News

Dutch city deploys digital signage in new city council offices

Thirty-four screen installation driven by BrightSign digital signage media players.

January 20, 2015

BrightSign, Hulskamp Audio Visual and VHS have completed a building-wide digital signage project at the new 200 million Euro offices of the Utrecht (Netherlands) City Council, the companies have announced. The project will be featured in the ISE Solutions Theatre at ISE 2015 in Amsterdam, according to the announcement.

The new Utrecht City Council office consolidates 13 sites around the city and hosts 3,000 staff. Hulskamp installed 34 large-format LCD screens in the building, driven by networked BrightSign XD1030 digital media players supplied by VHS, the BrightSign distributor in Amsterdam. The entire project was delivered in just four months, the companies said.

"Our experiences within the first couple of months vindicated our decision to install digital signage and confirmed the value of the BrightSign solution in such a large people-focused organization," Council Facilities Project Leader Maaike Wilmink said in the announcement. "The system helped everyone to settle in to the new building quickly. We can also keep staff informed on a variety of subjects, from giving answers to frequently asked questions, to letting them know what's on the menu in the canteen."

The installation addresses both staff and visitors. Twenty-three BrightSign XD1030 media players provide information for staff via large 46-inch displays in prominent positions on each level. Six further XD1030 players connected to 70-inch displays are located in individual departmental reception areas on various floors, directing visitors to services. The public atrium area has two 80-inch screens connected to XD1030 players, which are dedicated to providing public information and promoting events in the city. A further three 32-inch screens in the public area, controlled by BrightSign HD1020 players, provide tourist information for visitors, such as traffic advice and train timetables. Alongside digital content created by the council, the system also integrates RSS feeds presenting information such as national/international news and weather.

Hulskamp implemented content management using the free BrightAuthor software shipped with the players, which provides tools designed to help Utrecht staff get the best from their BrightSign signage. Hulskamp also made use of the BrightSign Network cloud-based service and BrightSign Network Enterprise Edition, which provides all the functions needed to manage networked media players and content across a private network protected by a firewall. VHS supported Hulskamp in installing the system, and configuring the BrightSign Network.

Jasper Lukassen of VHS will deliver a presentation entitled "Utrecht City Council – Using Digital Signage to Boost Customer Satisfaction" in the ISE Commercial Theatre at 12:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday, Feb. 11.