Smart City pilot project in Rhein-Kreis

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Melita.io and ECBM introduce IoT in German classrooms

Earlier this year melita.io partnered up with ECBM – a Germany based company focused on developing and implementing Internet of Things (IoT) solutions to improve classroom environments and pave the way for a more sustainable future.

The area of the Rhine District of Neuss is located on the Lower Rhine in the lowlands of the Lower Rhine and is home to around 28,000 companies of all sizes and from all sectors. These include industry giants such as Bayer in Dormagen, and RWE in Jüchen and Grevenbroich, as well as the world’s two largest aluminium rolling mills of Hydro Aluminium.

At the beginning of 2022, Melita.io set up a state-of-the-art Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) infrastructure in Neuss to enable an ambitious project aimed at transforming the Rhine District of Neuss into a smart city.

By partnering with ECBM, melita.io can now deliver solutions that aim to realise smart city applications for citizens, businesses, and the public sector.

The first project focused on providing local schools with an IoT solution that measures and transmits important ambience information such as CO2 content, temperature, humidity and brightness in the classroom.

Information is collected via room climate sensors that are installed in the classroom. The data is then transmitted via melita.io’s LoRaWAN to ECBM’s specialised software and presented on an IoT dashboard that collects and visualises the information.

The real-time data is then analysed and interpreted by The Grevenbroich Office for Building Management to create a more attractive learning environment and enable demand-responsive ventilation. CO2 traffic lights also visualise the measured values directly on-site, thus helping the control of aerosol concentration which reduces the risk of infection (e.g., by Covid-19). The solution also helps optimise energy consumption.

As a result of this IoT solution, air quality can be constantly monitored and adjusted according to needs, climate control is easily kept in check, and by optimising energy consumption, energy costs are significantly reduced, and CO2 emissions are lowered.

The next steps will be to use the same LoRaWAN technology and associated sensors, to implement smart metering and smart building features. These include, for example, intelligent ventilation technology that automatically opens or closes windows as needed, and smart heat cost allocators that enable fully automated readings of consumption data and their digital provision.

About the project partner ECBM:

ECBM, founded in 2017 by Elisabeth Schloten, is a pioneer in the planning, implementation, and operation of Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence projects. By using and integrating innovative business models and technologies, ECBM drives sustainable and value-creating projects. The company is based in Meerbusch.

The LoRaWAN network from melita.io

With over 25 years of experience in telecommunications, Melita Group offers intelligent telecommunication solutions. It is dedicated to providing simple, as well as transparent M2M and IoT connectivity solutions for enterprise customers, cities and municipalities across Europe based on LoRaWAN and SIM cards.

What is LoRaWAN?

LoRaWAN stands for Long Range Wide Area Network and is one of the most promising technologies for data transmission in the Internet of Things (IoT). These radio networks have a long-range. A single gateway or base station can cover entire cities and several hundred square kilometres. They are also energy-efficient and easy to handle. With LoRaWAN, it is possible to manage several hundred sensors within a network and process their data. Such sensors can be operated for up to ten years without changing batteries; the maintenance effort is correspondingly low.

To learn more about how melita.io can help your business take advantage of the power of the Internet of Things, contact us.