ENOCEAN

SET SAIL WITH ENOCEAN TECHNOLOGY

Take a trip around some of the partners, technologies and products that help make up the EnOcean family.

The EnOcean Alliance is an international association of companies in the building automation and IT industries, founded in 2008. The open, non-profit organisation is committed to enabling and promoting interoperable ecosystems for smart homes, smart buildings and smart spaces based on the maintenance-free radio standard (ISO/IEC 14543-3-10/11).

With its battery-free wireless technology, EnOcean GmbH has found a smart and sustainable way to win energy for radio switches and sensors that are used in building automation systems and for intelligent buildings. Thanks to energy harvesting, the devices gather their energy from the immediate environment – from movement, light and temperature differences.

One huge advantage that self-powered switches and sensors have over wired and battery-powered alternatives is the great flexibility that comes with them. Users can simply put the devices wherever they need them: on the wall, on the living room table, by the bed, etc. Not having to rely on batteries or wires to function makes them completely maintenance-free. Also, they can be integrated flexibly and seamlessly into systems for a wide range of applications.

SELF-POWERED INTERNET OF THINGS

As part of an IoT network, self-powered wireless sensors and switches provide important data for the intelligent control and digitalisation of buildings. To control lighting, heating, security and other services inside a building in an intelligent way not only comes with great comfort but also helps to optimise the CO2 emissions of a building.

INTEROPERABILITY IS KEY

Many different manufacturers rely on the EnOcean technology and are part of EnOcean’s huge partner ecosystem. Their devices work perfectly together because they all communicate using the open EnOcean wireless standard – optimised for communication in buildings with its reliability and long range – which guarantees an interoperable system.

Such intelligent solutions help to improve building use, create new service models and make buildings more flexible, energy efficient, and overall more cost-effective.

A TOUCH OF GLASS?

Retrotouch EnOcean smart switches are wireless, stickanywhere and battery-free. Retrotouch, the innovative UK lighting solutions brand, offers a stylish, premium glass range of smart switches that provide consumers with a beautifullydesigned ‘always on’ solution for effortless control over their EnOcean lighting systems.

The Retrotouch EnOcean smart switches can either be fitted to replace an existing light switch, or used as a wireless, battery-free solution, stuck on any wall, wherever’s most convenient for everyday use. The switches don’t need batteries or a power cable and they are as durable and reliable as a traditional wired switch. Thanks to EnOcean’s innovative harvesting technology, each press of the switch generates enough energy to send a radio signal to a relay for a totally wireless and robust control solution.

Retrotouch’s wireless and battery-free switches look great too, with a premium glass finish bringing a stylish designer-feel to a smarthome’s lighting controls. The switches come in white or black glass, with or without a chrome trim; and an option of one or two buttons.

“We’re thrilled to be able to offer our own range of affordable smart switches for EnOcean,” says Amit Ravat, MD of Retrotouch. “Thanks to EnOcean’s innovative technology and our own product design, our switches can provide a stylish, seamless solution for residential and commercial lighting systems without the need for wires. Our brand is all about helping to make smart living as easy and enjoyable as possible, and these switches have been designed to do just this – providing an easy to install retrofittable lighting system ‘with a touch of glass.’” Retrotouch EnOcean switches are £59.99 and available from the company website.

IMPRESSIVE ELTAKO

Eltako GmbH is the largest manufacturer of EnOcean compliant control and monitoring devices for all types of switching, lighting control and HVAC. This family-owned German company, which has been in business since 1949 is renowned for its high-quality openprotocol EnOcean compliant devices.

From switching and dimming a single lighting circuit in a smart home to being part of a building control system for an office or public building, Eltako can help. High on everyone’s agenda now is the need to save energy and provide a safe environment to live and work. Eltako has an extensive range of devices to monitor such things as temperature, humidity, CO2, VOC, and occupancy. So, the system can detect presence in a room, know if someone is sat at a particular desk, understand what the temperature is or know if the windows are open. So much information to monitor and either display, record or act upon. If the staff are in the room, make the room temperature comfortable. If windows are open, turn the heating in the space off.

Importantly, these devices reliably communicate wirelessly using the EnOcean Open Protocol, so the data can be shared with other compatible devices and controllers, ensuring a seamless building control system. If buildings need to be upgraded, an EnOcean solution is the simplest because the wiring is greatly reduced, and programming is straight forward. Global system integrators see that EnOcean devices give them many more options when they are looking to meet a client’s wishes and keep costs down without compromising on quality, choice or functionality. It also means that if changes in the room layout or usage are required, these changes can be made much more simply because of the wireless infrastructure. Technology will evolve and Eltako will evolve with it looking to develop new products to meet the ever-changing world we live in.

AXON AIMS HIGH

Axon Systems specialises in making EnOcean technology accessible for everyone. They have created an EnOcean Gateway solution which is extremely intuitive and easy to use. It does not require a training course or specialist skills to take advantage of cable-free, battery-free wireless technology.

EnOcean devices use energy harvesting technology which is the future of IoT and will play a major role in addressing energy inefficinet building stock and progressions to net zero targets.

It is also a sensible and appropriate solution to the energy crisis. Why? Appropriate, due to the fact that energy cannot be destroyed, it can only be converted into another form. So, let’s harvest that available energy from light, motion and heat to perform a task such as turn a light on or the heating up or down. Sensible, due to the fact that, in most cases, the technology within the devices do not require batteries or cables and further ongoing maintenance. Essentially it is a fit and forget solution!

Axon makes this technology available to all, whether you’re an electrician, systems integration specialist or energy manager. The Axon IoT Gateway provides simple local control of EnOcean equipment such as sensors, switches, thermostats and actuators. It also facilitates cloud connectivity via MQTT and systems integration with 3rd party equipment through industrial protocols which includes BACnet, Modbus and M-bus.

If you are looking at adding a new dynamic to your business and gaining a competitive advantage, EnOcean technology is the answer. Futureproof your installation using the Axon IoT Gateway and take advantage of the huge array of equipment already on the market.

EnOcean Retrotouch enocean.com retrotouch.co.uk

Eltako Axon Systems eltako.com axonsystems.co.uk