1. Flexible
foundations
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Anatomy of an EcoSteer
based solution
Keeping options open
There has been much talk and excitement about
connecting small smart devices (Machine to Machine or
M2M) together into an ‘Internet of Things’. This open and
extensible model might be a worthy and futuristic ideal, but
business benefit comes from tackling very specific day-to-
day challenges.
The EcoSteer software platform is designed to meet the
needs businesses face today, with a future proof
architecture to encompass the uncertain needs of
tomorrow. The software architecture is based on several
key principles:
- Open. To interface directly with any kind of sensor
or meter, wired or wireless, from any hardware
vendor, and to expose public APIs for
straightforward third party software integration.
- Flexible. To be readily extended to meet specific
user needs.
- Scalable. To extend to any number of sensors
and actuators, across any number of sites.
- Affordable. To deliver these attributes of an
enterprise platform at the price of a consumer
product, to scale down to permit experimentation
and development of facilities management
monitoring and automation.
EcoSteer features
While the architecture is highly flexible and extendable by
partners, the core functionality of the basic platform is
ready to use for any commercial energy or environmental
monitoring requirement. It comprises:
- Multi-site, multi-domain, multi-user, multi-language
- Sensor and actuator management
- Multi-platform user interface – PC, tablet,
smartphone, web browser
- Fault management, remote control, administration
and configuration
- Hierarchic data aggregation – from a single
measurement up to enterprise, with hourly to
yearly aggregation
- Data correlation analysis from multiple sources
- Tariff analysis
Planned extensions for 2014 include support for:
- Multi-tenancy for a hosted service
- Model based alerts and timers
- Excel data analysis extension
With EcoSteer at the centre, not only can end users focus
on the things that matter to them – the business of
managing energy or monitoring the working environment –
they can also be safe in the knowledge that specialists and
experts can be part of a partner driven solution rather than
a proprietary one from a single vendor.
+
+ Measure,
monitor,
maintain
2. 2
EcoSteer architecture - components
Manufactures of devices
already supported include:
• Electrex
• Schneider
• Circutor
• 4-noks
• MeshNet
• Esam
• Elkor
Recommended technical
skills for deployment
partners include:
• SQL server
• MySql
• ODBC
• Apache Web Server
• Modbus
3. 3
More than just energy
Opportunities to add value to monitoring and management
Sensors
The EcoSteer platform removes the issue
of propriety sensors by abstracting away
from hardware specifics. This means many
more types of sensors can be immediately
incorporated, including software agents as
well as all types of sensor hardware and
data loggers.
This opens up opportunities for partners to
offer any type of sensor, as well as being
able to integrate ‘legacy’ sensors that may
already have been deployed.
Installation, configuration and calibration of
sensors are other areas where partners
can generate revenues and build customer
relationships.
The EcoSteer platform makes it easy to
extend installations with more sensors and
sites over time, creating further revenue
opportunities.
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Software
EcoSteer software runs on Windows,
taking advantage of freely available
packages such as Microsoft SQL Server
Express and Apache web server.
This, coupled with simple licensing, keeps
software item costs down, while allowing
partners to add value through installation,
configuration, support and management.
With its webservices front end, information
gathered by the EcoSteer platform can be
viewed on any browser on any device,
including tablets.
All gathered data is stored openly allowing
extension to be easily developed for
access by business intelligence systems or
dedicated smart mobile apps.
Services
While the choice of sensors, networking
hardware and software platform are all
important, effective solutions depend on
critical services delivered by installation
partners.
Initially, involvement with the customer to
understand what it would be valuable to
monitor and manage. Then, how best to
achieve the desired results with sensor,
network and IT hardware decisions.
Pre-configuration of the chosen devices
ensures that things will go smoothly on
site. Next, and often most importantly,
there is the final installation, testing and
deployment on customer premises.
After this there are many opportunities to
deliver support, analysis and evaluation
services over the lifetime of the system as
well as upgrades and maintenance.
4. 4
Example installation
Installation
The installation of the energy meters on the main distribution point
(total energy usage and offices subtotals) needed about six hours of
a certified installer. The installation of all the remaining wireless
sensors required about six hours time. The configuration of the
EcoSteer platform, the RS485/Ethernet and wireless gateways, and
the initial certification test required in total about eight hours.
Which sensors were used
The selected sensors were from several manufacturers and expose
quite different properties. The energy meters used for the main
distribution point and offices (electric energy) have a rs485 (modbus)
interface. These meters have been connected to the EcoSteer
platform via a RS485/Ethernet gateway. All other sensors (both
outdoor and indoor) have a wireless interface and are powered by
internal batteries. This type of sensor was selected to reduce the
overall installation costs.
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+ Mauro Dugheri, CEO, Pianvallico SpA
“Thanks to the EcoSteer system we can verify that everything is working
optimally and we have the chance to identify opportunities both in energy
saving and in overall improvements. The visibility that we are achieving on
our environment is as detailed as it needs be to be easily understood by
the management. This kind of system is giving us a set of insights that will
allow us to provide new services in the near future, even outside the
boundaries of the incubator.”
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EcoSteer Limited
info@ecosteer.com
@ecosteer
www.ecosteer.com