Smart Automation Magazine Summer 2021

Summer 2021

BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE

EU funding makes building automation the smart choice for energy saving 8 Industry News The latest news and views from the induftry

22 Building smarter Creating green urban environments

26 Health at the core Integrated tech for healthy buildings

42 Smart solar Sustainability in building architecture

PRODUCT LISTINGS

A smart home starts with a smart door!

Electrical installations in both industrial and consumer buildings need to meet the new challenges of our growing power needs. To increase the energy efficiency of buildings, while at the same time integrating consumers into the load compensation, will mean that controlling the switching of electrical devices on or off according to external signals, such as time and consumption, will be vital. www.new.abb.com/smartgrids/ smart-grid-technologies/smarthome-and-intelligent-buildings

IoT solutions for commercial buildings, building equipment, and building technology Based on the Connected Building Platform from The Bosch Smart Home range includes both Single System products Bosch Software Innovations and System Solution products.

Test the range of smart solutions to understand how these products are able to assist you in your daily lives; offering additional comfort, security for peace of mind and energy efficiency, saving you money within your home. Connectivity is more than just technology, it is now part of our every-day lives making life easier and allowing more time for the things that really matter! www.bosch-smarthome.com

Connected products is a growing area for Dyson building world-class cross functional Agile teams and adopting the latest technology and techniques delivering our ambitious vision in the connected space.

In 2016 we launched our first two connected products now having a connected user base of hundreds of thousands in twenty countries.

Culture of design and engineering excellence with an innovative start up mentality winning the 2016 T3 Connected product of the year. https://careers.dyson.com/

Grow your business with the global leader Energenie is part of Sandal Plc a public listed uK technology company, Sandal Plc is the brand and IP owner of the Mi|Home smart home system. The Mi|Home ecosystem can control heating, lighting and electrical appliances via both plug and play and retro fit actuators, including radiators valves, retrofit wall sockets and retro-fit light switches. The system also includes a range of sensors that are able to control the Mi|Home actuators allowing for a smarter experience. https://energenie4u.co.uk/ Download the Report today:

The Smart Door Lock Report reveals opportunities for System and Service providers and Retailers.

ASSA ABLoY is the global leader in door opening solutions, dedicated to satisfying end-user needs for security, safety and convenience.

Since its formation in 1994, ASSA ABLoY has grown from a regional company into an international group with about 46,000 employees, operations in more than 70 countries and sales close to SEK 68 billion.

The Group has a leading position in areas such as access control, identification technology, entrance automation and hotel security. www.assaabloy.co.uk/en/local/uk/

Designed to be offered as a service from the ground up. Enabling our channel partners – insurers, telcos and builders - to add value to their core business creating a more intimate relationship with their consumer and B2B customers. The Cozify platform offers complete flexibility in data gathering and utilization. If so chosen, none of the data leaves the Cozify Hub. Alternatively, with consent from end users, the data can be extracted and analysed to support business decision making. www.en.cozify.fi/pages/for-partners

Enado has over 15 years of experience in the installation and provision of home automation systems. our multiple award winning platform allows multiple, disparate manufacturer systems and devices in the home, integrated into one solution. Industry standard offering of lighting and energy to facilitate control of multiple consumer electronics devices including satellite receivers, smart tv’s, sky and other satellite boxes. www.enado.com

eQ-3 Group is one of the leading innovation and technology companies for home control and consumer electronics. eQ-3 provides the largest product portfolio in the industry and has placed more than 21 million wireless home control devices in almost one million households in the market. eQ-3 is the European market leader in smart home with regard to the installed base of whole home solutions and electronic radiator thermostats. www.HomeMatic.com

assaabloy.co.uk/smartreport2016

40 I Winter 2018 I SMArT AuToMATIon

Software Innovations

bosch-si.com/connected-building

Summer 2021

22 BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE

EU funding makes building automation the smart choice for energy saving 8 Industry News The latest news and views from the induftry

22 Building smarter Creating green urban environments

26 Health at the core Integrated tech for healthy buildings

42 Smart solar Sustainability in building architecture

Editor Chris Hewett editorial@mebmedia.co.uk Accounts Jay Kempisty accounts@mebmedia.co.uk

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Publisher Wayne Banks +44 (0)1622 201207 wayne.banks@mebmedia.co.uk Website and Circulation Manager Kevin Villa website@mebmedia.co.uk Design and Production Charles David production@mebmedia.co.uk Smart Automation Magazine is published 4 times a year by MEB Media Publishing Ltd 13 Princes Street Maidstone Kent ME14 1UR United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)1622 201207, info@mebmedia.co.uk www.mebmedia.co.uk Articles and art may not be reproduced or reprinted without the express written permission of the publisher.

Exclusion of Liability Although every effort will be made to ensure the accuracy of all materials published, the publisher takes no responsibility for errors or omissions.

Copyright © MEB Media Publishing Ltd 2020, all rights reserved.

Contents 4 Cover Story - Building for the future EU funding makes building automation the smart choice 8 Product & Industry News The latest news and views from the industry 22 Building back smarter Creating green urban environments 26 Health at the core Johnson Controls prioritise new integrated technologies for healthy buildings

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30 Eyes and ears of the home The advent of ‘ambient sensing’ in the smart home 34 Security in the smart built environment Security and health & safety in today’s smart buildings 38 Power to the people Smart buildings have to make life easier in a sustainable way 42 Smart solar solution Sustainability in building architecture SMART AUTOMATION | Summer 2021 | 3

COVER STORY

Building for the future

I

EU funding makes building automation the smart choice for energy saving by Graham Martin, Chairman and CEO, EnOcean Alliance

nvesting in saving energy in the built environment is often viewed as a tricky trade-off between short-term capital outlay and disruption versus long-term cost reductions, well-being and environmental benefits. With a return on investment (ROI) that could take several years or even decades to manifest, and the possibility of significant and expensive inconvenience to building users while works and subsequent redecoration take place, it can be tempting to stick with the status quo for as long as possible, no matter how suboptimum that may be.

And that is despite an ever-tightening regulatory environment aimed at compelling organisations to make the changes needed to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

This cost-benefit conundrum is undergoing a substantial readjustment, however, with the

4 | Summer 2021 | SMART AUTOMATION

injection of a very large tranche of new EU funding designed to help Europe recover rapidly from the coronavirus pandemic while becoming greener, more digital and more resilient.

Thirty percent of the €750 billion Next Generation EU COVID-19 recovery package announced last July is earmarked for fighting climate change, as is the same proportion of the Union’s longer-term budget to 2027 of €1,074 billion. That means there has never been more funding available for green upgrade projects, in the form of grants and low-interest loans – and that’s before you factor in the various finance packages and tax breaks made available within individual countries by national governments.

This could effectively remove the cost barrier for many building owners. When you also consider

that it’s actually perfectly possible to implement energy-saving initiatives without causing upheaval for facilities managers or occupants, it’s likely we will see a big uplift in these types of upgrades in the near future.

Least pain, fast gain When people think about curbing energy consumption and reducing emissions, they tend to gravitate towards alterations to the shell of a building, such as double glazing and insulation, or upgrading heating systems, for example by switching to a green energy source like solar power. It’s less common to consider smart automation designed to greatly increase the efficiency of functions like heating, lighting and air conditioning - even though this is much quicker, easier and cheaper to implement and offers a far more rapid ROI.

Retrofitting self-powered, wireless, smart sensors to monitor things like temperature, occupancy and light levels in different parts of a building is as simple as placing stickers in key locations. With a range of 30m, “peel and stick” sensors using the open EnOcean wireless standard (ISO/ IEC 14543-3-11) are guaranteed to be interoperable between all kinds of devices from over 400 suppliers, so there is no need to lay cables. Furthermore, they require no maintenance or battery changes to remain operational for decades.

Nothing is more environmentally friendly or makes better financial sense than self-powered devices that require no maintenance whatsoever.

Yet something so simple usually results in energy savings of 20-30% in commercial or multi-occupancy settings or up to 40% in older buildings. It can, though, be as high as 60%, in schools, clinics, care homes and other spaces that are subject to heavy power consumption and fluctuating occupancy. That means ROI can be less than two years - even without green funding.

Not just energy saving As well as reducing energy use and emissions, smart automation can enhance comfort, security and safety for building users in a number of ways. Sensors can directly interact with control systems such as radiator valves, or can be integrated into IoT solutions for the cloud, smartphones and tablets. They can be used to adjust temperature, shading and lighting according to prevailing conditions or even local weather forecasts. They can prevent costly problems such as burst pipes caused by frost. They can help safeguard people from COVID-19, for example by indicating when items like hand basins or door handles have been used a certain number of times and need to be wiped, or by triggering automatic ventilation when CO2 levels reach a certain point. And they can “learn” occupancy patterns, sounding an alarm if something is amiss.

An excellent example of building-automation technology that can be retrofitted in minutes and makes a big difference to both energy consumption and comfort is an energy-harvesting wireless

thermostat valve. Powering itself by exploiting temperature differences between heating appliance and ambient air, it communicates wirelessly with solar sensors, smart thermostats and a smartphone app, to enable the remote or automated management of individual spaces.

European regulations Buildings consume more energy globally than industry or transport.

