Moving Walls? Not a problem for Echoflex Lighting Controls

Olympic Village retrofit applies EnOcean energy harvesting & wireless technologies - reduces renovation costs 70%

[March 11, Whistler, British Columbia] Echoflex Solutions, a leading provider of EnOcean-enabled lighting controls, built peerless flexibility into Olympic Village town homes undergoing significant floor plan re-configurations. Now that the Olympic and Paralympic Games are coming to a close, walls will be removed in order to revert back to floor plans more suitable for single families. Rooms that were bedrooms for athletes will become living and dining areas. In order to keep pace with major re-configurations, Cheakamus Crossing Village managers chose energy harvesting and wireless controls from Echoflex Solutions – saving them 70% in installation and renovation costs when compared to hardwired solutions ($1000 per unit in renovation repair costs).

This lighting control application is unique; but illustrates the benefits of self-powered wireless controls and how the technology could be applied widely. The EnOcean wireless system succeeded where wired and other wireless solutions failed. Hardwired solutions proved more costly and non-EnOcean wireless solutions proved flawed (non-EnOcean controls caused lights in neighbouring units to be unintentionally turned on and off). Since they are wireless, EnOcean-enabled controls defeated the excessive costs of fishing wires through walls and ceilings. Furthermore, the controls will eliminate costs of removing wiring and repairing spaces after the winter games are over. Factory-set unique IDs overcame the problems encountered by non-EnOcean wireless solutions.

Built-in Flexibility. Most buildings undergo some renovation over a 20-year span. It is good practice to plan for flexibility. In this installation, $1000 per room was saved by bypassing wired limitations via wireless communications. In addition to the benefits of wireless, the lighting controls are also self-powered. The light switches harvest energy from motion caused by each press of the switch. The motion energy harvesting module inside each light switch will provide maintenance-free operations for 20+ years. No batteries are required for operation and the switches can be moved according floor plan changes or tenant preferences.

About Echoflex Solutions
A leader in technology and design, Echoflex Solutions, Inc. was established to provide control solutions for lighting, temperature and process applications based on the EnOcean wireless standard. Echoflex product development seeds market interest to then assist manufacturers and integrators in implementing EnOcean based solutions. Combined with extensive engineering, production and operations experience in the building control and automation market, Echoflex has the resources to manage your most challenging project specifications from research and design to final assembly and production. You can learn more about Echoflex Solutions by visiting www.echoflexsolutions.com.

About EnOcean, Inc.
EnOcean (www.enocean.com), the inventor of energy harvesting wireless sensor networks, manufactures energy harvesting and radio modules that enable OEMs to develop wireless sensors, switches and controls for BAS (Building Automation Systems). The batteryless radio modules convert ambient solar, thermo and motion energy into electrical energy that powers energy management systems. These ‘peel-n-stick’ devices reduce the time, cost and occupant disruption of energy conservation retrofits; and provide unparalleled flexibility in new construction. The company is a spin-off of Siemens AG and U.S. operations are based in Boston, MA.

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