Office spaces have become an important part of cities’ and people’s lives. On average, a full-time employee in the European Union works more than 40 hours per week, according to the EU statistics office1. Simultaneously, population in cities is expected to rise further as people move closer to their offices. This reflects a greater need for buildings to ensure well-being of people while also utilizing energy efficiently to build a sustainable future.
ABB is helping two newly constructed buildings in France to achieve this. ABB has provided its innovative KNX system, circuit breakers, switchboard solution and lighting system to Groupe Cardinal for the Organdi project – two eight-story buildings connected with footbridges.
The complex is designed to provide state-of-the-art office space that connects workspaces to outdoor areas such as balconies, walkways, terraces and winter gardens. The project will also offer services, such as restaurants, a nursery and a conference room, to provide employees a balanced and healthy environment.
ABB’s KNX system will allow the facility manager to control and remotely monitor heating, cooling, lighting and blinds from a remote control or a smartphone. This open standard solution offers much needed flexibility for the complex, allowing it to integrate different services within a single infrastructure.
In the EU, residential and commercial buildings account for about 40 percent of energy consumption and 36 percent of carbon emissions2. ABB’s solution aligns well with EU’s climate and energy goals as it features the European energy certification, representing high level of energy efficiency.
“On this project, the energy aspect and the management of the electrical network have not been forgotten. The central measuring stations provide a permanent overview of the site's activities, enabling the optimization of the consumption of heat production facilities and reducing carbon impact of the building,” said Oliver Iltisberger, Managing Director Smart Buildings.
Apart from the effective building management system, ABB has also provided the entire building electrification chain, including System pro E power, Modular DIN-Rail products, Emax 2 and emergency lighting solution. The System pro E power provides a complete solution for electric power main distribution ensuring safety and reliability.
The Modular DIN-Rail products include miniature circuit breakers and residual current devices, that offer complete electrical safety for the property, eliminating potential electrical hazards. Further ensuring safety in the buildings, the Emax 2 is an all-in-one solution capable of managing the low-voltage distribution systems.
Taking safety to the next level, ABB has also offered emergency lighting for the buildings. BrioSpot, which can be installed quickly and easily, can be customized according to specific needs. The host of ABB solutions, which can be connected to the ABB Ability™ platform, form an intelligent ecosystem of digitally enabled products to create a smart office space.
ABB products and services will help the campus incorporate digitally enabled solutions to control the features of the building in an energy-efficient manner and elevate employees’ comfort at the same time. Across the world, ABB’s solutions are helping buildings meet the growing standards of energy efficiency, safety, reliability, comfort and profitable operation.
[1] Report by Eurostat
[2] News report by European Commission