Simple, low-cost automation retrofits therefore have the potential to make a huge and rapid impact on carbon emissions, particularly now that more funding is available.

The EU’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) is the legal framework under which member states are implementing national laws to improve the efficiency of the built environment. It requires the CO2-neutral operation of buildings by 2050, with interim goals set for 2030 and 2040. EU member states must establish guidelines, come up with measurable actions and provide subsidies.

Since 2010, the EPDB has included requirements for “intelligent measuring systems”, “active control systems” and “automation, control and monitoring systems” - all of which are much simpler to achieve with radio-based and maintenancefree sensors self-powered by harvested energy.

In May 2018, this was strengthened further with an explicit focus on the regulation and control of building systems, including networked buildings. It is expected that new and existing properties across the EU will be required to have a high standard of energy control, ensuring that heat and light are directed at occupied areas and not wasted on unoccupied spaces.

Many European countries are already in the process of developing new legislation to support these objectives and new funding mechanisms backed by the NextGen EU recovery package are anticipated soon.

Germany On January 1st, 2021, Germany became the first European country to specifically designate funding for smart buildings, with the launch of the BEG (Federal Funding for Efficient

Buildings or Bundesförderung für effiziente Gebäude) fund. The BEG is designed to give a powerful boost to energy efficiency in the buildings sector and incorporates a new focus on digital measures to optimise energy consumption. It also features a streamlined application process and the flexibility to choose between a grant or a low-interest loan.

German government support for building automation is not new; the Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV) of 2014 stipulated that smart systems should be incorporated in the energy management of non-residential properties. From November 2020, when the EnEV was subsumed within the Building Energy Act (GEG), residential properties were also included in this directive. The GEG was created prior to the 2018 EPBD update and does not yet fully reflect the latest requirements, so further national regulations requiring building automation, monitoring and networked components are expected in the near future.

Paragraphs 2.6 and 2.7 of the BEG document contain important information about what qualifies for funding. For residential buildings, a number of specific eligible measures are listed in Paragraph 2.6. In non-residential sites, any measures which lead to building automation defined as ‘Class B’ or above are eligible. This includes systems for high energy efficiency and technical building management. This assessment tool enables building owners to ascertain what degree of automation that means in practice.

Italy Rich in antiquity, Italy and has many old buildings, with 65% built before its first energy-saving laws were passed in 1976. It is also one of the European nations hardest hit by the COVID-19 crisis. New Italian legislation aims to boost the economy through financial incentives promoting sustainability and energy efficiency, especially in older residential properties.

Italian Law n.208 of 2015 already included an “Ecobonus” allowing for the fiscal detraction, at a rate of 65% over several years, of the installation costs of systems remotely monitoring or controlling heating, air conditioning or hot water supply.

SMART AUTOMATION | Summer 2021 | 5

This includes the purchase of devices installed within the property, such as thermostats and sensors, but not the cost of smartphones or other internet devices.

The Governmental Relaunch Decree (“Decreto Rilancio” n.34/2020, dated 19th May 2020 and valid until 31st December 2021, with the possibility of an extension to 2024) increases the 65% detraction to a 110% “Superbonus” when building automation systems are installed in conjunction with other, more extensive works aiming at reducing energy consumption in the same building.

These more substantial works, known as “towing works”, include things like replacing windows and rooves or installing energy-efficient heating systems. The more minor heating-automation “towed works” should feature remote control of heating, air conditioning and hot water systems and remote monitoring of energy consumption and ambient conditions like temperature and humidity.

As an extra incentive, the new regulations allow for flexible payment 6 | Summer 2021 | SMART AUTOMATION

of installation costs. Homeowners can opt to offset their costs against personal income tax in yearly instalments, or to receive a 100% discount on the invoiced cost, for which their supplier can claim 110% against their own tax burden over several years.

Any measures which contribute towards reducing energy consumption can be interpreted as falling under the general scope of the Relaunch Decree. Private individuals, as well as any entity entitled to claim tax credits, are eligible for fiscal benefits. However, the work carried out must be approved by the ENEA, Italy’s public body governing energy supply, and lead to an improvement of at least two energy categories.

UK and France The UK and France are yet to introduce legislation that directly supports building automation as a means of reducing carbon emissions, but both are committed to the EU’s 2050 net zero carbon emissions deadline (in Scotland the deadline is 2045). The UK is also hosting the high-profile United Nations

Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, in November and is committed to applying the latest revision to the EPBD on the planned timetable, regardless of Brexit.

For now, MaPrimeRénov and Green Home grants are currently available to French and British homeowners respectively to assist with energy-saving works. These include heating/cooling networks in France and heating controls in the UK. Future proofed Building automation pays for itself in the space of a few years. However, a smart building is much more than just an efficient facility – it’s a space that is optimised for people and planet for decades to come.

Fortunately, this simple-to-implement solution looks set to become much more widespread with new funding schemes and regulatory incentives evolving across Europe.

For further information visit www.enocean-alliance.org

Create the room of the future – today The Connected Room Solution

se.com/connected-room-solution SMART AUTOMATION | Summer 2021 | 7

PRODUCT & INDUSTRY NEWS

Coventry University to create digital building of the future with Schneider Electric and Planon The Engineering and Computing building will leverage the benefits of the partnership between smart building market leaders, Schneider Electric and Planon Coventry University has partnered with Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, and Planon, the specialist in workplace management systems to upgrade its Engineering and Computing Building. The work will help to effectively future proof the building, improving sustainability, asset resilience and occupant experience, while reducing operational costs.

“One of our main goals is to move away from reactive work, instead resolving issues before they affect our staff and students,” commented Nasima Laming, Business Systems Support Officer, Coventry University.

“Leveraging digital tools, we will monitor the condition of our campus plant and equipment proactively and get recommended actions, many of which we can automate for a smooth and seamless process. The additional aspects of course are the cost and energy savings we hope to benefit from.”

Coventry University selected Schneider Electric and Planon to help set and meet its specific requirements.

The joint solution is another milestone in the partnership between Planon and Schneider Electric, which began in 2019. Leveraging the synergies between the two companies, it is the first project of its kind in the UK. The solution involves the integration of two smart 8 | Summer 2021 | SMART AUTOMATION

systems: • Planon’s Integrated Workplace Management System (IWMS), which enables Facility Managers to plan, execute and monitor all activities involved in reactive and planned preventative maintenance, space and move management, asset management, operational facility services, room reservations and other customer services.

• Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Building Advisor, a suite of analytic monitoring services, that unlocks your Building Management System’s operational performance so you can remotely and proactively maintain your buildings. It provides key insights into your building operations by constantly monitoring systems and identifying faults to proactively address your building’s inefficiencies. As a result, there is an impact on operating costs, occupant comfort, and asset value.

The IWMS software automatically processes smart building diagnostics from Building Advisor to determine whether an action is needed. It can initiate a standardised workflow or highlight an issue for a manual decision by the facilities team by scheduling and dispatching the work to the field engineers’ mobile phones for execution.

For more information, please visit: https://www.se.com/ uk/en/work/solutions/for-business/education/

Commercial building professionals urged to consider ultrasonic technology to end water damage woes

With water damage proving to be one of the most frequently reported insurance claims in buildings, the latest in ultrasound technology offers a promising solution to avoid costly damage in vulnerable commercial buildings According to ABI, insurers pay out £1.8 million for residential water damage every day. Causes can relate to a number of issues such as corrosion, limescale and frost compromising old pipes, as well as accidental drilling of new systems, all of which can have disastrous effects in commercial buildings. According to an expert from AXA[1], particularly vulnerable buildings include those that have just been built, vacant, or reduced occupancy – as are many buildings currently due to the pandemic.

The message comes from polymer company, REHAU which has recently unveiled a pioneering smart water control system using the latest in ultrasound technology – RE.GUARD. With most drip-based leaks usually going unnoticed, and burst pipes then leading to severe damage, REHAU is encouraging specifiers, contractors and facilities managers to take advantage of this new prevention technology.

REHAU’s RE.GUARD smart control water system monitors the water flow rate assessing it in real time due to integrated software. The innovative new system is comprised of four main components: a smart water controller, water sensors, a hub gateway and an app.

Water damage issues pose increased risk in commercial buildings such as offices as they generally have more water features than residential homes, including more toilet facilities, air conditioning, water coolers, and coffee machines connected to the mains.

The RE.GUARD smart water controller helps to

detect burst pipes and drip leaks by shutting off the water supply to mitigate damage. It is installed after the water meter which allows it to also measure water consumption, and has the ability to be manually turned on and off.

The controller is supported by RE.GUARD water sensors which detect leaking water in critical areas even faster by being positioned throughout the building.

It connects to the RE.GUARD smart water controller via the Z-Wave radio standard and includes an extension cable for places that are particularly difficult to reach.

All devices are connected to the Internet via the RE.HUB gateway which can easily be connected to a building’s router. Essential information is then available to the property manager at a glance which also helps to identify sustainable ways to save on water consumption.

Steve Richmond, Head of Marketing and Technical at REHAU Building Solutions said: “Not only is water damage an expensive problem to face for building owners, it can also result in the formation of mould within just 24 hours of moisture penetrating a building structure, which is harmful to health and requires extensive remediation work. The unfortunate reality is that many property owners don’t find out until it’s too late.

