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The automation of buildings has been accelerating over the past two decades. In the past, one main aim – at least for smart homes - was to bring intelligent control to the operation of TV, home cinema, HiFi, door access and other domestic equipment. However, the latest such products are increasingly supplied with the control and connectivity built in, so ‘intelligence’ is now almost a commodity item. Today, the real advances are in providing intelligent control to buildings and their electrical/electronic equipment to make them more secure, save energy and control their climate to maximise occupant comfort and safety. Intelligence in homes and other buildings is now such an important and fast-growing sector, that Voltimum UK has formed an ‘Expert Group’ with its manufacturing and industry partners. Voltimum managing editor James Hunt introduces the topic:
In Europe, the criteria for energy efficiency in buildings is detailed in EN 15232 - the allocation into energy efficiency classes A to D as the basis for the evaluation. In the UK, the 2011 Carbon Plan, DECC set out four various scenarios to achieve reductions in greenhouse gases of 80% between 1990 and 2050 - set against a 2007 baseline.
The automation of buildings can help achieve such environmental aims, so the technologies involved are becoming ever more important and widely used. They represent excellent opportunities for electrical contractors and installers to gain new business, albeit with proper training.
Reflecting this growing importance, Voltimum UK and its partners involved in building intelligence have formed the 'Smart Homes and Automated Buildings Expert's Panel'. Its members will meet regularly, with the aim of bringing smart home and building automation issues and opportunities to both manufacturers and to Voltimum UK users. The Group will issue technical white papers about smart homes, intelligent buildings, and related equipment. It will provide webinars and seminars, and will answer frequently asked and specific questions.
The Voltimum UK Partners currently involved are: ABB, BEAMA, Eaton, Horstmann, Legrand and Schneider Electric with other leading manufacturers and organisations soon to join.
Building intelligence & communication:
The demand for energy saving, comfort and versatility in the management of lighting, HVAC and access control systems in domestic homes, offices, public, retail and industrial buildings is fast increasing. This can only be achieved efficiently and cost-effectively using intelligent control. All related products and systems will also need constant monitoring.
Applications include the control and monitoring of lighting, climate control, energy management, security, sun protection, and many more, as well as the building's communication systems.
One of the key issues that has held back take-up of intelligent building technologies - at least until recently - was that installations typically required ever more complex cabling and wiring, running from sensors and actuators to control and monitoring points. Such bulky and complicated wiring is expensive, difficult and time consuming to install, and can even increase fire risk. But this need no longer be the case, as the key to success today is to design, specify and install the products concerned so that they all communicate effectively over often just one bus cable via a single common language (protocol). What are these languages?
The main communication languages for such building applications are KNX, LonWorks and BACNet. To provide an idea about the importance of these protocols, taking KNX alone, over 170 internationally certified manufacturers are members of the KNX Association, while more than 22,000 qualified KNX partners plan, install and integrate KNX systems worldwide. As a result, thousands of buildings, ranging from private houses to airport complexes around the world, are equipped with more than 10 million KNX products.
However, there are other languages - some more specific such as the widely adopted DALI lighting protocol, plus EnOcean, Modbus, C-Bus, X10, Z-Wave and the open wireless protocol ZigBee, which is of growing importance. This is not an exhaustive list.
'Open' languages interconnect all of the components in an electrical installation to form a network that can guarantee the transparency and utilisation of information across the system. All users can 'communicate' via a single bus cable (or wirelessly) so that all of the different functional subsystems can be integrated inside a building, or group of buildings, possibly within the local area network (LAN), into a seamless solution.
Communication for connected devices and actuators in the system is implemented using data telegrams on the same bus cable. The sensors send commands, actuators 'listen' and then carry out defined functions (such as closing a window blind when a certain daylight level has been reached) as soon as they are addressed. Functions include group commands, logical sequences, control and regulation tasks.
Essentially, the bus (such as KNX) comprises a pair of twisted-pair wires that connect the devices. Over this cable, the data telegrams are transmitted, and the electronics of the bus devices are supplied with energy. Such systems can typically also be extended over Internet Protocol (IP) networks, and can also use radio frequency (RF) solutions - often known as 'wireless'. Linear, tree and star wiring configurations are usually possible, which provides high flexibility.
Note that Schneider Electric has introduced a new concept: 'Wiser Homes'. The company says that while smart homes are about technologies, Wiser Homes evolve around people, 'adding a new dimension - being Stylish, Living Well and Eco-friendly'. Wiser Home Control interlinks the electrical, multi-media and telecommunication worlds with a single solution - enabling homeowners to easily monitor, control and access their homes beyond physical boundaries anytime, anywhere, on mobile phones, computers, door entry systems, web tablets etc, with the same intuitive graphic interface. Even so, most people will include all this under the umbrella of 'smart homes'.
Much greater detail on protocols can be found can be found elsewhere at www.voltimum.co.uk/smartbuildings.
The devices and actuators:
Intelligent building bus devices are typically the sensors or actuators that control building management system (BMS) equipment. Using suitable language/protocol (like one of those listed above), the bus devices can exchange information via twisted pair, radio frequency (RF), power line or IP/Ethernet media.
Interlinking via just one bus greatly reduces both design and installation time. The installation is also 'future-proofed' to an extent, because it can be easily modified later for new applications or extended range. Such systems are suitable, therefore, for buildings, or groups of buildings, in a wide range of sizes.
