The typical building automation system (BAS) used to be hardwired to achieve connectivity between a building's sensors and switches, which is common within building environments. Usually for your building retrofits, battery-powered devices were added next for those hard-to-wire locations. But then you would have higher labor costs to contend with in managing battery replacement, the added cost of the new battery, and disposal. These types of challenges reduced broad market adoption. Today BASs have evolved, and now there is energy-harvesting wireless technology. This tackles many of the challenges hardwired and battery-operated devices are still grappling with, and it brings maintenance-free wireless sensor solutions for use in buildings and industrial installations.
The ISO/IEC 14543-3-10 standard covers the physical and data link layer, as well as the network layer. The equipment profiles of the EnOcean Alliance cover the application layer.
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has acknowledged the power of energy-harvesting technology, and as recently as March, it ratified the EnOcean radio protocol as an international standard. The ISO/IEC 14543-3-10 standard for wireless applications with ultra-low-power consumption is the first wireless standard that is also optimized for energy-harvesting solutions. This international standard sets the framework for achieving a fully interoperable, open wireless technology similar to such standards as Bluetooth and WiFi. The standard can be downloaded here.
There is a paradigm shift in the building automation industry in trying to eliminate costly installation challenges that have hindered buildings from being greener and more energy efficient. EnOcean tackled this challenge head-on in developing a bidirectional wireless protocol and a technology approach for building automation products (such as sensors, switches, and controllers) that are interoperable with one another, regardless of the manufacturer. It dives even deeper to achieve full interoperability by enabling other communication protocols such as TCP/IP. Technology is evolving quickly, and vendors and providers are finding it more beneficial to collaborate to bridge the connectivity gap in standardization and common communication protocols and design products using standards. Magnum Energy serves as an example, because the company collaborated and created wireless solutions that support integrators and building owners and gave them more energy management capabilities.
I see energy harvesting more and more in uC controlled, wirelessly connected industrial sensors and networks. There are also a lot of protocols for wireless connectivity (WiFi, Zigbee, etc.) that may help early adoption of this technology.
Agree. The ability to provide energy based on the actuation a device is quite interested. By pressing a button on a typical electric switch, packets of data can be transmitted to a near by receiver and its powered using the same mechanical action. The concept of Energy Harvesting seems like sci-fi but EnOcean has made it into reality. Truly amazing.
Interesting technology and just more evidence that wireless designs and automation are going to make a big impact in the years ahead, eliminating cabling and increasing the convenience and flexibility of systems.
misdirection of antiquated data processing instrumentation to provide better security for the status quo---metrology should play an important key in elevating design for functionality, as architecture, also designs for functionality where we would be living mostly below frostline, while saving on heating and cooling costs, paying for itself in a short time. We do everything all wrong, an extension of the academic caste system used to devide the classes, in all modes of living dictated into the pseudo-educational system, mostly
The EnOcean products are another forward step in ISA (Integrated Systems Automation) offered over the past several decades by little know companys to early adopter's such as military, government, commercial building owners, etc. The key however, to successful use of these emerging technology products is their installation by qualified and properly trained people.
This being said a user is well advised to check out the install contractor. The systems only work "as advertised" if properly installed, and may cause serious damage due to failure. To prevent this parallel or human overides should be considered upon installation and use.
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