“With smart technology now embedded into most of our daily lives, we just knew there should be a better solution to this issue. We monitor the health of our bodies, so why shouldn’t we monitor the health of our buildings? It really is an exciting new gadget which we believe can help building professionals by providing a cost-effective safety net.”

To find out more, visit: www.rehau.uk/reguard

SMART AUTOMATION | Summer 2021 | 9

Xicato offers complete control in relighting of the Gran Melia Jakarta Xicato’s award-winning Bluetooth mesh solutions bring ease of installation When LaaS Lighting, a specialist Lighting as a Service company, was commissioned to relight the Gran Melia Hotel located in the downtown area of Kuningan, Jakarta, they knew they faced a great challenge and an op- portunity: to modernize and digitalize without any physical change to the the iconic hotel known for its stunning architecture, timeless luxury with an avantgarde flair and passionate commitment to its Spanish heritage.

LaaS turned to Xicato’s superior lighting and wireless controls portfolio to provide the spectacular lighting that would showcase the hotel’s architecture with complete control over the dynamic lighting effects.

Freed from traditional rigid wired and centralized controls systems, the Xicato Bluetooth Mesh controls along with Xicato’s intelligent drivers afforded the flexibility and ease of installation needed to relight the hotel to the grandeur such rich history and architecture deserved.

The Challenge and Solution The Gran Melia Jakarta had been experiencing issues related to lack of scheduling of lighting levels depending on occupancy. Additionally, the hotel requested dramatic and changing lighting effects to wow guests from the moment they walked through the doors throughout their entire stay, proving an experience like none other.

However, the facility had several constraints that inhibited the installation of systems with these features typical of modern smart lighting.

The light control system had to offer hotel management the ability to impress their guests with awe-inspiring lighting and provide the adaptability and 10 | Summer 2021 | SMART AUTOMATION

flexibility to be installed within the current lighting and wiring environment. These requirements brought them to Xicato, well-known for their quality solutions in both lighting and advanced controls. Xicato provided the technical solutions to not only deliver upon the project specifications but also to overcome these constraints.

One of the other challenges of the project was how to integrate a new lighting control panel and admin dashboard with the existing control system already in place. The solution became relatively easy since one of Xicato’s key differentiators is that it is designed to be integrated with various third party applications and controls, in any operating system, through their open API. In this case, LaaS used Xicato’s Xtouch within the Android console. The end result was that the Xicato controls are easily accessible by the hotel management team on their mobile devices.

Xicato’s Controls Provides Ease of Integration LaaS determined that Xicato’s Intelligent Gateway (XIG) with open API and Bluetooth mesh wireless controls, Xicato Intelligent Drivers (XID), and GRE Alpha SLD-DIM-XG4--a 3rd party Bluetooth dimming module that has Xicato Inside, together would form the best overall solution for the project. Xicato’s Bluetooth mesh scalability meant that not only it could address the current needs of the facility, but also since it is future proof it can be easily reconfigured and expanded as new needs arise. Additionally, the Xicato wireless controls offered a competitive advantage with its seamless integration to 3rd party systems, providing flexibility for future expansion.

For further information please visit www.xicato.com

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J2 Innovations releases upgrade to their industry-leading software • Unique Dashboard Builder App gives OEMs, facility managers and end-users the freedom to create and operate dynamic dashboards for smart buildings, smart equipment and IoT • BTL OWS (Operator Workstation) certification provides next level implementation of BACnet standard • Update also brings Edge2Cloud technology updates, KNX IP connector and more Managing every aspect of building, equipment and IoT environments without complex engineering effort has reached the next level with the release of FIN Framework 5.1 - J2 Innovations’ latest upgrade of the industry leading software platform for smart building, smart equipment and IoT applications.

The latest release, to be released in beta shortly, with a full launch scheduled for Summer 2021, will feature a dashboard builder app that, for the first time, allows facility managers and end-users to create and manage their own dynamic visualizations of smart buildings, equipment and IoT devices in a smartphone friendly way and without the need for complex configurations. Flexible and easy-to-use, a newly designed widget navigation system makes light work of connecting data feeds to system components for creating and monitoring complex-building scenarios.

“Since its conception, FIN Framework has firmly established itself as one of the industry’s most innovative software platforms for smart building, smart equipment and IoT applications. The enhancements made in this latest revision elevate the platform into a new sphere of capabilities,” said Alex Rohweder, CEO at J2 Innovations. “With FIN 5.1, you can deliver dynamic and interactive views of building and equipment data, accessible both through desktop and smartphone - and 12 | Summer 2021 | SMART AUTOMATION

all that without the need for complex engineering.

Dashboard widgets and functions can simply be added and removed to build a working picture of the building environment.”

Said Rohweder: “A building owner, facilities manager, systems integrator or end user can access their system to check floor plans, equipment health/status, temperature levels or any other parameters in a zone, floor or building, then make key decisions about how to manage that environment, all on-the-fly – in order to increase the energy, asset and service efficiency of the building.”

A new multi-instance architecture feature, called FIN Network, has also been incorporated into the 5.1 release. This enables easier management of multiple FIN instances. Previously, when working with floors on a site or locations, access could only be gained by logging into each FIN instance. The FIN Network tool stacks multiple FIN instances, local or remote, into a project tree where they can be accessed as a group to save time and resources.

FIN 5.1 is also BACnet BTL certified for OWS (Operator Workstation), now supporting greater visibility of BACnet properties and objects. A new version of our KNX IP Connector enabling seamless integration with KNX devices completes the protocol upgrades.

In summary, Rohweder says: “We are excited to - together with our partners - further contribute with the release of FIN 5.1 to the proliferation of smart and IoT friendly technology in the building industry; it has never been easier to make the right decisions for small to large buildings.”

Find out more about the release at j2inn.com/fin5.1

Siemens and Telefónica Tech will offer combined solutions for smart buildings

Siemens Smart Infrastructure in Spain, a market leader in innovation and technology for smart buildings, and Telefónica Tech, Telefónica’s holding company for digital businesses with high growth potential in IoT, Big Data, Blockchain, Cybersecurity and Cloud, will be offering the Spanish market their services and solutions for smart buildings in one package.

This collaboration agreement will enable both companies to present a joint value proposition, including solutions for increasing physical security, monitoring and operational and energy efficiency, as well as user experience and the digitalization of services where connectivity plays a leading role. They will also offer an infrastructure which facilitates data collection and analysis, to turn data into valuable information for better decision-making.

Siemens and Telefónica Tech will offer comprehensive solutions which protect buildings from fires, and monitor entry points and potential intrusions with closed-circuit television (CCTV), including the possibility of video analysis. The experience and knowledge of both companies will also enable them to include other joint solutions related to optimization such as smart lighting, environmental monitoring, predictive maintenance, de-escalation monitoring, smart parking, occupancy and capacity management, including audiovisual and space reservation solutions.

Impact on sustainability Siemens and Telefónica Tech will create a complete portfolio for buildings, which will include technology to support companies in achieving their sustainability goals through solutions for optimizing resources and reducing environmental impact. Buildings are responsible for around 40 percent of primary energy use globally, and companies are now more conscious

than ever of the importance of sustainability and the economic benefits it brings. Siemens and Telefónica Tech are confident of the competitive advantages their collaboration will bring to clients.

“The potential of uniting two portfolios with a clear focus on achieving communication, security and energy efficiency creates major opportunities for improving buildings and preparing them for the future,” says Fernando Silva, Director of Siemens Smart Infrastructure for Spain and Portugal. “We are combining Telefónica’s expertise in communications with Siemens’ expertise in smart electric networks and building automation, to enable us to implement a comprehensive solution for the buildings of any private or public body”.

“This agreement with Siemens demonstrates Telefónica Tech’s potential as an integrator of solutions based on connectivity (in this agreement we offer our specialist knowledge in connectivity, physical security, IoT and Big Data) and provider of digital transformation for companies in their plans to become more sustainable organizations. Together we will make smart buildings even more advanced in order to promote, at the same time, energy efficiency and contribute to improving people’s lives”, explains Elena Gil, Global Director of IoT and Big Data Products and Business Operations at Telefónica Tech.

Smart buildings interact with the people, systems and external elements surrounding them. They learn from past experiences and real-time inputs, adapting to the needs of the people and the businesses using them by increasing comfort, efficiency, resilience and security.

For more information about Siemens Smart Infrastructure, see www.siemens.com/smart-infrastructure SMART AUTOMATION | Summer 2021 | 13

EnOcean’s new IoT connector simplifies building automation EnOcean's new software, the IoT Connector, enables intelligent data transformation from raw sensor data into ready-to-use data for IoT applications.

EnOcean, a pioneer of energy harvesting and wireless IoT communications, today announced the launch of the EnOcean IoT Connector, an ideal link between maintenance-free IoT data from energy harvesting sensors and IoT applications that makes the integration of EnOcean products easier than ever before. The IoT Connector translates sensor outputs into ready-to-use data for IoT applications and data driven businesses.

Commenting on the launch, Marian Hönsch, Product Manager at EnOcean said: “Data is critical to understanding, measuring and improving facility management processes and procedures. Increasingly, data needs to be analysed to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements, security and COVID-19 regulations. Facility and Corporate Real Estate Managers are gradually becoming more dependent on data analysis to identify utilisation patterns, trim costs and make buildings into better places for work.

