EnOcean Alliance at Light + Building 2018: Maintenance-free wireless sensor solutions for networking on the intelligent building

Together with 60 member companies, the organization will be presenting the advantages of an interoperable eco-system of maintenance-free sensor solutions based on the EnOcean wireless standard for professional automation of commercial buildings to the smart home.

San Ramon, CA/Frankfurt a. M., Germany, February 22, 2018 – „Connected – Secure – Convenient“, is the guiding theme of the Light + Building show 2018 (March 18-23, 2018, Frankfurt a. Main, Germany). At Booth B60 in Hall 9.1, the EnOcean Alliance, along with 15 of its members, presents energy harvesting wireless solutions for building automation and the Smart Home. The self-powered switches and sensors based on EnOcean technology offer flexibility in terms of positioning, can be expanded at any time and are maintenance-free. In addition, the EnOcean Alliance also offers the advantages of an extensive and established ecosystem of interoperable energy harvesting wireless sensor solutions that are available to intelligent buildings worldwide. In conjunction with cloud-based platforms such as IBM Watson IoT or Apple® HomeKit™, generated data can be used for intelligent device and building control, for example, to optimize facility management, but also to realize completely new services in the area of building use. These solutions help optimize the utilization of buildings, create new service models and make buildings more flexible, energy-efficient and altogether more cost-effective.

The following 15 companies will be exhibiting at the community stand of the EnOcean Alliance: AFRISO, BECKER-Antriebe, BSC Computer (Promoter), Decelect, Digital Concepts (Promoter), Dolphin by EnOcean (Promoter), Micropelt, GRE Alpha, Helvar, JÄGER DIREKT, NodOn, Omnio®, PM DM, Thermokon Sensortechnik und ViCOS (Promoter). In total, more than 60 exhibitors will be showcasing EnOcean-based solutions at the trade show.

The EnOcean Alliance, which has more than 400 members, is one of the most successful alliances in the area of intelligent building control. The non-profit organization has defined standardized application profiles as one of its main objectives, so that EnOcean-based products of different manufacturers can work together seamlessly. Users can thus network systems and disciplines more easily and add applications at any time.

EnOcean Alliance facilitates intelligent building asset management and the networking to the Internet of Things

Thanks to a comprehensive and interoperable ecosystem of maintenance-free wireless sensor solutions based on the EnOcean wireless standard, the EnOcean Alliance enables new applications in building automation such as intelligent asset management. In the context of room climate data (temperature, CO2, humidity) and presence data, room sensors provide detailed information on how to actually use the building’s space and enable cost-effective space planning. To monitor buildings also plays an important role for insurance companies. In the event of floodings, fire or burglary, sensors provide real-time data and information needed to alert the owner and the insurance company. Serious consequences and costly incidents can be identified early enough and resolved accordingly. The operation of sanitary facilities is greatly facilitated if sensors monitor the sanitary area and the use of the toilets is communicated by door contact.

In industry, for example, sensors can be used for quality and process monitoring or condition-based maintenance. With the help of current sensors, for example, the condition of an engine can be detected, and via temperature sensors, the condition of transmissions and brakes. For this purpose, the current or temperature profile is continuously analyzed, which change with increasing equipment wear. Using suitable algorithms, the necessary device maintenance can then be carried out according to requirements and on time.

Through the partnership with the organization Open Connectivity Foundation (OCF) and IBM, as well as with new promoters such as Digital Concepts and ViCOS, the EnOcean Alliance has significantly strengthened its program for building automation and the Internet of Things. Together, they will provide sensor information in the cloud and develop self-powered wireless solutions as open standard for maintenance-free solutions to be used in cognitive buildings and to build an interoperable network beyond the boundaries of one’s own eco-system.

Integrated building automation

Omnio® – Intelligent building automation: The wireless Omnio® bus system by AWAG Elektrotechnik AG facilitates controlling the lighting, shading and heating areas in the entire building in the simplest way. The system does not require a central control unit and is therefore extremely robust, flexible and expandable. The battery-free sensors and actuators are based on the proven energy harvesting technology and use the EnOcean wireless standard for transmission. Due to their wide range of functions, the Omnio® REG actuators cover an enormous application spectrum. They are used as a cost-effective alternative to wired bus systems, such as KNX, wherever all loads in the control cabinet are wired, for example in commercial buildings, single family homes/apartment buildings as well as condominiums and rented apartments. In the event of reduced radio reception in the control cabinet, the radio range can be extended bidirectionally via wired outstations, even over many floors. Thanks to the innovative ARCO technology, users can configurate the actuators manually or wirelessly with ease, using the “E-Tool” software, or they can purchase a preconfigured solution.

