Indoor air quality always in view increases quality of life and safety
- Madrid City Council uses 0G solution from Sigfox to monitor indoor CO2 concentration
- Damit wird das Risiko der Ansteckung in öffentlichen Gebäuden verringert
Madrid, Spain – 23 March 2021 – Sigfox, pioneer of the 0G network and the world’s leading Internet of Things (IoT) service provider, has deployed a solution for Madrid City Council to indirectly reduce the risk of indoor coronavirus infection by measuring CO2 levels using IoT technology and leveraging its 0G network. The deployment was carried out on all seven floors of the Madrid City Council’s Works and Equipment Department at 45 Calle Alcalá and aims to help protect the health of all workers in the building.
The maintenance-free sensors send alerts when excessive levels of CO2 are detected, allowing the ventilation system to adjust to an optimal level for each room. The wireless sensors radio on Sigfox’s 0G network, the first low-power global network designed specifically for the Internet of Things (IoT). In addition, these sensors offer easy and quick installation and a 5-year autonomy allows long operation without additional maintenance.
Aerosols, viruses and CO2 content of the air
One of the most common ways coronaviruses are transmitted is by aerosols, droplets suspended in the air after sneezing or talking. It has also been shown that CO2 levels above 1,000 “parts per million” or ppm (a common measure of concentration) significantly increase the likelihood of airborne transmission of the virus. Therefore, CO2 enrichment can be a useful indicator of the optimal time for ventilation in several ways. By monitoring, employees can return to work in a staggered manner, confident that the risk of infection in the workplace is minimal.
Sensors that warn in an uncomplicated and maintenance-free way
The solution involves the use of a series of sensors compatible with Sigfox’s 0G network, the first low-power global network designed specifically for the Internet of Things. The devices issue an automatic alarm when an excessive CO2 concentration in the building air is exceeded and tell the maintenance manager the optimal time to ventilate the building.
Triplecaña, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
On the one hand, this ensures the safety of the seven-storey building, which includes a variety of offices, rooms and open spaces, by ventilating the offices before it is too late and the concentration of potentially infectious particles builds up above the desired level. On the other hand, excessive ventilation, which inefficiently increases energy consumption, is avoided.
The sensors used have a configurable measurement interval of at least 10 minutes and a battery life of more than 5 years. They do not require prior installation, cables or connection via WLAN or SIM cards, as they work with Sigfox’s 0G radio network. Therefore, maintenance staff can be sure of being operational even in the event of internet failures.
Compared to most existing CO2 sensors, the connectivity of this solution enables certain advantages over conventional sensors:
– Remote measurement: The user can check CO2 levels remotely without physically being where they are installed.
– Real-time measurement: The data displayed by the application is data generated at 10-minute intervals to ensure the reliability of the measurement.ng
– Telematic measurement: It is not necessary to bring a device near the sensor to control its measurements. Monitoring can be done via a mobile app.
Rebecca Crowe, Managing Director of Sigfox in Spain, said: “Our 0G network and its highly efficient approach allow projects like this to scale. We are pleased to have developed a solution for the council that will help its employees feel safer in their workplace, while improving their energy efficiency by avoiding excessive indoor ventilation. “
About Sigfox
Sigfox is the 0G network pioneer and the world’s leading Internet of Things (IoT) service provider. Sigfox offers a unique combination of ultra-low-cost and ultra-low-power technologies supported by a global network, enabling businesses to gain visibility of processes and track assets worldwide. With more than 17 million connected devices and 60 million messages daily, Sigfox helps its customers extract critical data at the lowest total cost of ownership and accelerate digital transformation in key areas such as asset tracking and supply chain. Sigfox has been ISO 9001 certified and is surrounded by a large ecosystem of partners and IoT key players. Founded in 2010, the company is headquartered in Toulouse, France, with offices in Boston, Dallas, Dubai, Madrid, Paris, Sao Paulo, Singapore and Tokyo. For more information, please visit the website at www.sigfox.com
About Sigfox Germany / Heliot Europe
Sigfox Germany is the largest subsidiary of Heliot Europe and operates the Sigfox OG network in Germany under theSigfox brand. With Sigfox OG loT technology, Heliot offers a cross-border, low-data, user-friendly, cost effective andenergy-efficient LPWA network covering Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein and Slovenia that is suitable for the vast majority of all loT applications. The main shareholder in Heliot Europe is Cube lnfrastructure Managers, a Luxembourg investment company that specializes in the management of European infrastructure funds. Heliot Europe is also a founding member of the OG United Nations Association, the international association of OG network operators with currently over 55 network operators worldwide. For more information, please visit www.heliotgroup.com and www.sigfox.de, follow us on Twitter at @SigfoxGermany or connect with us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/sigfox-germany-gmbh.