This new solution from EnOcean paves the way by enabling collection of data from billions of sensors in buildings, using energy harvesting wireless sensors to collect data in a secure and maintenance-free way.

The essential requirements of quick onboarding, broad applicability and water-tight security are embodied in a new IoT Connector that translates sensor outputs into ready-to-use data for IoT applications and data driven businesses.”

One key feature of the IoT Connector software is that it decodes the IoT data from the EnOcean Protocol and translates it into ready-to-use data in JSON format to be used in the actual application. Algorithms are needed to 14 | Summer 2021 | SMART AUTOMATION

unravel the data and to make it available for customer applications in the right form. Customer applications consume IoT data in a “key-value pairs“ format, such as JSON. A key-value pair consists of related elements: a key, which is a constant that defines the dataset (temperature, humidity or ventilation), for example, and a value, which is a variable that belongs to the dataset (e.g. 20 °C, 80 %, level 1/2/3). Easy adoption by IoT users is enhanced by implementing JSON data that can be exchanged with an MQTT broker or Microsoft Azure IoT Hub. An easy and cost-effective way to incorporate the EnOcean IoT Connector into IoT applications is by leveraging existing building infrastructures. The infrastructure can easily be upgraded to send EnOcean IoT data, for example with the combination of an EnOcean USB stick and Wi-Fi® access points from Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company. Also, data from existing EnOcean buildings can directly be forwarded to the IoT Connector in raw format (ESP3 – EnOcean Serial Protocol 3). The Aruba access points support the EnOcean USB stick without need for additional software. Furthermore, they talk directly to the IoT Connector running as part of the infrastructure or the final data destination, so no additional gateways are needed. With this complete scenario, customers have exclusive control over the data flow.

The EnOcean IoT Connector is a vital solution in helping facility managers to understand, measure and improve their processes and procedures, unlock inefficiencies, improve decision-making and sharpen their operations.

For more detailed information on the IoT Connector please visit https://iot.enocean.com/

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Total Control Services Ltd. becomes Schneider Electric building partner Schneider Electric, the leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation, has partnered with Total Control Services Ltd, a leading, independent BMS specialist headquartered in the South East, to supply its EcoStruxure™ Building Automation and Control product solutions.

Total Control Services has delivered projects across all industry sectors since 1987, ensuring the most intelligent, efficient and sustainable systems are in place. By adding Schneider Electric EcoStruxure™ solutions to their portfolio, Total Control Services expands its capability into new technology fields, offering a complete, turnkey solution across its Projects, Smart, Maintenance and Energy divisions.

With in-house project teams, NICEIC electrical installation set-up, and a bespoke 2-storey onsite panel build facility, Total Control Services offer the flexibility necessary to respond to today’s industry challenges.

With the partnership, Schneider Electric is broadening its customer base, bringing its solutions wider afield. While increasing its reach, the partnership with Total Services also enables Schneider to ensure the 16 | Summer 2021 | SMART AUTOMATION

highest level of service is provided to end-users.

“We are delighted to be partnering with Schneider Electric and look forward to delivering EcoStruxure solutions to our clients.” said Martin Millins, Group Managing Director of Total Control Services Ltd. “We always strive to implement the very best technical solution that aligns with customer needs and we see EcoStruxure™ and the Schneider Electric partner programme as the perfect fit to enhance our offering.

Our highly trained engineers are keen to develop their skills in EcoStruxure™ to complement our existing capabilities pool. It’s a really exciting time for the business.”

Westley Thurley, BMS Channel Leader, at Schneider Electric commented “It is a great time to be partnering with Total Control Services Ltd. It is a business with a history of delivering sustainable and efficiency projects and its ambition to deliver value to customers through latest digital technology aligns perfectly with our values.

We are delighted to have the team on board.”

For further information please visit www.se.com/uk

ABB uses KNX technology to support specialist disability accommodation

An ambitious project takes home automation to the next level to give residents control and independence at Australia’s ‘Casa Capace’ A social impact business, incubated by property investment company DPN aims to set the global benchmark for Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) with help from smart home automation specialists, ABB. Improved access to accommodation that meets the needs of people with disabilities is now high on the global agenda, with the World Economic Forum’s latest Disability Inclusion Report revealing there are over 1.3 billion people living with some form of disability[i], representing 17 percent of the global population. This supports ABB’s Sustainability 2030 policy on social progress and inclusivity which aims to create safe and inclusive environments in which people can succeed and develop, which Casa Capace exemplifies.

As Australia aims to improve access for all, the country’s National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plans to provide SDA housing for 28,000 people with disabilities. Realising that NDIS care providers were better equipped to focus on their expertise, the government invited the commercial property sector to conceive SDA-standard designs to improve the dwellings, which have historically often felt more like hospitals than homes.

DPN was up for the challenge and decided on ‘Casa Capace’ as the name for the transformational project, with casa meaning ‘home’ and capace ‘to be able’ or ‘having the ability to achieve’ in Italian. “We wanted to create a designer home that anybody would walk into and say, ‘I would love to have this as my home’, and not to be able to tell that it’s been built as a disabled-care home in any way,” says DPN Group Managing Director Sam Khalil.

Khalil knew the right partners would be critical for

the success of the Casa Capace homes. They needed a high level of automation, which had to be secure, robust and intuitive to operate.

Life changing home automation ABB i-bus® KNX was chosen as the right solution to deliver Casa Capace’s automation vision.

As Christian Schiemann, the Market Development Manager for ABB Building Automation Australia & New Zealand explained: “In the Casa Capace homes, KNX controls the electrical doors, the lighting, blinds, TVs and HVAC, and even the height of the benches. It can also implement scenes, such as raising the blinds and switching on the lights in the morning or turning on the TV and dimming the lights in the evening.”

The ABB i-bus® KNX’s open-protocol is the only protocol that is compliant with both Standard Australia’s Technical Specification for Building Automation (SA/SNZ TS ISO/IEC14543.3:2018) and the International Standards for Building Automation (ISO/ IEC14543-3).

The first two dwellings opened in Sydney’s Oran Park. With the addition of ABB technology, Casa Capace now has a future-proof design and system that can accommodate ongoing development of technologies and products, which will enhance the longevity of the homes. ABB is synonymous with KNX, and this openprotocol standard is part of the allure for Casa Capace as they’re not locked into any one technology.

The collaboration has been so successful that Sam Khalil is convinced it will set the benchmark globally.

“Within three months, we had $200 million expressions of interests (EOIs), we’ve already bought more land and there’s a pipeline of housing with a plan to build 1500 homes in the next five years.”

For more information visit https://go.abb/electrification SMART AUTOMATION | Summer 2021 | 17

Home Automation to enjoy

Awnings

Ventilation Cooling

Power Supply

Heating

domin iu m home management

Lighting

New small-format switches ideal for demanding consumer electronics and industrial applications

Littelfuse, Inc. (NASDAQ: LFUS), a global manufacturer of leading technologies in circuit protection, power control and sensing, today introduced the MITI-7 Series Ultra-Miniature Reed Switch, a Form A (single-pole, single-throw normally open or SPST-NO) switch that’s hermetically sealed in a 7mm-long glass envelope. The MITI-7 Series offers sensitivity options ranging from 6 AT to 20 AT, far wider than existing magnetic switches of comparable size, which were limited to a range of just 6 AT to 10 AT. New automated assembly equipment has allowed Littelfuse to boost production capacity for these small-format switches, which help circuit designers save space on crowded circuit boards.

Typical applications for the MITI-7 and MISM-7 reed switches include position and speed sensing in a broad array of markets: • Appliances • Building and home automation • Consumer electronics • Data centers • Industrial • Healthcare

The MISM-7, a surface-mount version of the MITI-7, is also available. Both can switch 170VDC at 10W and offer high insulation resistance (1012 ohms min.) and low contact resistance (<150 milli-ohms).

"The MITI-7 Series is built on fully automated equipment with precision controls," said Max Shi, Product Marketing Manager, Sensors at Littelfuse.

"The increased capacity and superior quality standards this equipment supports help us to supply these reed switches to the global marketplace at much more competitive prices."

The MITI-7 Ultra-Miniature Reed Switch offers these key benefits: Hermetically sealed switch contacts are unaffected by and have no effect on their external environment.

Very low circuit board space requirement due to 7 mm x 1.8 mm size.

Excellent choice for switching micro-controller logic level loads with ability to switch 170VDC or 0.25A at up to 10W. For more information visit www.ttieurope.com/

SMART AUTOMATION | Summer 2021 | 19

Smart Living & Workspaces Online Expo & Conference 2021 Smart Living and Workspaces Online Exhibition & Conference is the first online trade show and conference in Oman that will feature the latest innovation in Smart Homes & Workspaces technology.

The event is designed based on Oman's smart home market fact which is seen to grow 8.3% by 2023.

Alongside Oman's public sectors are working on executing its mega plan for smart cities, a rising number of commercial and residential properties are using technology to implement sustainable community projects to meet increasing new customer requirements.

This Online event would feature conference, exhibition and excellent match making opportunities.

