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This Month in History: Johnson Controls introduces the JC/85/20 building automation system

The JC/85/20 was designed specifically to be cost effective for smaller buildings (in the 50,000 to 200,000 square-foot range).

Cover from a 1978 Centralab Electronic Components catalog

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Dec. 17, 1982: System was designed specifically to be cost effective for smaller buildings

The December 17, 1982 edition of the Johnson Controls Briefing newsletter announced that the company's new JC/85/20 computerized building automation system would be introduced at the International Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigerating Exposition in Atlantic City the following January.

Among Johnson building automation systems of the period, the JC/85/20 was unique in that its central processing unit was engineered and manufactured by company employees.

The JC/85/20 was designed specifically to be cost effective for smaller buildings (in the 50,000 to 200,000 square-foot range). The system integrated energy management with building security and fire management functions. Among Johnson building automation systems of the period, the JC/85/20 was unique in that its central processing unit was engineered and manufactured by company employees.

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