Within the typical system, some or all sensors (such as buttons or motion detectors) are interconnected to the actuators (such as dimming and roller shutter actuators) via a data cable, rather than directly wired switches and consumers as with a conventional installation. The actuators then control the power circuit to the consumer.
The smart meter roll-out:
EU and UK-specific environmental mandates mean that smart meters are to be installed in most UK homes by 2019, and the UK Government has ruled that the mass roll-out of these devices must start by 2014.
According to a 2012 IMS Research (http://imsresearch.com) study, in the next five years, over £2.4 billion will be spent in the UK on smart home energy management devices, ranging from smart meters to in-home devices that can 'talk' to them. The projections included come from IMS Research's report entitled 'The World Market for Smart Home Energy Management Systems - 2012 Edition'.
Smart meters, which will become important components of all homes (and some other intelligent buildings), provide near-real time direct two-way communication between electricity (and/or gas) meters and utility companies via an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) network. This enables utilities to measure how much electricity consumers are using remotely and send signals back to the meter. Importantly from the smart home perspective, smart meters will also enable intelligent appliances and other household devices to turn off and on remotely to save energy.
Smart meters work in various ways, including an in-built SIM card to send the readings, while other suppliers are looking at long range radio to transmit the energy usage data from the home by an open (protocol) standard to display, PC, router etc., and then (through a trusted gateway) to the grid/supplier - all using the consumer's Internet or other connections. For smart homes, the aim will be to integrate smart meters with communications systems. This should reduce the use of energy in the home.
Consumers can benefit because they can much more clearly see how much energy they are using at any given time, and make savings accordingly. Some studies have shown that consumers can make energy savings of around 10%. There should be far fewer disputes over billing too. In addition, information could be provided about various measurements, weather data and tools for analysis and expert systems, where desired.
Smart meters, which will become an essential part of smart grids, will also support variable electricity tariffs, such as 'dynamic pricing'. This involves market-led tariffs, charging the highest unit prices when demand is greatest, and it helps avoid using the most costly and least environmentally-friendly power plants. Widespread load-shedding or demand-response programs should also be possible. This will help convert the national grid to a smart grid, eliminating costly energy demand peaks and troughs by varying prices according to demand, and changing the habits of household consumers. Note that electric vehicle (EV) charge points will also become part of smart homes, some intelligent buildings and the smart grid.
The mass smart meter roll-out will be expensive - Ofgem is reported to believe that this installation programme could cost £11 billion or more, and some fear that the energy companies will simply add this to the cost of energy. The long term benefits, however, should be huge.
And finally…
Clearly, there are fast growing smart home and intelligent building business opportunities for electrical contractors and installers. It is also clear that many such people are a little intimidated by the thought of installing intelligent building systems. Getting the proper training will be crucial for many, but the reality is that such systems are not as difficult to understand, install and commission as people often think. The possibilities for significant new business are certainly there for enterprising installers.
Most involved equipment manufacturers offer training courses, such as ABB, which has provided free e-learning modules on the Web. The list of topics is continuously updated. Schneider Electric is another (see elsewhere in this VoltiTECH).
Other organisations, such as the NICEIC will soon be offering training courses on smart meters, and already provide training on automation, including wireless RF controls, plus EV charging systems. BEAMA can provide much up-to-the-minute information through its Smart Housing Association (www.beama.org.uk/en/other-associations/smart-housing.cfm), and the organisation has held presentations about home control networking, digital homes and smart metering.
There is plenty of information available on line and elsewhere, and many organisations provide suitable training courses. Also go to the Smart Homes & Buildings Association (SH&BA) at www.shaba.eu.
For more information from Voltimum UK:
To learn more about smart homes and building automation, please see the rest of this VoltiTECH, and also click on the following links:
Automating buildings provides comfort with energy and money savings - www.voltimum.co.uk/news/18698/consult.experts_hottopics.SmartHome.Overview/automating-buildings-provides-comfort-with-energy-and-money-savings---voltimum.html
Integration possibilities with KNX demonstrated - www.voltimum.co.uk/news/13835/consult.experts_hottopics.SmartHome.Overview/integration-possibilities-with-knx-demonstrated.html
The smart revolution is coming, says BEAMA CEO - www.voltimum.co.uk/news/13840/consult.experts_hottopics.SmartHome.Overview/the-smart-revolution-is-coming--says-beama-ceo.html
Legrand's new dimension in wiring devices makes them ideal for smart homes - www.voltimum.co.uk/news/13836/consult.experts_hottopics.SmartHome.Overview/legrand-s-new-dimension-in-wiring-devices-makes-them-ideal-for-smart-homes.html
The benefits of joined up building services with KNX - www.voltimum.co.uk/news/13841/consult.experts_hottopics.SmartHome.Overview/the-benefits-of-joined-up-building-services-with-knx.html
The latest in smart homes for home automation and energy saving - www.voltimum.co.uk/news/13842/consult.experts_hottopics.SmartHome.Overview/the-latest-in-smart-homes-for-home-automation-and-energy-saving.html
Lighting controls and DALI - www.voltimum.co.uk/news/11631/consult.experts_hottopics.SmartHome.Overview/lighting-controls-and-dali.html
The smarter choice for efficient energy management - www.voltimum.co.uk/news/11619/consult.experts_hottopics.SmartHome.Overview/the-smarter-choice-for-efficient-energy-management.html
Schneider Electric shows how building systems get smart - www.voltimum.co.uk/news/11620/consult.experts_hottopics.SmartHome.Overview/building-systems-get-smart.html