Office building: Light management with PlanoCentro KNX presence detector
Since March 2012 flush ceiling-mounted PlanoCentro KNX presence detectors from ThebenHTS have detected all movements in Aesculap AG's open-plan office in Tuttlingen.
The story of medical technology was written in Tuttlingen. Surgical instruments and state-of the art implant technology from the city on the Upper Danube are used worldwide. Aesculap AG is part of the B.Braun Group and thereby one of the global leaders in the field of medical technology.
Framed by the modern architecture of the Aesculapium and highly technical production plants, the historic Aesculap building is a Tuttlingen landmark. The industrial architecture of 1898 is listed and is now used as office space. The historic exterior of the building houses modern offices that meet the demands of today's working environment. That's why it's now being modernised. In updating the electrical installations and room lighting, the company is focusing on energy efficiency. PlanoCentro KNX presence detectors from Theben provide optimum lighting conditions in the modern design of the rooms.
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| The 1898 Aesculap building by industrial architects Philipp Jakob Manz |
Presence detectors tried and tested
The Aesculap office concept sets out clear requirements for lighting control: 鈥淣o more manual switches as the lighting in the room should be set automatically to meet the employees鈥 requirements.鈥 Explained system administrator Patrick Lochbaum. In the central area, with its printer section, communications corner, cafeteria and access to the work stations, eight presence detectors, discretely mounted in the ceiling, register all movement by staff and visitors. The decision to opt for the PlanoCentro KNX presence detector, with its 鈥渋F product design award 2010鈥, took account of the flat flush-mounted design and its functionality.
Presence signal for HVAC
Anybody in the detection can rely on pleasant lighting (500 lux). Natural daylight can reduce the need for artificial lighting here as the Plano-Centro KNX presence detector is equipped with a constant light control. The devices are set to fully automatic with the exception of the two meeting rooms. The light is turned on via a wall switch and off automatically after the presence signal stays off and a self-taught run-on time is completed. The presence signal is also used to switch from standby and comfort mode with HVAC. Switch-on delay and run-on time of the relevant presence channel thereby prevents brief reactions. The lighting for workstations equipped with floor lamps are also switched on and off automatically. Employees can operate the dimmer function individually and manually. The brightness in the central area is reduced by ten per cent if it is unoccupied. Complete darkness outside working hours only happens if the 鈥淥ff command鈥 comes from the building management system. And this can be overridden by people working late using an emergency switch.
Energy comparisons old and new
These and other functions ensure energy efficiency, security and the feeling of well-being. Everybody at Aesculap is justifiably proud of the successful integration of the different bus systems used: 鈥淭he main control is a central SPS where we bring together the KNX (EIB) bus technologies, of the presence detector, BACnet IP of the HVAC technology, DALI for the lighting and Enocean radio control of window contacts and temperature sensors,鈥 explained Markus Stoll. It also connected to the building management system at the same time. The SPS controller provides direct visualisation for local controls. And even the lighting power consumption is recorded. In future, this will be used to compare power consumption
in new and old offices and will demonstrate whether the predicted savings of 40 to a maximum of 70 per cent can be achieved.
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| Visualisation of current performance: Divided into lighting and power consumption of office devices such as computers etc.. |
Reference (pdf)
"Light management with PlanoCentro KNX presence detector at Aesculap AG."
Image source: With the friendly permission of Aesculap AG