EnOcean Alliance at Light+Building 2014: Intelligent balance between energy efficiency and comfort

Alliance members present integrated systems for building automation and smart homes on the basis of the batteryless wireless standard, setting new trends in the direction of artificial intelligence

San Ramon/Frankfurt a.M., 12 February 2014 – At Light+Building 2014, EnOcean Alliance can again be found at the bright green booth B40 in Hall 9.0. This is where, from March 30 to April 04, trade fair visitors can expect to encounter current and future solutions for intelligent home and building control on the basis of energy harvesting wireless technology. In this context, the EnOcean Alliance will also be picking up on the Light+Building theme of "Intelligent Sustainability", with a focus on applications that network individual building sections into an integrated overall system and have the flexibility to adjust to users' behaviour. Maintenance-free, sustainable wireless solutions create the optimum balance between energy efficiency and user comfort.

The following 17 members can be found at the joint Alliance booth: AFRISO, alphaEOS, AWAG Elektrotechnik, BSC Computer, EKE-Automation, EnOcean, Helvar, JÄGER DIREKT, Kieback&Peter, Micropelt, mivune, Opusgrid, PEHA by Honeywell, permundo, Thermokon Sensortechnik, SODA and ViCOS. In addition, there will be another 50 companies presenting EnOcean-based solutions at the trade fair.

The EnOcean Alliance has more than 350 members worldwide. Today, this initiative is active in 37 countries on all five continents, making it one of the strongest technical alliances in the building industry. The batteryless EnOcean wireless standard (ISO/IEC 14543-3-10) builds the technology basis. It lays the foundation for wireless solutions to intelligently control buildings and smart home systems without the use of cables or batteries – thanks to energy harvesting. At this time, there are more than 1,200 interoperable products available on the market.

Standardised application profiles (EnOcean Equipment Profiles, EEP) ensure that different solutions can seamlessly work together in a system. Recently, the Alliance’s Technical Working Group released a new version, EEP 2.6, covering the profiles of new applications such as CO2 monitoring, smart metering or alarm systems.

Energy harvesting wireless solutions for worldwide use

At the Alliance booth, EnOcean GmbH presents its complete range of energy harvesting wireless solutions. The comprehensive platform includes energy converters, ultra-low power radio, wireless modules, energy management and software. It is now available in the 868 MHz (Europe and China), 902 MHz (North America), 928 MHz (Japan) and 315 MHz (North America and additional countries) frequency bands for worldwide use. The EnOcean Link middleware allows the integration of self-powered wireless applications via encrypted data communication into several networks such as cloud services, regardless of the communication standards they use.

Intelligence and security in buildings

AFRISO – Comfort through security

With AFRISOLab, AFRISO offers a complete product range consisting of sensors and warning devices to protect against leaks (e.g. water, oil, gas), as well as innovative control instruments for heating technology. In the final expansion stage, AFRISOLab combines all heating/air-conditioning controls and alarm devices, along with the wireless sensors of other manufacturers, with the central AFRISOLab Assist building controller. It processes sensor and consumption data, initiates measures and allows for the operation on mobile terminals, e.g. via the Internet or GSM using an app (iOS or Android).

BSC Computer GmbH – Push notifications and powerful gateway

BSC Computer GmbH has combined sensor alerts with push notifications. This new function of BSC’s app solutions allow users to receive all important alarms on their smart phones – without having to open the app or pay any SMS text messaging fees. The push notification service alerts, for example, when water sensors detect a water leak.

As another show highlight, BSC presents a cost-effective gateway addressing building automation and smart home systems that brings together WiFi, GSM/UMTS and EnOcean communication standards. Based on the low power, high performance Intel Atom processor, the gateway incorporates the latest control and visualisation software and machine-to-machine (M2M) communication techniques. It enables the user to manage heating, electricity, water and security through a single solution, even with using an app on the smart phone.

SODA – Eight sensors in one handle

At the joint booth, SODA presents the globally patented and VdS-certified alarm window handle with wireless technology. It not only protects against break-ins, but also measures temperature and humidity, recognises the position of the window handle and window opening, features a light sensor and even offers users the option to apply vacation settings. Despite the breadth of functions, the window handle looks just like its conventional counterpart.

Self-powered and self-learning systems

Kieback&Peter – Self-learning individual room control en:key

Kieback&Peter presents en:key, the self-powered and self-learning individual room control for homes and functional buildings. The set consists of the room control panel RBW322-FTL, which records usage periods and displays temperature values with the energy of a solar cell. Using the EnOcean standard, the control panel communicates with the wireless-based heating valve actuator MD15-FTL, which obtains its energy from the waste heat of the heating. The system learns the user’s behaviour, and automatically adjusts the heating system accordingly. en:key can be integrated into other EnOcean-based systems based on uniform application profiles.

