LoRaWAN - cost-effective and secure access to buildings, systems and consumption meters without a network connection

The topic of LoRa WAN is attracting huge interest: a large number of participants registered for the Zoom webinar organized by cooperation partners ICONAG Leittechnik from Idar-Oberstein and Ingenieurbüro H. Lertes from Rüsselsheim. Daniel Rörich (ICONAG) and Hermann Lertes spoke about the areas of application and strengths of the system.

For 60 minutes, the speakers explained how LoRa WAN technology works and how efficiently sensor and system data from properties and buildings can be integrated into the MBE system B-CON. B-CON is the manufacturer-neutral management and operating device with energy management from ICONAG.

"The wireless collection of energy and environmental data is the future," says Hermann Lertes. "Everyone's talking about IoT, we're doing it!" He describes the LoRa base station system from Lertes: "It is an extension of the existing MiDASS / RmCU concept to connect consumption meters and smart city sensors with a LoRa WAN interface to higher-level portals such as energy and building management systems. The LoRa base stations and LoRa gateways can be used to set up self-sufficient LoRa networks that do not require an Internet cloud server.

The practical applications of LoRa-WAN in the field of building automation relate on the one hand to room automation (recording sensor values in buildings, for example temperature, humidity, air quality, window contact switches, brightness, movement...) and the switching of radiator thermostats, for example. In system automation, the technology enables the recording of system statuses (operating and fault messages, temperatures, pressures, fieldbus couplers...) and the switching of system releases, for example. For energy data acquisition, measured energy values are recorded (energy meters with LoRa WAN radio modules, fieldbus couplers, S0 pulse switches, etc.).

The LoRa WAN has particular strengths, which Daniel Rörich lists: High ranges/penetration, insusceptibility to interference, low installation costs, long battery life due to low energy consumption, intelligent network, ADR (autonomous battery and range management).

By using the B-CON management and operating functions, LoRa WAN devices can be easily integrated into building automation systems, for example for alarm and event management, trend management, system visualization and energy management. "A key argument for this solution compared to other energy management systems is that the ICONAG software can be expanded and is therefore suitable as an entry-level solution," emphasizes Christian Wild. "It can intervene in existing devices. In addition, data is not collected in data graveyards, but is actually used for energy savings."

You can find more information on this and an overview of future ICONAG practical seminars and project planning training courses on the subject of expert knowledge on our website.

The ICONAG MBE (Management and Operating Equipment) software has been certified as a B-AWS (BACnet Advanced Workstation) according to the current BACnet Revision 19.