Thermokon – Home of Sensor Technology: Thermokon has stood for the development and manufacture of sensors and sensor systems for building automation and HVAC technology for over 30 years. At the Light + Building 2018, among other things, Thermokon will present the self-powered and wireless EasySens® system for flexible and energy-efficient building automation. The EasySens® show highlight is the EasySens® Tool Box. It includes airScan, a field strength measuring system for planning and implementing building projects without complications, as well as airConfig, a tool that allows for parametrization without direct interaction with the particular device from the EasySens® device. Other highlights presented at the trade show are the new room climate and fan coil controllers from the « Joy » series as well as a large number of other design-oriented room operating units for controlling the room climate. Additionally, sensor solutions for a wide variety of applications and for measuring a range of values such as temperature, humidity, CO2, pressure, flow, brightness or motion will be shown (also at Booth C56 in Hall 9.1).

Smart Home and the connected Internet of Things

AFRISO – AFRISO Smart Home for intelligent buildings: AFRISO presents its product range AFRISO Smart Home for building protection, comfort and room climate. The overall solution includes different sensors, such as a water leakage and temperature sensor, and actuators as well as the multi-protocol AFRISOhome Gateway HG 01. The gateway seamlessly connects energy harvesting wireless solutions with other building standards. The new interior room siren AIS 10 PRO completes the system and provides effec-tive all-round protection for break-in and hazard detection. With AFRISO Smart Home, users can easily enter the connected world of building automation and security technology, plan these systems individually and add more modules to them as desired – even improving energy efficiency and creating a pleasant living and working environment. The free AFRISOhome app (iOS and Android) enables users to display sensor data, switch actuators and individually automate functions motion (also at Booth B25 in Hall 10.2).

BSC Computer – seamless, interoperable connectivity for the IoT: BSC Computer will present its portfolio of OEM solutions for comprehensive connectivity in the Smart Home, building automation and industrial applications. These include individually scalable gateways based on the flexible BSC API. They connect self-powered wireless sensors and ac-tuators with the Internet for the central control of heating/air-conditioning/ventilation, lights and other smart home applications. The BSC API also enables manufacturers to develop individual apps for running functions from a Smartphone or tablet. To ensure maximum reliability and comprehensive data security, BSC uses the latest embedded hardware from Intel for its gate-ways, together with the associated operating system based on the Intel Industrial Solutions System Consolidation Series.

As a platinum member of the OCF, BSC Computer is spearheading the efforts to create the multi-standard interoperable eco-system for IoT applications such as smart homes. The gateway solution from BSC Computer enables seamless communication in the IoT by connecting the EnOcean wireless standard with leading protocols like IoTivity. This, for example, allows the use of simple user interfaces to control the IoTivity-based smart home and EnOcean devices, including rule-based automation.

Digital Concepts – IoT to IP with EnOcean: Digital Concepts develops individual control concepts for the Smart Home (control of all building services) and Smart Business (control of conference systems as well as building control technology for commercial applications), including the corresponding hardware and software. The solutions build a bridge between different standards and technologies for the integrated connectivity of disciplines and optimum comfort and functionality. One component is the Smart EnOcean Gateway (with WIFI and LTE), which connects the world of self-powered wireless technology with IP and thus integrates energy harvesting wireless solutions with the EnOcean wireless standards in expanded, scalable IoT systems, such as IBM Watson IoT, Apple® HomeKit™ or the Open Connectivity Foundation. As the highlight at the Light + Building 2018, Digital Concepts will demonstrate the connection between self-powered EnOcean devices, IBM Watson IoT and Apple® HomeKit™ to show how Siri® and Alexa work together to manage the Smart Home control system.

