EnOcean in the world’s most energy efficient building
Energy Harvesting is at the heart of the technology championed by the EnOcean Alliance, and here at Incisor, we find this an interesting new slant. EnOcean solutions make use of energy created from slight changes in motion, pressure, light, temperature or vibration. The selfpowered wireless sensors, claims the EnOcean Alliance, help make buildings smarter, safer, more comfortable and more energy-efficient. One of the key benefits as far as the in-building systems designers are concerned is that there are no batteries to install and change on a regular basis - product manufacturers, building professionals and end-users can now realize the promise of battery-less and wire-free control systems. Because they are anchored by self-powered sensors and switches, EnOcean-enabled buildings are more flexible and cost-efficient to design, build and operate.
EnOcean is extending its reach into the market. The juwi Group, for example, is a leading developer of wind, solar and bio energy plant projects. Its newly built corporate headquarters in Wörrstadt, Rhine Hesse, Germany is considered to be the world's most energy-efficient office building. The building complex was awarded the German Climate Protection Prize 2008 of the German Environment Aid. The EnOcean system in the building has been implemented using a technoLink solution from Kieback&Peter.
The office complex, a wooden construction, is about 100 meters long and up to 30 meters in depth. In the three parts of the building, seven staggered floors offer about 8500 square meters of space for the offices of the 300 personnel plus space for communication, rest and recreation.
Energy efficiency and sustainability
The architecture, fittings and operation of the building are fully optimised for energy efficiency and sustainability. The aim is to generate more energy in the building in the course of a year than is consumed in it. The entire requirement - for electricity, heating and cooling - is produced on the spot from regenerative energy. 2100 square meters of photovoltaic modules deliver about 220,000 kilowatt-hours annually. A solar thermal plant, a pellets burner and three cogenerating stations with Stirling engines produce the necessary heat. Cooling is through the underfloor heating. The ventilation has a heat recovery rate of 80 to 90 percent. The entire energy generation and consumption of the building are constantly monitored by an energy management system.
Room automation with EnOcean
What is important for energy efficiency and comfort is the control of room temperature and air-conditioning in the office building. The technoLink system was installed for this purpose. Some 200 room TCF22 and TC22 temperature sensors communicate wirelessly with the FBR03-FTL room controllers, and more than 600 thermal actuators regulate the underfloor heating. Four DDC3002 automation stations from Kieback&Peter administer the data of the FBR room controllers. These also control the cooling and the RLT systems for the kitchen.
Integration in Neutrino-GLT
The automation system is centrally operated and monitored by the Neutrino-GLT building systems control from Kieback&Peter. The GLT can regulate the temperature for each part of the building by a weekly program. Fault messages are also indicated on the GLT. The data of the weather station on the roof are administered by the GLT and forwarded to the autonomous lighting and blinds control.
Room for all in the market?
EnOcean is competing in the same space as Z-Wave, Wavenis, ZigBee, possibly Bluetooth low energy, plus a number of proprietary wireless systems. It remains to be seen which technology will dominate in this sector, although, as noted elsewhere in this issue, ZigBee does seem to be gaining ground at an increasingly rapid rate.
Here at Incisor, we receive constant updates from market research companies, advising us of new reports and chunks of analysis on developments in the short-range sector. However, we haven’t seen anything of late that is covering this market. Perhaps it is time for someone to take an in-depth look at the market for low power, low data rate wireless in industrial and building automation?