The conference will be held for two days, the first day will highlight the importance of Smart homes and the second day focus on Smart Office and Building Innovation.

The event brings together key players from both traditional and flexible office space, to examine the forces that will shape the workspaces of tomorrow in a world shaped by Covid-19 and also will uncover how innovative use of smart home technologies and applications make domestic life more convenient, 20 | Summer 2021 | SMART AUTOMATION

efficient, safe and enjoyable.

Facts about the Smart Home and Office Market in the Sultanate of Oman • The Oman smart home market is seen to grow 8.3% by 2023.

• The projected market size of smart homes in Bahrain, Oman, Iran and Jordan is US$ 73 million by 2022.

• Oman is predicted to experience higher growth in the smart home solutions market as compared to other countries in the GCC region.

• Oman is heavily investing in smart office buildings in order to promote an attractive business environment.

• The smart homes concept is increasingly attracting some part of suburban and rural areas in Oman.

The event will feature live product and service demonstrations, product launches, and innovation and technical seminars.

Be a part of this Virtual event and attend the 2-day conference along with our Panel discussions.

For more information, visit https://smartlivingexpo-oman.com/2021/

ENERGY MANAGEMENT

Building back smarter Creating green urban environments by Kas Mohammed, Vice President of Digital Energy at Schneider Electric

C

onstruction companies can’t ignore climate responsibility, and the events of the past year have proved it. Despite the monumental personal, professional and political challenges faced, sustainability has remained a major talking point among the public, and a key differentiator for businesses.

With ‘Greener Buildings’ featured as one section of the UK government’s 10-point plan towards a Green Industrial Revolution, a

22 | Summer 2021 | SMART AUTOMATION

spotlight will no-doubt be shone on the construction sector, and fines and reputational damage are likely to follow for companies unable to get on-board with this initiative. With the built environment contributing to around 40% of the UK’s total carbon footprint, building developers and professionals clearly have a major part to play.

This pressure has become increasingly noticeable for construction companies and building managers. Customers and legislators

are constantly pushing them to design and deliver buildings that enable fast and effective carbon reduction at an efficient cost. This is only possible by building a new generation of smart buildings that place digital technologies and data at their foundation.

Building back smarter Moving forward, key regulatory policy decisions are expected that will add to the cost of the already highly unprofitable energy consumption

of buildings. Conditions in the future – such as CO2 pricing, for example – will create further costs and at the same time result in a rapid fall in the value of energy-inefficient buildings. In the eyes of the building owner or manager, the sooner the building stock is made future-ready, the better.

Regulations will not only effect customers, but also construction companies themselves. Building firms are now required to measure and limit the carbon impact of their projects from a full-lifecycle perspective. The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) Framework, for example, aims to reduce carbon emissions at all stages of construction work. To comply with this and other standards that are sure to be put in place, construction companies will need to carry out a whole-life carbon assessment of their project to identify areas for improvement and opportunities for carbon reduction.

For the greatest impact, this should be carried out in multiple phases – the first occurring during concept design or at least before technical design work begins.

This ensures decarbonisation is

considered from the outset and efforts can be carried out in all subsequent stages of the project.

A final assessment must then be made at the practical completion stage, giving the constructor the opportunity to measure their carbon impact and see what can be offset to achieve a net-zero construction.

However, a full lifecycle approach to decarbonisation also requires consideration of the building’s operational phase. Constructors have a vital but often overlooked role to play in the whole lifecycle of a building. Traditional buildings rarely have digitally connected systems in place that deliver the information they need to keep track of key information. Managers require insight to make a positive intervention, but that insight depends on real-time continuous data that must be delivered during construction.

Going into the new year, a construction company’s ability to deliver this will be dependent on their adoption of smart-building technology. If we are to truly ‘build back greener’, digital technology and decarbonisation will have to be placed at the centre of every

construction phase, from inception to operation. By implementing the latest digitised tools and capabilities now, construction companies will benefit from the facilitation of unprecedented insight and enhanced competitive differentiation.

Making the change First and foremost, these smart buildings require a layer of Internet of Things-connected devices and sensors embedded at key points of the energy infrastructure. This could include smart circuit-breakers or energy sensors keeping track of energy usage in the building's heating, ventilation and airconditioning system.

A smart building then needs an open and interoperable operations backbone that connects these devices to the central building-management system. This IP and data backbone is crucial for providing continuous, real-time insight into energy usage.

It allows them to monitor, measure and control all data from building and IT systems to ensure energy responsibility and efficiency.

With an unprecedented level of visibility at their fingertips, organisations can identify key areas

SMART AUTOMATION | Summer 2021 | 23

of wasted energy and eliminate them.

Over a period of a few months, they will be able to see which systems are the worst carbon offenders in the mid-to-long term and intervene to cut any waste. This is far less painful and disruptive than undertaking arbitrary carbon-reduction programmes across the company.

However, these digitised buildings aren’t just attractive from an environmental perspective. In the aftermath of interrupted work and potential loss of revenue, the coming years will see businesses streamlining costs and making back losses incurred during the pandemic. Energy efficiency can aid this. Energy and utility costs in buildings are a major cost centre for their owners. Construction companies will therefore have a dual case to make to customers in favour 24 | Summer 2021 | SMART AUTOMATION

of smart buildings, as they not only save the planet, but also help them to significantly streamline costs.

A greener future The question of energy efficiency in building stock is finally attracting attention from all of the relevant parties. In addition to sustainability, it’s also about calculably profitable benefits for commercial tenants, building owners, and construction firms alike.

Going forward, sustainability efforts must become more collaborative across the industry to ensure businesses thrive whilst making effective changes.

Organisations such as the UKGBC, which Schneider Electric is a member of, offer support to construction companies of all sizes and stages in their move to greener building

practices. In the near future, we can expect to see industry-wide cooperation have significant effects on the viability of construction firms in a greener world.

To remain competitive, keep fulfilling customer needs and meet new government and industry expectations, construction firms will depend on the advantages of smart building technology moving into the new year. Carbon reduction throughout the building cycle will be a key consideration for business resiliency and competitiveness.

So, successful firms will now start building their structures from the ground up with a digital-first mindset, ensuring their customers can achieve their carbon ambitions with ease.

For further information please visit www.se.com

Integrated Building Automation Solutions for System Integrators

SMART BUILDINGS

Health at the core Johnson Controls customers prioritise new integrated technologies for healthy buildings; solutions must deliver for healthy people, healthy places and a healthy planet Johnson Controls, the global leader for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, today announced results of independent surveys of 800+ building decision makers showing a clear shift to increased investment in healthy building trends and technologies.

"At the centre of a vision for a healthy world must be healthy buildings, and that means delivering 26 | Summer 2021 | SMART AUTOMATION

on the most critical elements to serve People, Places and Planet," said George Oliver, CEO of Johnson Controls. "Our OpenBlue technologies reinvent the building landscape, creating dynamic smart facilities that help businesses meet their sustainability commitments, while delivering healthy places, enriched experiences and cost savings. Johnson Controls leads

the industry in translating new building technology capabilities into game-changing solutions that deliver on our focus of People, Places and Planet."

As the only leader in the category with 135 years of experience, Johnson Controls is ideally positioned with technologies and solutions that accelerate the reinvention of healthy buildings.

The surveys confirmed the need is greater than ever, with 90 percent of responding firms having dedicated resources to healthy buildings initiatives.

"Building owners are struggling to balance urgent and conflicting priorities between employee health and wellness with critically needed cost savings, increased revenue and sustainability targets," said Michael Ellis, executive vice president and chief customer & digital officer at Johnson Controls. "Johnson Controls is best positioned to help businesses meet those sustainability commitments while delivering on our customers' return on investment," Ellis said.

The 2020 pandemic showed that few customers were able to reduce building operating costs despite lower occupancy, highlighting the need for technologies to deliver flexibility.

"Energy use should be dramatically lower when occupancy is low, but surprisingly less than one in ten building operators were able to reduce energy use more than 20 percent," Ellis said. "At a time when companies are aggressively pursuing energy and cost savings, customers need and want solutions

that help them do better, while increasing the health profile of those buildings. Johnson Controls OpenBlue technologies deliver a unique, game-changing capability to solve for healthy places, while simultaneously serving sustainability goals."

The survey of facilities operators showed a range of specific investment priorities to meet goals for Healthy People, Healthy Places and a Healthy Planet:

the COVID pandemic have increased the potential benefit of these technologies and for contactless access and contact tracing. These capabilities can help increase overall building security through enhanced tracking of building guest and occupant access, flow and location, while maintaining trust. Johnson Controls delivers solutions for all of these needs and in support of broader wellness for people in shared spaces.

Healthy People Businesses are increasingly committed to employee health and wellness as a driver of high performing teams. The studies show an increase in investments by organisations toward wellness, clean air and peace of mind. 80 percent of respondents stated that protecting the health and safety of building occupants during the COVID pandemic and afterward is very or extremely important.

New factors are being included in this mix such as temperature control, disinfection, ventilation and air filtration which all require well maintained systems and equipment, enhanced through intelligent sensors and control software. The realities of

Healthy Places Finding cost savings and making fast and informed decisions, supported by data, is a critical part of facility operations. In the Johnson Controls independent studies, 80 percent of facility executives stated that increasing flexibility to quickly respond to emergencies is a top driver for investment in technologies such as flexible facility monitoring and healthy air strategies.

