Interior view of an illuminated car park

Intelligent light management

Modern sensor technology with high-performance communication hubs can help to operate commercial properties, from office buildings to event halls, in a sustainable and cost-effective manner.

Intelligent sensors in combination with network technologies such as Bluetooth Mesh or Wirepas serve as the basis for building automation and IoT solutions. The networks are optimised for the control and communication of sensors and the development of large-scale device networks, and enable impressive energy savings.

Networkable sensors

With its own SENSOTEC product portfolio, STEINEL Solutions offers intelligent standard sensors for light management. SENSOTEC sensors are compact in design and easy to integrate into existing lighting solutions. They detect presence, light intensity and many other parameters with zone accuracy.

Sensor modules for commercial lighting have long been equipped with technologies that can detect movement in building sections and parameterise individual lights in operation. However, there was previously the problem of different, proprietary approaches: the sensors were not compatible with each other and needed additional gateways to be functional. Data exchange and central data analysis were associated with high costs.

STEINEL Solutions achieves compatibility by integrating a network technology such as Bluetooth Mesh or Wirepas. The network allows the installation of the SENSOTEC sensors to be prepared offline, so that the lights can be quickly put into operation on site later. The sensors are initialised and configured via the web and mobile app.

This control app is easy for any facility manager to use. It is possible to freely define luminaire groups with configurable behaviour. This means, for example, that only certain required areas are illuminated. An app not only makes the solution easy to use, but also future-proof in the long term. This way, further developments for controlling the sensor networks can be easily installed via the app using firmware updates.

Wireless networking also has an advantage in the retrofit area: if a lighting system is to be modernised, it can be retrofitted without adjustments to existing installations. This makes previous wired lighting systems, with their high installation costs and efforts for renovations, a thing of the past.

Network technology

Floor plan divided into different lighting zones to visualise building management systems

All sensors from STEINEL's SENSOTEC NET portfolio can be networked using the two network technologies Bluetooth Mesh or Wirepas.

Bluetooth Mesh offers maximum reliability, scalability and compatibility for commercial building automation. In addition to its high reliability, the widespread use and connectivity via smartphones is an enormous advantage of the Bluetooth standard.

Wirepas does not require a central control unit, which makes the network particularly robust and resilient. This decentralised topology ensures that the network remains functional even if individual nodes fail. Another outstanding advantage is its scalability.

Armin Jud, Business Development & SENSOTEC at STEINEL Solutions Ltd.

"Each company has to decide for itself which technology standard to choose. Every technology has its pros and cons. The decision is often based on compatibility considerations with other technologies already implemented in the company."

SENSOTEC contact

Energy savings, efficient processes, better land use

The networkable SENSOTEC sensors provide building operators with numerous smart optimisation options:

Optimise building management: Energy data and power consumption can be measured with pinpoint accuracy. Unnecessary power consumption is detected immediately, and costs are saved. Some customers achieve energy savings of over 90 per cent, making their buildings more efficient and environmentally friendly.
Optimise space utilisation: Heat maps provide precise information about the actual number of people in commercial properties. They show where there is potential for optimising space utilisation. The information from the sensor networks can be used, for example, to collect and evaluate data on the utilisation of flexible office workstations. This provides a reliable overview of actual demand and more efficient building utilisation.
Optimising processes: STEINEL Solutions customers could use the data to redesign processes. For example, automated cleaning processes in hotels: cleaning staff receive information via Bluetooth Mesh as to whether a guest has already left their room. This means that staff do not have to search for available rooms and can work more quickly.

Lighting installations as IT infrastructure for smart building management

In the future, all the information that sensors could potentially receive can be centrally recorded and analysed via networked lights. "Our vision for the future is to use light installations as central IT backbones for various building automation requirements," says Andrea Lachner. "With intelligent lighting sensors networked by a communication technology such as Bluetooth Mesh or Wirepas, a higher-level IT infrastructure is created. This then includes, for example, the control of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, shading using blinds and control via window contacts."

The feedback from customers who already use a smart light management solution is extremely positive. In addition to the short-term savings that can be achieved through greater energy efficiency, the simple and reliable operation of the sensors via a smartphone app is impressive. It also lays the foundation for future wireless IoT networking and building automation.

Portrait of Andrea Lachner, SENSOTEC Business Development at STEINEL Solutions AG

Andrea Lachner, Business Development & SENSOTEC at STEINEL Solutions Ltd.

"The future of building technology lies in intelligent networking. With solutions such as Bluetooth Mesh or Wirepas, we not only create efficient lighting systems, but also lay the foundation for a comprehensive, flexible IT infrastructure in modern buildings. Our goal is to meet the building automation requirements of tomorrow, today."

SENSOTEC contact

Networked sensor technology in luminaires offers much more than just lighting. It opens up new possibilities for building automation by transforming lighting installations into central IT backbones. The team at STEINEL is not only a leader in development and implementation, but also in providing solutions that simplify everyday facility management and shape the future of intelligent building technology.

Our SENSOTEC sensors in use

✓ Lighting warehouse
✓ Lighting car park
✓ Lighting building