Success Stories

Internet of Things Success Stories Series #3
Open IoT Smart Campus
The LED lamps installed at the greenhouse
module are controlled by a device
called BatDimmer, which regulates the
illumination level. Besides, luminosity,
temperature and humidity are measured
at different areas of the module thanks
to the BatSense, an ambient multi-sensor
device. An ad-hoc application has
been developed, where illumination level
can be set manually or automatically,
obeying a predefined schedule.
Figure 6. Greenhouse module and water-resistant enclosure for the BatSense
Smart Building pilot
The Research Centre for Smart Buildings and Energy Efficiency
(CeDInt) is a multi-disciplinary R&D centre comprising
different facilities. Although built recently (2005), energy
consumption is huge, especially that corresponding to HVAC
and illumination. In order to reduce energy consumption, HVAC
and illumination systems control needed to be improved.
Some control solutions have been developed for this purpose.
Controlling HVAC system, for instance, has been a challenge,
since each person behaves differently to temperature variations.
Taking this into account, a new control mechanism has
been designed. It adapts the temperature set point in function
of ambient parameters (both indoor and outdoor), the users’
preferences (it learns from the user interaction with the HVAC
controls) and building energy strategies.
BatSense devices equipped with illumination, temperature,
humidity and presence sensors have been installed all around
the building. On the other hand, as in the pilot described in
section 3, disaggregated power consumption can be monitored
with a new BatMeter device, capable of measuring up to
18 lines at the same time (Fig. 7).
For now, the new HVAC mechanism is being probed, testing
different algorithms and managing diverse sets of input parameters.
Besides, the monitoring and starting analysis of
consumption and ambient data has helped to reduce energy
consumption by improving awareness of building users.
Figure 7. BatMeter device installed at panel board and BatMeter frontal view
Smart Home pilot
Although the energy management systems are being increasingly
integrated in buildings and other public infrastructures,
the residential market appears to be reluctant to embrace this
kind of solutions. Main causes are the cost, installation difficulties
and the integration with other systems.
In order to increase users’ awareness and attract more residential
users, a new solution, called BatHome (Fig. 8) has been
designed and developed. BatHome consists on a BatMeter
device to monitor the overall home energy consumption (and
when possible, separated lines dedicated to different uses as
illumination, loads, etc.) and three BatPlug devices, capable
of measuring power consumption of an individual electrical
equipment and of turning it ON/OFF remotely. All devices are
wireless linked to a gateway which is connected to the internet
router. A web application (Fig. 9) allows the remote monitoring
and control of the appliances connected to the BatPlugs.
BatHome system has been delivered to 20 test users, who
have used them for three months now and have provided technicians
with interesting feedback.
Internet of Things • Success Stories 56 SERIES #3 - November 2015