JÄGER DIREKT – smart system for electric specialists: JÄGER DIREKT´s OPUS® greenNet system offers customers the option of adapting their solutions to their living arrangements, with the possibility of expanding them easily and continuously at any time. The system is based on a networkable basic installation, which can be implemented at no extra cost. The networkable electronic OPUS® BRiDGE switches lay the foundation for immediate or future networking. In the standard application, the OPUS® BRiDGE is wired and can also be controlled via the front panel via radio at any time. With further smart extensions, various switches or sensors can be networked to form an intelligent, intelligent system. The configuration of the individual components can be realized in advance by JÄGER DIRECT or the electrical specialist. The certified OPUS® greenNet components can be visualized and controlled centrally via smartphone or tablet. Creating your own scenes, rules and dependencies is easy (also at Booth D40 in Hall 9.0).

NodOn® – flexible and maintenance-free smart home solutions: At Light + Building 2018, NodOn® will present its complete range of plug&play wireless and battery-less EnOcean smart home and smart building accessories. A new highlight is the Relay Switch 1 channel – dry contact, an ultra-small device which turns lights, heating system and garage door smart and remotely controllable. The Relay Switch 1 channel can be mounted without construction work; it works autonomously with any other battery-less EnOcean controller such as the NodOn Soft Remote, Wall Switch or Card Switch, or with a Home Automation Gateway. In addition, NodOn® will also present its Relay switch 2 channels for automatically controlling lighting systems. Another new product integrating the range is the Roller Shutter Module. This EnOcean wireless actuator will turn any shutter (roller shutter, venetian blind, garage gates, etc.) smart. The NodOn® smart home accessory range also includes solar-powered sensors (door/window, temperature, and humidity), smart plugs, battery-less wall switches and remotes. Whether it is to build a new home or to retrofit a room, NodOn® devices are easy to set up and maintenance free, helping to increase energy savings and comfort.

Intelligent lighting and shading solutions

BECKER-Antriebe – battery-less control of shutters and blinds: As a company specializing in drives and controllers for shutters, sunshields and doors, BECKER-Antriebe is now the first supplier to install the future-oriented EnOcean technology directly into a tubular drive and thereby make it even easier to use. The wireless actuators built into the drive itself make it possible to transmit absolute values and thus provide precise position values, which make exact drive control possible. The new Becker solution is also seamlessly integrated into the principle of interdisciplinary interoperability, and it supports both remote management and remote commissioning. Due to the bidirectional feedback of position and status, the drive can also be effortlessly integrated into the central home automation system. The new Becker tubular drive also earns points with sensitive obstacle detection, freeze prevention, intelligent installation management and many more functions. Combined with other EnOcean products, it thus provides ventilation and various alarm functions without an additional, higher-level control panel (also at Booth E17 in Hall 9.0).

GRE Alpha – maintenance-free retrofit solution for LED lighting control: GRE Alpha´s ENO-DIM modules are designed to work with any EnOcean-certified wireless energy harvesting switch, any constant LED lighting system can now be retrofitted to EnOcean wireless technology and thus reduces time and cost. The ENO-DIM modules is being used in various appliations, such as architectural lighting, effect and contour lighting, general commercial illumination, warehouses, signage or strip lighting. While most smart lighting systems utilize the ISM (Industrial, Scientific, Medical) radio band, the ENO-DIM module uses EnOcean’s communication frequencies, allowing for noise-free near-instantaneous feedback. The ENO-DIM module supports frequencies of 902MHz in North America, 928MHz in Japan and 868MHz in Europe and China.

Helvar – intelligent, user-friendly lighting solutions: Helvar is a world leader in lighting intelligence. The company designs open and most flexible solutions for installation, programming and usage making their high quality lighting control solutions quick to install, easy to adapt and always up-to-date. Helvar and its partners have over 3,000 years of combined experience in designing, manufacturing, supplying and supporting the world’s premier lighting solutions. Helvar supports its customers with its extensive expertise in consulting, design, implementation and service for lighting control solutions. At Light + Building, Helvar will be showcasing their newest products: ILLUSTRIS®POWER and the 321 Multisensor. ILLUSTRIS®POWER is a stylish, touch sensitive lighting control panel with a power supply. 321 Multisensor combines a photocell for constant light control and a passive infrared (PIR) presence detector to provide energy-saving functions in a DALI system.

Intelligent heating control

Micropelt – maintenance-free and comfortable individual room control: Under the brand Micropelt, EH4 GmbH presents a new generation of self-powered EnOcean wireless radiator thermostats (iTRV) to control heating units and building automation. The MVA series allows for different remote management functions, and ensures flexible planning processes with reduced installation requirements, particularly for large installations. The wireless radiator thermostat MVA005 allows local change of its target temperature. The integrated controller allows comfortable temperature control without the need for an external room temperature sensor. Automatic radio duty cycle increases based on flow pipe temperatures ensure quick actuator response and improved room temperature stability. Various remote management and configuration features allow over-the-air modification of actuator-internal settings even with unit is in operation.

