Osram continues to widen its stable of smart building technologies, this time partnering with a software company to gather and analyze data about workplace and building usage via luminaires equipped with Osram wireless sensors in the US and Canada.
The partnership with Boston-based Rifiniti aims to connect users of the sensor-outfitted third party luminaires, Osram itself is exiting the luminaire business, to Rifiniti’s Optimo software package, which Rifiniti says helps optimize commercial office space.
Osram’s SensiLUM sensors use ZigBee wireless technology to take note of various conditions in a room or area, including lighting, occupancy, and climate.
Munich-based Osram is offering the Rifiniti software in North America to customers of Osram’s Encelium light management system. Rifiniti sells Optimo on a “software as a service” (SaaS) basis, and Osram is providing it as an optional annual service to customers who pay a one-time hardware cost for Encelium.
“Osram is re-selling the Rifiniti SaaS solution to deliver an end-to-end solution for smart building application deployments where space utilization and optimization is desired,” said Robert Pickral, who runs Osram’s IoT business development for the Americas region.
The Internet of Things (IoT) scheme is intended to help facility managers and real estate owners make better decisions on how and when to add, subtract, or reassign space. It is also geared at improving operational efficiencies and employee comfort.
“Osram is leveraging our vast network of OEM luminaire manufacturer relationships to have the SensiLUM wireless integrated sensor and controller, as well as our vAUX and LED drivers with DEXAL [data exchange for advance lighting], factory installed,” Pickral said. By doing so, Osram is enabling IoT solutions in a wide variety of luminaire choices in order to meet the end user’s technical and aesthetic desires.”
Rifiniti president Irina Mladenova credited Osram with creating “an ideal infrastructure for collecting data that enables our space optimization applications.”
A number of lighting companies, in their drive to offer more data and IT services for property and commercial enterprises, have shown a keenness to play technology roles even without providing lighting.
Osram, for example, recently began providing sensors and digital services independent of any lighting system to a couple of property companies in Lithuania, to help improve facilities management.
