Middletown, Pa. – As buildings become more connected, engineers and building automation professionals need to ensure the highest level of data security and integrity to keep their systems running. To help address these issues, Phoenix Contact USA will host its fourth annual Smart Communities conference on Tuesday, August 20, at the company’s U.S. headquarters, 586 Fulling Mill Road, Middletown, Pa.

This year’s theme is “Maintaining Data Integrity in Smart Buildings and Infrastructure.” Pennsylvania State Senator Sharif Street will give a keynote presentation about the Philadelphia Smart Cities project, including the role of government in moving the smart cities initiative forward.

Other planned topics include:

Cybersecurity considerations in smart buildings – Kevin Smith, CTO of Tridium Corporation

Managing electrical demand in commercial infrastructure – Karl Zimmerman, CEO of EnergyIQ

Security considerations in today’s infrastructure – Andrew Hacker, Assistant Professor at Harrisburg University and President of Thought Network

Best practices for data integrity in smart building – Kurt Twiford, President/CEO of Conexus

Vision 2030 for Industrie 4.0 and its impact on smart buildings and infrastructure – Anja Moldehn, Senior Project Manager for Industrie 4.0 at Phoenix Contact

“Smart buildings are driving energy efficiency, reducing operational costs, and leading to better productivity,” said Haroon Rashid, Phoenix Contact’s industry manager for smart cities and building automation. “These educational workshops will give engineers real-life examples and best practices to accomplish these goals.”

This free conference runs from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and includes complimentary breakfast and lunch. Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) will also be offered. Following the presentations, participants can take an optional tour of Phoenix Contact’s manufacturing facility.

Learn more and register at www.phoenixcontact.com/smartcommunity.