Electronic heating valve SmartValve by PM DM: Precision Motors Deutsche Minebea GmbH is the largest motor development center in the international network of the Japanese company MinebeaMitsumi Inc., Tokyo. Besides precision motors, PM DM also develops energy harvesting systems. At the Light + Building 2018, the company will be presenting its maintenance-free SmartValve, which functions without batteries or power supply. It provides itself with electrical energy through energy harvesting. SmartValve is controlled via EnOcean wireless standard. On request, the system can be optimally integrated into smart home solutions. The smartphone can act as a control center.

Technology and Design-in support for the EnOcean wireless standard

Dolphin by EnOcean – Self-powered wireless sensor solutions for global applications: Dolphin is the EnOcean product family that consists of modules and components for energy harvesting wireless technology, and that allows product manufacturers to develop reliable and maintenance-free wireless sensor solutions for global use in building automation, Smart Homes, LED light control and industrial applications. EnOcean-based sensor solutions facilitate to generate reliable sensor data for intelligent buildings and the Internet of Things (IoT). With its extensive range of wireless modules, end products for product manufacturers and advisory services for building automation, EnOcean is the ideal partner for self-powered sensor solutions. A highlight at Light + Building 2018 will be the newest generation of line-powered transceiver modules: the TCM 515, which on the basis of increased computing power, lower power consumption and smaller form factor enables new applications for the EnOcean wireless standard and continues to strengthen the extensive EnOcean ecosystem (also at Booth C30 in Hall 4.1).

ViCOS – Design-in for batteryless sensor solutions in buildings: At Light + Building 2018, ViCOS will present extensions of its product platforms ViACT for EnOcean actuator systems and ViSENS as well as ViNET and the portfolio of PROBARE test systems. These products are aimed at OEM companies that would like to launch EnOcean-based solutions onto the market under their own names or integrate them into their own systems. ViACT can be used to control lighting, shading and ventilation, while a smart phone app and a central management system can be added, depending on the application. What is new is that the ViACT platform now also offers a professional solution for the wireless two-pole switching of 16A in installation sockets. This unique feature is particularly interesting for the all-pole shutdown of external sockets and for electrical consumers with very high power consumption. Another highlight presented by ViCOS will be the new batteryless Smart Outdoor Sensor (SOS), which allows detecting temperature, humidity, brightness and wind speed and also provides warning of excessive values. The electronics of the SOS have been specially adapted for harsh environmental conditions. In addition to the well-known ViNET routing, ViCOS will be demonstrating its ViNET ConfigTool, which is the only available configuration tool for EnOcean products of different manufacturers.

Decelect – System house with almost 50 years of experience: Decelect develops and produces customized components for energy, security and data applications for OEM customers. At the trade show, Decelect will present Ubiwizz solutions for house automation all the way to IoT systems. The Ubiwizz  ecosystem is the collaboration result of several partner companies, offering to residential and tertiary markets, builders, estate developers, intergrators and installers. A complete and coherent offer allowing large equipment solutions, from the building infrastructure (copper, optical fiber and wireless) up to the quality of use and with automatic integration of intelligent connected objects.

(Siri is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the United States and other countries. HomeKit is a brand of Apple Inc.)

About EnOcean Alliance

Leading companies worldwide from the building sector formed the EnOcean Alliance to establish innovative maintenance-free wireless solutions for the Internet of Things, which are used for automation solutions for sustainable building projects – making buildings more energy-efficient, more flexible and more cost effective. The core technology of the Alliance is energy harvesting wireless technology for flexibly positioned and service-free sensor solutions. The EnOcean Alliance aims to internationalize 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 14543-3-1X, which is optimized for wireless solutions with ultra-low power consumption and energy harvesting. More than 400 companies currently belong to the EnOcean Alliance. The headquarters of the non-profit organization is located in San Ramon, California. www.enocean-alliance.org

Press contacts

Gina Klute
EnOcean Alliance
T: +49.89.67 34 689-76
E: gina.klute@enocean.com

Tobias Frühauf
Schwartz-Public Relations
T +49 (0)89 211 871 31
E enocean@schwartzpr.de