The spaces in which people work, shop, entertain and live become more inviting, more efficient and less expensive to operate over time. Space optimisation, capital planning and increasing the uptime and lifetime of assets all support operational performance and lead

SMART AUTOMATION | Summer 2021 | 27

to cost savings & increased revenue opportunities for building operators.

Johnson Controls OpenBlue, a complete suite of connected solutions and services, leverages digital integration to optimise the performance of buildings and assets.

Healthy Planet Improvements in energy efficiency, renewable energy and smart building technology are becoming more critical each year. In the studies, 76 percent of facility executives stated that energy cost savings are a top driver for investment. These investments also influence corporate sustainability rankings, an important metric for attracting and retaining investors, employees and customers.

Buildings are responsible for 28 | Summer 2021 | SMART AUTOMATION

about 40 percent of the planet's total energy consumption and 36 percent of greenhouse gas emissions from energy use. But only 1 percent of buildings undergo energy efficient renovation every year. Effective action is crucial in aligning to increased regulation, decreasing energy consumption and increasing sustainability. For the health of the planet, the studies revealed that 57 percent of organisations plan to achieve net zero carbon or positive energy status in at least one facility in the next ten years.

Through ongoing efforts to create more healthy buildings, Johnson Controls has implemented more than 3,000 energy-savings performance contracting projects in North America alone. The result has been reductions

of more than 29 million metric tons of carbon emissions from customer facilities and savings of $6B in energy and operating costs driven by a comprehensive suite of product and technology solutions. In fiscal year 2019 almost half of Johnson Controls revenue came from products and services that reduce energy use and improve sustainability. Johnson Controls helps building owners and occupants make efficient, productive decisions in support of healthy people, healthy places and a healthy planet.

To learn more, please visit https://www.johnsoncontrols.com/ openblue/openblue-healthybuildings

Switch and dim lights, call up lighting moods, save energy

Play music, control multiroom systems

Time-dependent control of blinds and shutters, monitor windows and doors

Analyse data and consumption

See who is calling, display camera images, secure building

Display energy consumption, turn power outlets on and off, save electricity

Control and monitor building technology from outside

Regulate heaters and air conditioning units automatically, heat in an energy-conscious manner

Synchronise calendars and time clocks, play occupancy simulations

Save energy, manage energy consumption, heat in an energy-conscious manner, protect the climate

Call up weather forecasts, use weather services

Monitor and automatically open and close windows and doors, secure building

Control innovative building technology via radio

Use door communication and keyless access control, secure building

Simulate occupancy, use timers, secure building

Intelligent building technology from Gira

SMART TECHNOLOGY

Eyes and ears of the home The advent of ‘ambient sensing’ in the smart home by Mark Lippett, CEO, XMOS

F

or the everyday consumer, when you talk about the smart home, the image of a suburban HAL 9000 still lingers — speak to any appliance and it’ll do your bidding.

The reality in the present day is that smart homes just aren’t… well, smart. Deloitte cites four main categories of connected device in

30 | Summer 2021 | SMART AUTOMATION

the everyday home: computers, entertainment, health, and home utility. Useful, familiar, and interconnected — but intelligent?

Well, not exactly. For starters, these devices have been around a long time. The first iPad launched in 2010; Philips first-gen Hue lightbulbs went on sale in 2012, with the first Echo following a year later. As

convenient as these devices can be, there is a risk of mistaking ease of use and novel interaction with genuine intelligence.

What’s more, nowadays consumer smart home products don’t extend too far beyond Alexa or Google Home — and if they do, it’s within an enclosed ‘family’ of products. Manufacturers are

keen to maximise their streams of customer data without sharing it with their competitors, and that means absorbing you into a system of app and hardware usage that isolates you from some devices while encouraging the use of others.

Whilst such devices offer a streamlined, familiar user experience, honed by years of consumer use, they don’t paint a conjoined, truly intelligent user experience within the home.

Team spirit Thinking about how our devices understand the home is key to changing that. It’s not necessarily about forcing Google and Amazon devices, for example, to work together — it’s about combining different sensors to capture a more meaningful dataset for smart devices to work with.

Firstly, that means thinking about the results that you want to achieve. Take the humble light bulb, for example. We understand that a microphone in a light bulb allows you to turn it off through a smart home

speaker. But if it had a light sensor that could detect human presence, ambient light, and adjust the bulb’s output accordingly, would we need to?

We also know that our smart home assistants recognise voices.

But do we need a more sophisticated voice system that can recognise who is speaking and tailor the response to that voice accordingly? The same goes for CCTV. Sure, they can detect movement, but what if they could capture specific visual events, like the fall of an elderly relative, or an unknown person present?

These are the sorts of questions that need answering for the smart home to take intelligence to the next level.

Barriers to the future Of course, intelligence requires a level of complexity. The more sophisticated that smart home devices become, the more important it is to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) that can comprehend the different types and growing volume of data that such a device can

capture and turn it into action.

Such complex technology does not come without drawbacks. AI functionality is founded on data — the more intelligent the device, the more data it requires. Sophisticated, futuristic smart home devices would normally be required to collect and share large amounts of information with a central “brain” to process it, like the cloud, which understandably raises privacy concerns among consumers. Individuals already raise concerns about the possibility of smart speakers listening in to conversations and no one would want more of their personal information being shared with external servers that are beyond their control.

Latency issues also pose another barrier to the seamless smart home of the future. We have all experienced the pure frustration created by lag or connectivity issues. On slower connections, smart speakers can already take a considerable amount of time to receive requests, process them in the cloud and execute the desired action.

As the number and complexity of

SMART AUTOMATION | Summer 2021 | 31

smart devices continues to increase, these issues will continue to grow.

The cloud simply won't be able to scale with the sheer amount of data produced and irritating delays will continue to haunt the smart home.

If we are to introduce intelligent ambient sensing into the smart home a change of tack is needed. Step forward the artificial intelligence of things (AIoT).

An intelligent home AIoT technology brings together AI and IoT — creating hardware capable of collecting and processing data locally. Cutting out the need for cloud connectivity, AIoT minimises the security and latency issues 32 | Summer 2021 | SMART AUTOMATION

previously associated with smart technology. Collected information is processed on the smart devices themselves – keeping personal data secure and executing actions almost immediately.

This technology could have huge impacts on the smart home, allowing devices to work together instantaneously, creating a truly intelligent home. Imaging, acoustics, 3D mapping and even gas sensitivity could all be integrated into smart devices, allowing all variables to be monitored and automatically acted upon. Homeowners would be able to have a whole new level of control over their homes, far extending current voice-based offerings.

The future While current smart technology was impressive in its infancy, we are reaching the point where the next step is needed. The novelty of voice assistants is waring off and frustrations with current offerings are building. The introduction of ambient sensing, in combination with the adoption of AIoT, will revolutionise the sector. As technology improves and demand increases, the advent of truly futuristic, intelligent homes may be a lot sooner than we think.

For further information please visit https://www.xmos.ai/

SECURITY

Security in the smart built environment Morphean CEO, Rodrigue Zbinden, considers the need for a greater focus on security and health & safety in today’s smart buildings and cities, and looks at the technology at hand

W

hile it has been responsible for huge disruption, COVID-19 has also been a major contributing factor to the acceleration of the digital transformation agenda that is now

34 | Summer 2021 | SMART AUTOMATION

bringing huge improvements to a wide range of industries and sectors.

Even those most sceptical of cloud technology and its great potential have embraced it due to its ability to keep businesses afloat and people connected during the direst times of

the pandemic.

Today’s smart constructs bring together a wealth of cloud-enabled sensors and devices, working in collaboration for the benefit of modern citizens to ultimately

improve quality of life. Yet with crime and physical threats on the rise, it is cloud-enabled physical security technologies, connected as devices through the internet of things (IoT), that now have a critical role to play in protecting premises, assets and people, while delivering powerful insights to benefit the smart environment.

Evolving surveillance and access control Traditional CCTV was a standalone, analogue system, while access control required direct human intervention to physically monitor and control access points. By contrast, video surveillance as-a-service (VSaaS) and access control as-a-service (ACaaS) are fully automated, cloud-based intelligent smart security solutions.

To better understand the impact of this migration to the cloud and uptake of cloud-enabled

systems, Morphean commissioned a survey of 1000 senior decision makers across the UK, Germany and Sweden. A significant 70% of survey respondents agreed that the pandemic had actually increased the necessity/urgency for businesses to adopt VSaaS and ACaaS. As an example of its use, consider an access control solution which is linked to HR staff records in a busy office, or guest booking records in a hotel. The system can check the swipe of an access card or use of a QR code on a mobile phone screen, against the digital records. Using advanced diagnostic capabilities, any attempt at unauthorised entry will trigger an automated alert to the authorities. Additionally, surveillance cameras can be incorporated to provide secondary authentication through visual clarification of an individual’s identity, further enhancing the security provision.

This integration of physical

technology and cloud connectivity proves a powerful combination and also facilitates remote management of premises. When many buildings were left vacant during multiple lockdowns as a result of the pandemic, or manned by only essential key workers, security and operations teams benefitted from having on-site visibility through remote management of sites. This removed the need to contravene social distancing and lockdown regulations, with data from the access control and video surveillance systems viewed on a mobile device and providing an overarching view of the environment.

