Pilot Experiments
SMART BUILDINGS “MADE EASY”
Hungary / Dél-Alföld region
KET DIH – Szeged
Experiment objective
The project team delivered practical trainings and develop optimized solutions for different practical environment with the objective to make Smart Building functions available for all. The connectivity and automation functions of smart buildings were implemented by using Z-wave technology that is suitable also for smaller office buildings as well as individual homes and residential buildings.
The experimental deployment of this technology created technology pilot areas in the town of Szeged which can become reference sites for this technology within Dél-Alföld region. Partnerships with industrial clusters were established for demonstration purposes and also for vocational education (as practical skills development) for installation technicians with special attention to start-ups in construction sector.
Dissemination has been done via the online technology platform “tavvezerles.hu” within Hungary and also in the neighbouring countries.
Challenges
Electricity is ubiquitous and considered as basic utility that is well known and understood by an agile individual. The latest technological trends and the young generation that are familiar with informatics and communication technology, the basic features of connectivity and automation for smart buildings can be as widely understood and easy to install and repair as it is today with electricity in buildings.
Consequently, V-TEST and their regional partners intend to bring smart solution to buildings and to share knowledge that can make automation within buildings a well known and widely used utility. The challenge was how to make it clear for the users and how to implement user centred solutions in practice.
Implementation Solution
Our choice was Z-wave technology because it offers flexible solution for making homes “smarter” in function of needs and/or budget therefore it is especially suited to local market in Hungary. Alternatives – as competing technologies (Zigbee and Insteon) can offers bigger number of units being connected within a local mesh network and also use the powerlines to provide redundancy but their technological aspects do not place them in advantageous position for the Hungarian market.
As we intend to make this technology available for all, online configuration tool has been developed because it enables clients to make their technology implementation plan fully adjusted their individual needs.
Scope of service has been enlarged from home automation to smart technology development for smart buildings which created new opportunities on international level. First example is Biosistem SRL from Romania that received technology service with the support of DIH cooperation between DUTIREG and ASIMCOV from Romania.
Results Obtained
Our product range has been presented in various occasions which enabled us to implement user centric development of our services. The newly implemented feature for meeting the clients’ needs is now the automated online configuration tool that allows users to put together a tailor-made configuration of sensors and actuators for smart functions in buildings. The configuration result can be further adjusted by direct consultation therefore the time needed to plan and to implement practical solutions is greatly reduced. In addition, users feel that the final configuration of the technology is fully adjusted to their needs.
The service offer by V-TEST is now promoted within the Open Innovation Platform for Built Environment which is developed in cooperation with METABUILDING project and it will be put into operation in the 2nd half of 2021.
Impact of the experiment
New business model of V-TEST was developed with the help of DIH experts from DUTIREG. This process of service model development has been done as cross-border cooperation because DUTIREG brought in the expertise of Tehimpuls Association (coordinator of Digital Innovation Hub in Timisoara, Romania). Tehimpuls experts have brought practical knowledge and experience from the Digital Cities Challenge and now they work together with Arad and Timisoara cities in the European initiative of Intelligent Cities Challenge.
Further actions for technology dissemination were implemented within the scope of BRILLIANT project via online events in the first half of 2021. The workshops were linked to the ClusterXchange scheme therefore participants of the online events can make personal visits to meet V-TEST and the other members of MIENK cluster in the next months.
Dissemination
Information webinar about Smart Homes and Smart Lighting as use case example: http://szeged.digital/digital-construction
“Smart Building for Smart Cities” webinar with experience from Hungary: https://www.brilliantclusters.eu/clusterxchange-workshops/
On-line “Smart Building” planning tool for customers: https://tavvezerles.hu/?oldal=kalkulator