EnOcean Solutions Are Free from Batteries, Wires
The EnOcean Alliance , a consortium of companies dedicated to the advancement of sustainable building automation, has realized the promise of battery-less and wire-free control systems in terms of natural resource preservation. More than 100,000 buildings worldwide have been fitted with the consortium's controls.
Buildings fitted with self-powered wireless controls use 30 percent less wire than wired solutions do. The savings in wire is attributed to the absence of wire between controls (sensors and switches) and controlled devices (lights, heating units, air conditioning, etc.). In addition to being wireless, the controls operate without batteries. EnOcean-enabled controls house energy harvesters.
Starting with six founding promoters one year ago, the Alliance has grown to an international organization with more than 100 members from 20 different countries. Members have taken extraordinary measures to simplify the way that energy-stingy lighting and HVAC controls are installed.
EnOcean, the inventor of self-powered wireless sensor and switch modules, manufactures radio modules and energy harvesters that enable building automation systems. The battery-free modules (powered by ambient sources of solar, thermal, and mechanical energy) simplify sustainable green building development by replacing system wires with self-powered wireless links. The company, a spin-off of Siemens AG, has its U.S. operations based in Boston, Mass.
Building sector companies worldwide formed the EnOcean Alliance, a nonprofit organization, and established automation solutions for sustainable building projects. The Alliance aims to standardize and internationalize EnOcean wireless technology and is dedicated to creating interoperability between the products of OEM partners. More than 100 companies currently belong to the Alliance, which is headquartered in San Ramon, Calif.