Energy savings, a major issue for the coming century
To comply with the Paris Agreement, France is obligated to renovate 34 million housing units over the next 30 years. All players in the real estate sector must mobilize to achieve these goals and comply with regulations.
Building and renovating homes or commercial premises while preserving the environment is now imperative. How can IoT serve as a catalyst for the energy and environmental performance of buildings?
IoT: Radio Technologies Adapted for Key Information Retrieval
IoT in Smart Building allows for the connection of all types of sensors simply and cost-effectively. To optimize a building’s energy consumption, it’s necessary to measure consumption accurately to identify areas for improvement. In this case, Smart Building is realized through specific sensors placed in different parts of the building depending on the data to be collected. By connecting them, it is possible to analyze water, gas, and electricity consumption, as well as to record temperatures or air quality indicators. This first step allows optimization of consumption and ensures user comfort. Thus, a reading indicating a temperature too high in relation to predefined parameters will trigger corrective actions to reduce heat. The same applies to poor air quality, which impairs work performance.
Many IoT technologies can connect sensors. Specifically, LoRaWAN® technology, one of the most widespread, is very easy to install and operate as it does not require heavy infrastructure.
LoRa® technology allows connecting sensors with several years of autonomy, thus reducing the maintenance costs of the fleet of connected devices. With radio antenna coverage of several kilometers, it enables public operators to offer national coverage with advanced service and security levels.
The data provided by the sensors is accessible in the cloud via IP through APIs or business platforms. These platforms allow data to be presented to users so they can visualize and analyze it before making decisions.
Renovation and construction stand to gain from becoming “Smart”
Beyond the energy optimization which can lead to savings of more than 20% on bills, other use cases benefit from IoT technologies.
In the tertiary sector, the major issue is space optimization. The high cost per square meter in many areas encourages companies to reconsider space utilization to optimize each square meter. With presence sensors spread throughout meeting rooms and offices, it’s possible to adjust the actual square meterage needed or facilitate building use by employees.
Building service operators can use multifunction sensors to connect devices such as HVAC or boilers to remotely control all installations and plan maintenance operations more efficiently.
Training: a necessity for Smart Building development
The benefits of IoT for businesses are clear: it is easy to install – it involves no cables, its cost is low – in comparison to other technologies – and many sensors and solutions are available on the market.
However, the expansion of new technologies requires building professionals to enhance their skills. Training in the deployment of IoT devices, in configuration, and in the use of business platforms is now possible with some IoT actors.
Naturally, schools also have a crucial role to play in the future of Smart Building. CentraleSupélec has launched its first IoT curriculum, and many engineering or vocational training programs now incorporate these technologies into their curricula. This will increase the number of professionals proficient in the technology and accelerate the deployment pace in buildings across France.
Christophe Fouillé, Marketing Manager at Objenious