Simplifying development of LoRa-based smart building solutions

“The Semtech Smart Building Reference Kit is an excellent way to promote the use of LoRa,” said Wiljan van Loon, Strategic Development Director at Securitas Services Europe. “At the recent Securitas European CTO meeting in Paris, the kit was presented and provided our organisation insight into the possibilities of deploying LoRa-based devices for the security industry. The diverse range of sensors as well the easy set-up of this kit support our organisational efforts to promote and deploy LoRa-based Internet of Things (IoT) technology both internally, and for our clients, growing our business.”

The kit will allow users to monitor doors and windows, desk and room presence, environmental conditions, and detect water intrusion. The kit comes complete with more than 20 sensors, two gateways and a global 4G hotspot for simplified setup. The portable nature of the kit allows users to move sensor locations to assess completeness of network coverage.

“Semtech’s Smart Building Reference Kit will empower potential customers to utilise LoRa devices and the LoRaWAN protocol in the development of their own smart building applications,” added Byron BeMiller, Director of Vertical Marketing for Smart Buildings in Semtech’s Wireless and Sensing Products Group. “Customers will be able to quickly create simple smart building networks without needing to have extensive knowledge of IoT technologies. All tools included in the kit rely on readily accessible PC software.”

IoT devices in commercial real estate have grown from 71.2 million in 2015 to more than 791 million in 2019. Despite the continued growth of IoT for smart buildings, the highly technical nature of IoT serves as a barrier to entry for many potential businesses. As the de facto standard for low power, wide area network-based solutions, LoRa devices offer a proven feature set for enabling a wide range of smart building solutions that meet customer needs and deliver real return on investment.

Buildings often present unique challenges for radio coverage and frequently require sensors to be placed in difficult-to-reach locations. LoRa’s ability to cover deep indoor locations within a building’s structure and offer long battery life make it the preferred technology for today’s smart building projects. Through the creation of a self-contained kit, Semtech aims to simplify the testing of LoRa-based products in a smart building environment and continue to support LoRa-based developers and end users.