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3 ways to architect your smart sensor system

The data that sensors can provide can be useful in a number of different ways, but too much data without a purpose is little use to anyone. It is important to consider how you will integrate this data in to your smart building ecosystem, in order to get the most value out of your sensors. This is a summary of some ways that you can integrate smart sensors in to your smart building. 

In reality, the type of system architecture you need depends on your main reasons for wanting to adopt the technology in the first place. Here’s a quick summary of the three different ways to introduce smart sensor technology into your building or home.

1. If you want to integrate data into your existing software or platform

If you already have an existing platform or software package, getting data from your smart sensors into such a system is clean and simple thanks to the Pressac EnOcean Gateway. The Gateway collects wireless data from the sensors, reformats it, and then forwards it on to the software package or database. 

The MQTT Protocol is widely used in the IoT world, and support for MQTT connections exists in many cloud and on-premises software packages. The Pressac Gateway has ready-made connections to Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Sheets and the Spacewell Energy Platform, as well as supporting multiple generic MQTT connections simultaneously. Pressac will work with you and your software provider to ensure a seamless connection between the Pressac EnOcean gateway and virtually any data handling or data storage platform, in the cloud or on premises. 

In a scenario where you already have a software package in place to handle and manage this data, this is the option for you. The sensors will report their values, and the gateway will pass that data to the software package in industry-standard JSON format to be broken down and processed. 

2. If you just want to automate control

Smart sensors can directly control automated building services, such as automated windows, lights or HVAC/Air handling units. 

This can be achieved locally using EnOcean Actuators – these are devices which listen to the sensors directly, without requiring a gateway or a cloud or software platform connection. 

The advantages of this approach are that no network connection is required, and no data is transferred across the network (which can impact the security of the site). However, it introduces multiple points of failure, and reduces the remote control and expandability of the system. Nowadays it is far more common to provide automation services through a software package, to allow everything to be centrally managed and controlled, but point-to-point control is possible using only Pressac’s wireless sensors and EnOcean’s actuators or controllers. 

3. If you want to integrate data into an existing building management system (BMS)

Pressac neither make nor sell software packages, and our hardware is entirely software-agnostic. If you don’t have an existing building management or data handling system, we have software partners with whom we can work closely to provide the solution that you need. 

Most software platforms are cloud-based, or have a cloud option, and using the cloud for sensor data handling is increasingly popular in the industry. As many packages are hosted by Amazon Web Services or Microsoft Azure, we maintain ready-made connections to those platforms. We also provide connectivity to Google Sheets, which provides you with linear data, should MQTT not be an option. 

Additionally, we offer specific support for certain software platforms, such as Spacewell Energy. Our gateway is under constant improvement – if your preferred software package requires a particular data format or connection type, then we can work with the providers to ensure a seamless connection in to virtually any data storage system. 

Whatever your needs, whether you have a software solution in mind, or only your desired objectives, Pressac’s technical experts can help you to build the solution that you need. 

Download our guide to discover how to turn your office into a smart office
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