Initiatives will include webinars and training, as well a pilot Smart Spaces project package for an office environment.
“Energy harvesting sensors are the ‘secret ingredient’ that can reduce the financial impact of reopening facilities whilst maintaining a safe distance between occupants as well as very high standards of hygiene,” said Graham Martin, Chairman and CEO of EnOcean Alliance. “The new requirement to keep workers safe is completely in line with the established trends towards smart spaces and smart buildings. The Alliance and its members are already supporting these trends through the deployment of smart, connected and battery-free sensors, and will now pivot to support the creation of ‘safe and smart’ spaces.”
Taking the example of offices, Martin pointed out that the need to maintain social distancing put new pressure on office infrastructure. He said, “Companies will have to reduce the occupancy of their spaces, so making those spaces smart can mitigate the financial impact by ensuring that they are used to their safe capacity, and serviced, heated and ventilated in line with actual usage.”
Sensors based on EnOcean energy harvesting technology are cable free, so are suitable for retro-fits and can be relocated as facilities respond to the changing coronavirus situation. They are also maintenance free.
Pre-COVID estimates have shown that organisations can save 20% of their cleaning costs and 30% of their energy costs by implementing a smart spaces strategy and the Alliance believes that these savings will be higher in the new, socially distanced, workplace.