Unlocking operational insights 95% of those surveyed agreed that if an existing security system could deliver insights beyond security to assist decision making it would influence adoption. The possibilities for such use span

SMART AUTOMATION | Summer 2021 | 35

industries and sectors, and there are many examples of implementation within smart building design.

Within a modern intelligent office environment, video surveillance technologies can ensure that employees do not breach health and safety guidelines, while competitive advantage can be created by understanding working preferences or how employees move around the building, derived from a combination of access control and video data. The resulting intelligence may influence hot desking and home working policies, or the introduction of energy efficient lighting applications.

In a busy retail environment, sensors installed at entrance points can keep a log of the number of people within the building, sounding an alarm or pre-recorded voice alert through digital audio speakers if the maximum occupancy level is in danger of being exceeded.

Inside the store, data obtained from surveillance cameras and combined with access control information from 36 | Summer 2021 | SMART AUTOMATION

the stock room, allows facilities and operations managers to make decisions around product placement, the allocation of staff, and a number of other factors which can help increase productivity and enable the business to run more efficiently.

The extraction of data and ability to use it to inform decision making has benefits across multiple facets of the smart environment.

A business model for a smarter future One of the key benefits of implementing VSaaS and ACaaS, is its ability to facilitate simple customisation and provide a flexible, scalable solution to meet evolving requirements. VSaaS and ACaaS are offered ‘as-a-service’, meaning a move toward an operational expenditure model, rather than one based on upfront capital outlay.

The as-a-service model includes all-inclusive software updates and firmware upgrades for a convenient monthly payment, so the system

is always up-to-date and always online. This removes the need for costly maintenance or disruption to operations.

VSaaS and ACaaS have great potential to be implemented right at the core of intelligent building design and smart cities planning.

Factoring in such systems right from the outset will provide enhanced protection while unlocking multiple benefits relating to the streamlining of business operations and improvements to health & safety in relation to premises and people.

VSaaS and ACaaS can bring the peace of mind that comes from being well prepared to face any challenges that might lie ahead.

Read our whitepaper for more insights about the state of smart security in Europe: https://morphean.com/whitepaper/ Find out more about VSaaS and ACaaS: https://morphean.com/

TAKE COMFORT IN YOUR HONEYWELL CONNECTED HOME.

Comfort, safety, security.

It’s in your hands.

SMART CITIES

Power to the people

By Marc Pegulu, vice president of IoT product marketing and strategy for Semtech’s Wireless and Sensing Products Group

S

mart cities are not just about technology, sensor networks or artificial intelligence. Smart buildings have to make life easier for the people that use them in a sustainable way. This is very different from a pure IT enterprise approach of bits and bytes, and the

38 | Summer 2021 | SMART AUTOMATION

requirements of people are even more important to address. One of the key technologies for smart cities is wireless low power wide area networks (LPWAN). This is a key technology for the Internet of Things (IoT) that allows low power sensors to be deployed quickly and easily in smart buildings where data

needs to be collected in order to be of assistance to people.

This can be monitoring how many people are in a room, or walking through a building, the temperature, the carbon dioxide levels, or any kind of data that is needed to help people feel more comfortable. This data needs to be collected and collated

but most of all it needs to be acted on to enhance the quality of life of the people in the smart city. This requires a combination of the right sensor, wireless network technology and data management tools.

Wireless LPWAN protocols such as LoRaWAN® enable low power sensors that can run for years or even decades from a coin cell battery, avoiding costly battery replacement cycles. Using a wireless, batterypowered system allows the sensors to be placed exactly where they are needed, and scales across large buildings and across the city itself.

Semtech’s LoRa® technology behind LoRaWAN standard provides reliable wireless links in unlicensed frequency bands below 1GHz. These sub-Ghz bands allow long distance, low power operation while the protocol provides a robust, reliable link. This combination means wireless sensors can be powered by a single coin cell for many years.

The sensors connect to a gateway that collects the data and delivers it into the wider network, the Internet of Things. These gateways are powered by mains or Power over Ethernet, and link back to an operator’s software, either on the premises or in the cloud.

The proliferation of sensors, and the IoT connection, can also help the sustainability of smart buildings and the wider smart city.

Sensors to monitor leaks can reduce the consumption of water and flag problems before they become an issue, while sensors in the local power grid can similarly identify problems before they cause an outage.

Integrating these low-cost sensors into logistics systems provide information, convenience and sustainability across the smart city. Equipment of all kinds can be tagged and tracked, making sure it is in the right place at the right time, making the best use of resources. Goods can be shipped in the optimum routes depending on the delivery times, reducing CO2 footprint and pollution. Customers can track the packages to eliminate unnecessary or wasted journeys.

This is enabled by the low power of the communications link.

Deploying thousands of sensor nodes around a building would

require a regular routine of replacing batteries at considerable cost.

Extending the battery life by years, or even a decade, actually aligns the battery life with the lifetime of the sensor itself, and both would be replaced at the same time.

The low power even opens up the possibility of energy harvesting.

With LoRaWAN, the sensors can be powered by a small solar panel, thermal energy or even radio energy scavenged from cellular phones.

This extends the life of the sensor to multiple decades, a consideration for water and electricity infrastructure.

These are not just concepts, but systems that are currently being implemented in cities around the world.

For example, global consulting firm Capgemini used LoRaWAN standard in its Corporate Real Estate (CRE) services. Using a range of sensors, Capgemini can monitor the occupancy of rooms and desks to ensure the optimum use and make sure the buildings are the right size

for the people using them.

With a range over 50m inside a building for the sensors using LoRaWAN, Capgemini found that one gateway can cover 10,000 square metres and thousands of sensors, making the technology cost effective and scalable across large buildings. The sub-gigahertz frequencies and robust protocols used by LoRaWAN provide excellent penetration throughout the building, reaching parts that other wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth cannot without interference or losses, even in dense urban areas.

Capgemini’s ‘SmartOffice’ system has been developed specifically for building management and can reduce real estate management costs by between 10 and 15 percent. The data is available through a simple web interface so that building managers can quickly and easily see what is happening, but the data can also be fed into analytics software for further examination.

For applications across the wider

SMART AUTOMATION | Summer 2021 | 39

smart city, the sensors have an even longer range up to 30km, and these can be picked up in new ways.

Amazon’s Sidewalk project is a crowd-sourced wireless network that can simplify device setup, extend the range for LoRa applications across the smart city. The LPWAN protocol is already implemented in devices such as the Ring doorbell, and Sidewalk extends this outside the house. This means sensors moving around the smart city can now be accessed wherever they are, for pet trackers, water sensors, sensors for asset tracking, and a multitude of additional low-cost devices across the smart home, providing convenience and support for residents.

All of this data feeds securely into the Amazon cloud for monitoring across smart buildings and the wider smart city. This is an additional way to be able to assess and analyse the data across the IoT. One of the first developments for Sidewalk is with the American Red Cross to explore if it can support the tracking of blood collections supplies 40 | Summer 2021 | SMART AUTOMATION

between distribution centres and donation sites to add new efficiencies within the blood donation supply chain.

As the leading supplier of the LoRa wireless chips for the LoRaWAN standard, Semtech is also working with SAS, a developer of massively parallel analytics and AI, on new ways to handle the deluge of data from all those sensors across the smart city.

The SAS IoT analytics tools, based on the Microsoft Azure cloud, use machine learning to monitor the data in real time to provide insights into activities. It has different sets of monitoring, from hotels to flood prevention to monitoring smart meters.

By 2026, nearly 20% of smart meters deployed by energy and water utilities worldwide will be connected using these LPWAN networks(1). Additionally, smart energy optimization and gas safety systems within cities can be monitored by LoRaWAN sensors. SAS combined their data with this sensor technology that can help maximize

grid efficiency and predict and mitigate risk, keeping citizens safe This highlights how the LoRaWAN sensor network can be agnostic to the data infrastructure and tools.

This is vitally important for operators and managers of smart buildings and across the smart city who will be using a range of different data tools to assist the local citizens.

Low power wireless sensor networks are a key element of smart buildings and the expansion of the IoT in a way that allows the democratisation of data. Collecting that data from thousands of different places and making it easily available across the IoT can improve the life of the people across the smart city.

Semtech, the Semtech logo and LoRa are registered trademarks or service marks of Semtech Corporation or its affiliates. LoRaWAN is a licensed mark.

For further information please download our whitepaper at https://info.semtech.com/abiresearch-white-paper

SMART AUTOMATION | Summer 2021 | 41

ENERGY MANAGEMENT

Smart solar solution Writen by Frank Bakker, Product Manager, Smart Energy Management, SolarEdge

B

uildings are an integral part of our lives. They do not just board and shelter us, they are an expression of our culture. As the world is moving towards sustainability and energy independence, so too is building architecture beginning to change to incorporate these values.

More frequently we are seeing net-zero buildings and green building rating systems, such as Leadership

42 | Summer 2021 | SMART AUTOMATION

in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). In parallel, commercial buildings and homes are becoming smarter. This has opened the way towards managing energy in a more efficient manner.

