‘Is it warm enough for you here?’ Just a question that can pop up on the screen of the little box on your desk. That box is the ‘climate feedback panel’ of ACS Connected Buildings. Sensors inside the box constantly measure the climate. Turning down the thermostat by 1 degree saves energy. Do people start to ‘squeal? Then it’s time to stop cutting down on the temperature.

Cutting down till they squeal, is the name of the pilot of ACS Connected Buildings as part of 5Groningen. A project that turns North Groningen into thé testing ground for the latest generation of mobile internet. Entrepreneurs and not-for-profit organizations work together with experts to test 5G applications.

Faster and more economical data transmission with 5G
ACS Connected Buildings is engaged in climate control in buildings. “We work with ‘cloud-based software’, an innovative concept that allows us to gather and analyze data and as a result anticipate, in order to save as much energy as possible,” explains project leader Willemijn Visscher. “For our data transmission we now often rely on the network of the customer. Which is why 5G is so important to us.”

Gathering feedback from users
The pilot has two objectives. Visscher: “Initially we want to measure how users experience the climate and how far we can go with energy-saving measures. When do people start complaining. Actually, research shows that people need some fluctuation in temperature during the day, for example right after lunch time. Besides, in a hot summer or cold winter, it’s not comfortable if after a few days, the temperature inside differs too much from the temperature outside. Our climate feedback sensors allow us to monitor this closely and to ask users for feedback by means of the little box on the desk. Next to temperature, the sensors also measure CO2, humidity, particular matter and vibrations.”

An independent network
Another goal is to monitor the data transmission using 5G. “With 5G we can progress towards wireless equipment. That saves a lot of money, as cabling is quite expensive. Another benefit of 5G is the precise positioning. As a result, we know exactly where we need to intervene. That 5G requires little energy is an added bonus. The biggest advantage is that we no longer have to rely on the network of the customer. That makes our offer instantly more attractive.”

Testing at four locations
At the moment, ACS Connected Buildings is still working on its Proof of Concept. From March 2019 onwards, testing will begin at four locations in North Groningen. “We will install our system in a school, an office and the university library, for example. Until July we will be testing coverage and the gathering of data.”

Together with VodafoneZiggo
VodafoneZiggo provides the 5G services. “ACS Connected Buildings operates internationally. That is why we have chosen to work with VodafoneZiggo since they also operate on an international scale. They actively contribute ideas and introduced us, for example, to suppliers. They also familiarized us with some hardware products.”

Read more about 5Groningen