc., the New York Metropolitan Area franchisee for Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar®, has opened a new Applebee’s restaurant in Harlem at East River Plaza on 117th Street and is using QA Graphics’ Energy Efficiency Education Dashboard to educate on the green features in place. About 5 years ago Apple-Metro began implementing more sustainable features into their restaurant designs and found that they were on the right track for LEED restaurants if they took their designs to the next level. This new restaurant is anticipating Gold certification under the U.S. Green Building Council’s® LEED®. Apple-Metro looked to QA Graphics not only because the display helps earn a LEED credit but also for a creative way to share these achievements.

“It’s our responsibility to help inform our staff and customers on the sustainable actions that have been taken,” said Mike Berry, Director of Constructions & Facilities, Apple-Metro, Inc. “People want to know about it. And this is a great way to share the information.”

The Energy Efficiency Education Dashboard is an interactive application displayed on a 55-inch touchscreen near the entrance that shows why this restaurant is green. Viewers can take a 3D tour and see a photorealistic building render of the exterior and interior of the restaurant. On the tour, hot spots are identified, providing information on the more than 40 green features in place. Interactive demonstrations show how some of the sustainable features work and a checklist explains how LEED guidelines were followed. Users can test their green knowledge with a quiz, and the display also shows current weather conditions and a map of local transportation and area attractions.

“The level of detail that QA Graphics provides is outstanding. There aren’t any flaws in its performance and graphics are surreal,” said Berry. “Our staff absolutely loves it. While waiting for a table, our guests and their children play with the display and take the quiz.”

“We knew we were aiming for Gold and worked with QA Graphics to develop this solution during the construction of the restaurant. It was never an issue to make changes or updates as we changed building plans. It was such a smooth process,” said Berry.

Apple-Metro is continuing its sustainable efforts and has another green restaurant in the works in Brooklyn. In addition to this project, QA Graphics’ Energy Efficiency Education Dashboard solution is used by organizations of all types across North America.

About QA Graphics
QA Graphics is an Iowa-based creative design company, specializing in 3D design and interactive marketing solutions. QA Graphics is a leader in the building automation and green building industries, providing HVAC graphic development services and energy dashboards to help organizations educate occupants about building performance and sustainability. QA Graphics provides comprehensive design solutions for restaurants, quick-serve restaurants, convenience stores, grocery stores, retail outlets, and others, including nutritional kiosks, digital menu boards, mobile applications, and other multimedia.

QA Graphics Creates Hospitality Dashboard for Heart of America Group

February 27, 2013

Contact:
Sarah Erdman, Marketing Director
515.965.3403
serdman (at) www.qagraphics.com

February 27, 2013

QA Graphics, Iowa-based interactive design company, has created a hospitality dashboard for Heart of America Group’s Hilton Garden Inn®/Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse® located at Olathe, Kansas. The hospitality dashboard is an interactive display used to educate guests on the new hotel’s sustainable features and serve as a central resource for information.

Heart of America Group is one of the Midwest’s premier design, construction, and management companies with a 33 year history of developing award-winning properties. Located in ten metropolitan areas across six Midwestern states, their portfolio consists of 32 owned and operated restaurants and hotels, 150,000 square feet of office space, and 1.4 million square feet of retail and hospitality. They constructed the new Hilton Garden Inn following the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certification standards. The project is anticipating earning LEED silver, with the hospitality dashboard expected to help earn an Innovation in Design credit for educating visitors on the hotel’s sustainable building features.

“Not only do we receive LEED points in educating the customer, but we wanted to have something in our lobby that stands out and was interactive as a lot of the green elements do not visibly stand out to the customer,” said Damen Trebilcock, Senior Vice President of Heart of America Group. “Customers love it and appreciate the steps we took as owners in regards to the environment.”

QA Graphics Helps Longwood University Educate the Public about Biomass Heating Plant

February 15, 2013

Contact:
Sarah Erdman, Marketing Director
515.965.3403
serdman (at) www.qagraphics.com

February 15, 2013

Longwood University, located in Farmville, Virginia, looked to QA Graphics to create a 3D animated video to educate students and the public about the campus’ biomass heating plant and demonstrate the university’s commitment to sustainability.

Longwood is the only public institution of higher education in Virginia and one of only two state agencies that burns biomass for heating fuel. The university has practiced sustainability by heating with biomass fuel (sawdust) for nearly 30 years. In 2011 Longwood opened a new biomass heating plant, which provides almost 100 percent of the campus’ heat and hot water.

To educate others on the campus’ sustainable efforts, Longwood University’s Energy Manager, Kevin Miller, sought out QA Graphics to develop an animated video that would visually demonstrate how the fuel-efficient plant operates. Longwood had worked with QA Graphics previously, purchasing their BAS graphics module for the university’s Tridium system. Having been impressed by the quality of the BAS graphics, and having a good working relationship with the sales staff, they also looked to QA Graphics for help with this video as the company has over six years of experience helping organizations create awareness about sustainable initiatives through solutions like animated videos and their Energy Efficiency Education Dashboard®.