Micropelt – Self-powered heating valve actuator

Micropelt presents its self-powered heating valve actuator that combines the Micropelt thermo-generator as an energy source for the actuator with EnOcean batteryless wireless technology. The system works on a self-powered basis as of an outgoing temperature of approx. 32°C. Combined with an EnOcean-compatible room controller or message server, the actuator receives the information for the valve position and applies the requested changes to the valve opening – without cables and batteries.

alphaEOS – Smart Home system for anticipatory heating control

alphaEOS presents its anticipatory heating control system: alphaEOS, that consists of a control center, a heating device actuator and a solar-powered multi-functional sensor, learns the behaviour of its users. It combines this information e.g. with current weather data for a heating control that depends on the user and the current situation. In addition, alphaEOS will also present the first generation of its self-powered (batteryless) actuators as well as new solutions for underfloor heating (alphaEOS FLOOR) and for gas floor heating systems (alphaEOS TAB). Moreover, alphaEOS will be supporting the EEBus Initiative in the future, and to this end will contribute its know-how on the batteryless wireless standard.

Other interesting solutions found at the EnOcean Alliance Stand (Hall 9.0, Booth B40):

* Thermokon Sensortechnik presents a large number of sensor solutions for temperature, humidity, CO2, pressure, flow, brightness or motion. In addition, the company also focuses on design-oriented room control panels, which enable users to control lighting, temperature set points, blinds etc. of entire rooms as multi-functional control units. The wireless and batteryless EasySens system rounds off the company's fair appearance (also in Hall 9.0, Booth D50).

* With VitalContour, JÄGER DIREKT creates an unbelievable atmosphere using metal and light. It combines energy-efficient LED stripes with innovative installation and intelligent control. OPUSgreenNet is used for the smart activation of light scenes or dimmer functions using either freely positionable switches or a smart phone (also in Hall 9.0, Booth E50).

* Using the new bi-directional Easyclick in-wall receivers from PEHA by Honeywell, status feedback regarding the functions that have been completed can now also be directly visualised on the Easyclick comfort handheld transmitter. Using transmitter’s remote management function, users can also teach in other transmitters without pressing the teach-in button on the receiver (also in Hall 11.1, Booth C50).

* Helvar integrates up to twenty EnOcean switches into a DALI lighting network using the 434 EnOcean Gateway. At the same time, it opens up the potential for integration with other BMS technologies, such as automated blinds and HVAC (also in Hall 4.0, Booth B30).

* EKE-Automation offers Smarthome by EKE, an integrated home automation system with a built-in EnOcean gateway. The functionality includes HVAC control, room temperature monitoring and adjustment, home safety, energy and water metering as well as lighting management. The EKE Cloud Service provides secure remote access from anywhere over the Internet.

* The mivune operating system (OS) is the open interface between the different technical areas in a building. Individual applications and services can be configured and controlled in real time through a web browser. The mivune OS can connect and control important fieldbus systems such as EnOcean, DALI, digitalSTROM, Modbus and others at the same time.

* The Smart MiniPlugs of permundo allow for direct control and monitoring of lighting and electrical appliances. They offer advanced switching and metering functions and optionally also dimming capabilities with load-type detection.

* OpusGrid launches a complete range of EnOcean devices, covering sensors, actuators and gateways. The new offering for the European market also includes ready-to-install kits for simple applications.

* AWAG Elektrotechnik AG presents the new bi-directional communicating Omnio UP actuators. Based on bi-directional wireless communication, they are ideally suited for integration into systems with superior PC/SPS systems including visualisation.

* ViCOS offers ViNET, an EnOcean wireless network for the easy installation and set-up of modems, gateways and repeaters. The new OEM offering represents one single EnOcean gateway at an abstract level that ensures optimum wireless coverage for areas ranging from 100 m2 to more than 10,000 m2.

About the EnOcean Alliance

Leading companies worldwide from the building sector collected to form the EnOcean Alliance and establish innovative automation solutions for sustainable building projects – and so to make buildings more energy-efficient, more flexible and lower in cost. The core technology of the Alliance is energy harvesting wireless technology for flexibly positioned and service-free sensor solutions. The EnOcean Alliance aims to internationalise the energy harvesting wireless technology, and is dedicated to creating interoperability between the products of OEM partners. Basis for this is the international standard ISO/IEC 14543-3-10, which is optimised for wireless solutions with ultra-low power consumption and energy harvesting. More than 350 companies currently belong to the EnOcean Alliance. The headquarters of the non-profit organisation is located in San Ramon, California.

www.enocean-alliance.org  

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