BSC Computer becomes a promoter of the EnOcean Alliance

A member of the EnOcean Alliance since its formation, BSC Computer integrates the energy harvesting technology in its infrastructure solutions for building management and will present its latest innovations at the upcoming ISH 2011 show in Frankfurt (Alliance booth D10, Hall 10.2). As an EnOcean Alliance promoter, BSC Computer will invest its technical expertise in continuing the development of the EnOcean standard. Alliance members recently published a new version of the open specification, for the first time featuring profiles for bidirectional device communication.

Established in 2008, the EnOcean Alliance now totals over 170 members worldwide, nine with promoter status. Members integrate EnOcean's self-powered wireless technology in their building services and electronic solutions, drawing energy from their surroundings – from motion, light or temperature differences. There are already some 700 products for home, building and industrial automation enabled by this technology.

Controlling a building over the internet

BSC Computer integrates EnOcean's wireless technology in its BSC-BoSe embedded intelligence system. This building management system is set up on TCP/IP to enable the use of internet connectivity plus maintenance-free EnOcean technology to implement cost-effective and flexible homes. This means all internet- and network-enabled end devices – such as PCs or smart phones – can be used to control building automation. Matching Apps are available for both iPhone and Android. Visualisation of readings – electricity, water and gas for instance – additionally allows the user to monitor specific conditions and consumption in a building, and immediately recognise energy-saving potential. The BSC system is highly suitable for smart metering and smart grid purposes in both private households and public, commercial or industrial buildings.

We recognised the enormous prospects for EnOcean's batteryless wireless technology early on, says Jörg Hofmann, managing director of BSC Computer, and successfully integrated it in our embedded intelligence system. But we haven't tapped its full potential by any means. For this reason, we are taking a more active participation in the EnOcean Alliance, cooperating with other members to promote integration of the technology in TCP/IP communication systems.

Bidirectional and interoperable

The work of EnOcean Alliance members continuously focuses on creating seamless communication between different EnOcean enabled devices and standardising the technology on an international level. In the new version of the EnOcean Equipment Profiles (EEP 2.1) the technical working group of the Alliance has further developed interoperability between the products of a number of product manufacturers. The expanded specification has already been published, containing approximately 100 profiles for the development of a variety of building automation solutions. These include switches, remote controls, sensors, combined sensors and data of every kind. In the new version the EnOcean Alliance has also, for the first time, specified profiles detailing bidirectional communication between different kinds of devices. This enables manufacturers to develop products that both send and receive information – showing the way to entirely new possibilities in building and process automation.