Smart Home

Interoperability and efficiency in smart homes

Author: Matthieu de Broca, International Business Development Director, Overkiz
Issue 02-2016: read all articles online read as pdf

The connectivity of different product portfolios and the control and monitoring of products via remote access plays an important role in intelligent buildings as well as interoperability of products from different manufacturers.

With its deployable connectivity solutions, Overkiz allows more interoperability and efficiency in intelligent buildings. The company presents its white label products mainly in two product categories: multiprotocol hubs/Gateways and an IoT virtualization platform Infrastructure.

Overkiz Interoperability and efficiency in smart homes

Overkiz EnOcean Minibox

Collective housing is now natively connected

Among its customers, Overkiz helps real estate developers plan tens of thousands of natively connected homes. For instance, Overkiz and its partners are supporting Bouygues Immobilier to launch “flexom”. Based on Overkiz infrastructure and multiprotocol gateway, it consists in various packages of services and products – from basic controls, using switches and scenario programming, to combinations of lighting/ shading or heating controls, to premium features like security surveillance, air quality monitoring, leakage detection or predictive energy consumption.

Build around a standardized EnOcean portfolio of self-powered wireless switches and sensors, which signifcantly reduce maintenance costs. Today, Flexom packages include an option for an IO home control module. Overkiz modular solutions also support and combine various other protocols like Z-Wave, RTS, ModBus, Opentherm products. More protocols are scheduled to be added soon. All products can interact together locally without Internet connectivity whatever their technology.

With its capabilities to add protocols on-the-fly, even when products are already installed, and to add up and activate services wirelessly, Overkiz solutions are key tools for reducing follow-up costs and increasing revenues.

Bouyguess Immobilier Flexom program

Economical, simple and modular

The new Overkiz DIN Rail modular box fits perfectly into the electrical cabinet, in addition to the data/voice/Internet enclosure. No need for digital skills: with an easy pairing procedure designed to simplify the installer’s task, it can support up to four different protocols in parallel, added and activated at practically any time. Overall, reduction of both installation time and cabling costs allows Bouygues Immobilier to propose “smart” building at almost the same price as a regular furnished building.