IoT technologies in the housing industry - the path to carbon neutrality

Affordable housing and climate protection: requirements for the housing industry

Housing companies face a complex set of tensions: On the one hand, they need to meet increasing energy demands to make their portfolios fit for the future. On the other hand, they have to keep an eye on their own profitability and guarantee affordable housing for their tenants. Upgrading the technical infrastructure usually requires considerable investment, not to mention the availability of material and human resources. At the same time, cost pressures are increasing due to rising energy and carbon prices. Another challenge is the heterogeneity of the stock - from post-war buildings to modern apartment complexes, different building types and technical requirements have to be taken into account. In addition, there is a strong desire among tenants to be involved in the energy transition.

IoT solution for the housing industry

The integration of digital and smart technologies offers a promising approach to harmonising these requirements. Digital platforms can act as a central control centre, combining several aspects such as transparency, control and communication. They also make it possible to collect inventory and consumption data in real time, analyse it automatically and derive specific recommendations for action. The integration of different systems - from heating control and consumption monitoring to tenant communication - creates synergies. They reduce the administrative burden and can also lower operating costs. At this point, digitalisation creates the transparency needed to plan investments and monitor their effectiveness. This creates the flexibility to transparently analyse different building types and usage requirements.

In summary, intelligent IoT solutions play a key role in sustainably optimising energy consumption and achieving the ambitious climate targets we have set ourselves. Beyonnex, part of the noventic group, shows how smart solutions can be easily implemented in practice. The company specialises in providing the necessary digital infrastructure for intelligent heating solutions - turning theoretical energy transition options into economic and, above all, affordable innovations for the industry.

Our solutions enable the housing industry to seamlessly integrate sustainability and efficiency. The challenges of the energy transition require a holistic approach.

Smart Home for rented apartment buildings

The basis for carbon neutral buildings is a digital infrastructure. This is where the modular bxSUITE from beyonnex comes in, developed specifically for the needs of the housing industry. It enables the collection and intelligent processing of building data. The goal is sustainable control of energy flows. The suite provides a digital picture of the networked property - even for existing properties.

Various components support this:

• The bxInsight infrastructure hub manages the communication infrastructure in the building. It analyses and processes the data streams to and from the devices involved, such as smart thermostats.
• The beyonnex platform connects digital end devices, such as the smart thermostats mentioned above, to a central control unit. This enables housing companies to comprehensively analyse the energy consumption of individual apartments as well as targeted optimisation measures for the entire building. A concrete example is the automatic switching of large consumers such as heat pumps or the charging of electric cars: the networked infrastructure allows energy consumption to be specifically controlled and, if necessary, reduced at peak times - an important contribution to reducing costs for tenants, but also to protecting the environment.
• The bxHome app provides residents with an effective tool for monitoring their energy consumption, enabling them to save energy while optimising their home comfort and indoor climate. The app, available for Android and Apple devices, is seamlessly integrated into the bxSUITE and enables households in apartment blocks to play an active role in the energy transition.
• In administration, housing companies benefit from the bxBilling software. It enables the flexible and automated determination of consumption data and the creation of heating and ancillary cost bills. In addition, the recording and transfer of consumption and service charges as well as other relevant data to external billing providers can also be integrated.
• The bx360° communication platform is available for digital customer service, in which all resident enquiries relating to the services offered are bundled. Questions and answers about other housing solutions, such as smoke alarms, can also be integrated.

With our IoT technology, we are creating the conditions to not only make buildings more energy-efficient, but also to operate them more economically. We focus on collecting and analysing data in order to derive specific measures to save energy and reduce CO₂. It is particularly important to us that our solutions are practicable and cost-effective for both existing properties and new builds. The positive feedback from the housing industry confirms that we are on the right track.

How housing companies benefit

The flexibility of these systems means that they can be retrofitted to existing buildings as well as integrated into new developments. The scalable technology adapts to individual requirements. Housing associations benefit from improved transparency in day-to-day operations, better planning of investments and more economical management of their services.

Conclusion

The digital transformation of the housing industry is a crucial step towards energy transition and climate neutrality. With the right digital tools, this challenge can be met efficiently and sustainably, even for smaller housing companies. The integration of various intelligent systems and their digital data processing facilitates operations and thus supports the long-term strategic planning of the sector.