One of the ways to better manage energy is to design buildings that require less energy, for example by using passive ventilation techniques, passive solar energy, double/ triple pane glass and thermal mass

material so that the requirement for HVAC units is reduced and sometimes even eliminated. There are many other areas in which building designs can decrease the energy requirements of a building, from energy-efficient lighting, passive lighting, water conservation, and more. Yet, no matter how much a home or a commercial building is able to reduce its energy requirements, it is nearly impossible

to completely eliminate energy demand. However, the building can become its own energy generator.

One of the most promising aspects of solar energy, versus other types of renewable energy, is that it is designed to be a distributed power source. Almost anybody with a roof has the potential to install their very own energy generation system. It truly places power into the hands of the people. For commercial buildings with large rooftops, as well as homes, adding a photovoltaic (PV) system can be an excellent way to produce the amount of energy that is consumed on-site. However, for high-rise office buildings and apartment buildings this can be more difficult.

For instance, the University of Technology Vienna (TU Wien), as part of its green building initiative, renovated its former chemistry building with the goal of becoming the first energy-plus commercial high-rise building. This was a lofty goal as high-rises are particularly

challenging for PV to meet energy demand since roof space is limited compared to energy consumption. To overcome this challenge, innovative design planning was required, and a building-integrated system was conceived.

Leveraging SolarEdge’s design flexibility was fundamental in increasing system production and size by allowing the entire building’s surface to be covered in solar modules, while also optimizing each individual panel. At the time of completion, the system was thought to be Austria’s largest Integrated PV site and the direct environmental benefits of the PV system were calculated to be equal to >54,000 kg of CO2 emissions saved, which is the equivalent of nearly 200 trees planted or nearly 420,000 lightbulbs powered for a day.

Adding solar energy to a building’s energy mix is a crucial aspect in making a building more energy independent; however, it is only the first step. The next step

is improving the management of that energy in order to increase self-consumption. This is because energy usage does not always align with the energy generation of a PV system. As such, there are two ways that the energy can be managed to overcome this inconsistency. The first technique is energy storage and the second is consumption shifting.

Energy storage is an essential part of smart energy management as it stores energy when it is produced for consumption at a later time instead of either limiting energy production or feeding it into the grid. With PV plus storage systems, the inverter is responsible for managing battery charge and discharge patterns to meet consumption needs and reduce the amount of power purchased from the grid. The graph below shows how energy storage is able to increase self-consumption and energy independence.

Shifting energy consumption is another form of energy management that can also increase

Typical Residential PV Production with Battery

Typical Residential PV Production and Energy Consumption

SMART AUTOMATION | Summer 2021 | 43

self-consumption. This technique combines the technology of smart buildings with PV energy. By merging these two technologies, smart energy management solutions can automatically use a PV system’s excess power to increase solar energy usage, help lower electricity bills, increase energy independence, and provide greater convenience.

Devices and appliances, such as immersion heaters, lighting, fans, and pool pumps, can be controlled by smart energy management solutions that include AC switches with a meter and plug-in sockets with a meter, and dry contact switches.

With the immersion heater, excess PV energy can be directed towards 44 | Summer 2021 | SMART AUTOMATION

water heating, which is a low-cost form of energy storage. While the other devices allow appliances, such as pool pumps, fans, cold-storage, thermostats, and lighting, to be remotely controlled and utilized during high PV production for increased self-consumption.

In addition to increasing energy independence, smart energy management allows for a simple user experience when combined into one integrated energy management and monitoring platform. This enables a more streamlined smart energy and building management process to reduce operation and maintenance costs. As the technology advances, we will continue to see more

opportunities to further integrate it into making buildings more energy efficient. For example, weather and irradiance forecasting integrated into energy management systems can help ensure more efficient planning of building heating, or personalized profiles and thermostat controls that can help increase comfort without additional resources. Combining these types of technology with architectural designs can help our buildings exist in better harmony within their surroundings and environment.

For further information please visit www.solaredge.com/uk/

SMART CITIES: IS YOUR CITY KEEPING UP?

PRODUCT LISTINGS

Electrical installations in both industrial and consumer buildings need to meet the new challenges of our growing power needs. To increase the energy efficiency of buildings, while at the same time integrating consumers into the load compensation, will mean that controlling the switching of electrical devices on or off according to external signals, such as time and consumption, will be vital. www.new.abb.com/smartgrids/ smart-grid-technologies/smarthome-and-intelligent-buildings

ASSA ABLoY is the global leader in door opening solutions, dedicated to satisfying end-user needs for security, safety and convenience.

Since its formation in 1994, ASSA ABLoY has grown from a regional company into an international group with about 46,000 employees, operations in more than 70 countries and sales close to SEK 68 billion.

The Group has a leading position in areas such as access control, identification technology, entrance automation and hotel security. www.assaabloy.co.uk/en/local/uk/

The Bosch Smart Home range includes both Single System products and System Solution products.

Test the range of smart solutions to understand how these products are able to assist you in your daily lives; offering additional comfort, security for peace of mind and energy efficiency, saving you money within your home. Connectivity is more than just technology, it is now part of our every-day lives making life easier and allowing more time for the things that really matter! www.bosch-smarthome.com

Designed to be offered as a service from the ground up. Enabling our channel partners – insurers, telcos and builders - to add value to their core business creating a more intimate relationship with their consumer and B2B customers. The Cozify platform offers complete flexibility in data gathering and utilization. If so chosen, none of the data leaves the Cozify Hub. Alternatively, with consent from end users, the data can be extracted and analysed to support business decision making. www.en.cozify.fi/pages/for-partners

Connected products is a growing area for Dyson building world-class cross functional Agile teams and adopting the latest technology and techniques delivering our ambitious vision in the connected space.

In 2016 we launched our first two connected products now having a connected user base of hundreds of thousands in twenty countries.

Culture of design and engineering excellence with an innovative start up mentality winning the 2016 T3 Connected product of the year. https://careers.dyson.com/

Enado has over 15 years of experience in the installation and provision of home automation systems. our multiple award winning platform allows multiple, disparate manufacturer systems and devices in the home, integrated into one solution. Industry standard offering of lighting and energy to facilitate control of multiple consumer electronics devices including satellite receivers, smart tv’s, sky and other satellite boxes. www.enado.com

Energenie is part of Sandal Plc a public listed uK technology company, Sandal Plc is the brand and IP owner of the Mi|Home smart home system. The Mi|Home ecosystem can control heating, lighting and electrical appliances via both plug and play and retro fit actuators, including radiators valves, retrofit wall sockets and retro-fit light switches. The system also includes a range of sensors that are able to control the Mi|Home actuators allowing for a smarter experience. https://energenie4u.co.uk/

eQ-3 Group is one of the leading innovation and technology companies for home control and consumer electronics. eQ-3 provides the largest product portfolio in the industry and has placed more than 21 million wireless home control devices in almost one million households in the market. eQ-3 is the European market leader in smart home with regard to the installed base of whole home solutions and electronic radiator thermostats. www.HomeMatic.com

40 I Winter 2018 I SMArT AuToMATIon

A Fortune 100 company, Honeywell invents and manufactures technologies that address some of the world’s most critical challenges around energy, safety, security, productivity and global urbanization. Our connected portfolio of products, services and software spans multiple industries and is able to deliver end-to-end solutions that improve quality of life for people around the globe. www.honeywell.com

Paxton10 delivers out of the box access control, IP video management and building automation. It interfaces with existing building infrastructure to control lighting, heating, air conditioning, intruder and fire alarms. The system comprises a web-based user interface for easy building management and a selection of discreet hardware. www.paxton10.com

NorthQ is a Danish IoT manufacturer which specializes in developing home automation and energy management solutions. Company’s products serve as an innovative tool to track, control and optimize energy consumption.

Our vision, A New Way of Living, entails responsibility for the environment and conscious decision-making regarding the energy we use on a daily basis.

Our newest product, the Q-Reader is a universal meter reader providing real-time data from various electricity, gas, heat, and water meters. www.northq.com

EcoStruxure™ With Innovation At Every Level, we are redefining power and automation for a new world of energy. We operate in over 100 countries with around 144,000 employees worldwide. www.schneider-electric.com

Building technology with its integrated disciplines such as building automation, fire safety, security, lighting, and lowvoltage power distribution is often indispensable and forms the heart of a Total Building Solution from Siemens. www.buildingtechnologies. siemens.com

Trend is one of the world’s leading Building Energy Management Systems manufacturers, with a worldwide distribution and support network covering over 50 countries.

Its fully integrated control solutions are able to meet the most complex requirements of modern buildings. www.trendcontrols.com

Artificial Intelligence for Smarter Homes. The Viva Smart Home Platform is a turn-key white label platform that uses artificial intelligence to learn family behaviour and automatically programme smart home services.

Service Providers can launch plugand-play products and services, like home security, heating, lighting and home protection, which improve family life for everyday living rather than being a throwaway gadget. www.meetviva.com

PRODUCT LISTINGS

With subsidiaries and representative offices in 11 countries, FERMAX is placed among the most important brands in the world. At Fermax, we have been cultivating our passion for design, technology and innovation for the past 65 years. www.fermax.com

Desigo – the state-of-the-art building automation system One system for all requirements of an intelligent building

siemens.com/desigo