Making buildings intelligent is becoming easier thanks to a new partnership between GE Energy and German technology company EnOcean.
EnOcean's battery free wireless technology is being integrated into GE's HabiTEQ building control and automation systems providing installers and architects with the flexibility to install applications in locations where it is not currently practical to connect with existing devices.
HabiTEQ systems deliver enhanced energy efficiency and consumer convenience through the control of energy usage in both domestic and commercial buildings. Wireless systems make installation cheaper and simpler and also offer aesthetic and practical benefits such as the ability to fit devices such as sensors and ultra-thin switches on glass panels or in historic buildings.
EnOcean equipped devices are zero maintenance and "harvest" energy from ambient heat and light or from a switch being pressed which, together with the reduced need for batteries, makes them an environmentally friendly way of increasing efficiency.
GE Energy's partnership with EnOcean was announced during an event for French press and trade, June 6, at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, which showcased pre-launch examples from the a range of over fifty HabiTEQ wireless products which will be made available in spring 2012.
HabiTEQ is a flexible integrated system that runs a building's functional subsystems, including lighting, heating, ventilation and security from a central control unit operated via a control panel or on-line. It can be programmed with a personal computer and can also operate automatically or in response to environmental stimulus; e.g. changing the heating in a room in response to changes in external temperature, time of day or human presence. This enables the sort of energy efficient interaction between the subsystems that is almost impossible with conventional technology. In addition most HabiTEQ devices are equipped to measure energy usage, enabling users to identify further opportunities to reduce costs.
Each HabiTEQ system is bespoke made to deliver the combination of flexibility, energy efficiency and convenience that each building and customer requires. It can incorporate a building's electrical protection and arrives on site as a pre prepared "plug and play" system requiring only a competent electrician to get things up and running and can be configured to manage renewable inputs such as solar panels or electric vehicle chargers and enable utilities implement the smart energy technologies.
