The KEMPER Building: A Challenge for Energy Efficiency

Built in 1990, the KEMPER building spans two floors, providing space for over 200 workstations. However, due to its construction year and the building standards of the time, the building does not have optimal thermal insulation and other energy-efficient features common in modern constructions. This fact poses a particular challenge for energy efficiency, as heating older buildings typically results in higher energy consumption and therefore higher costs.

The existing heating system is maintained. No reconstruction costs.

One of the challenges KEMPER faced in implementing the IoT solution was maintaining the existing heating system without incurring high installation or reconstruction costs. Instead of altering the existing system, KEMPER chose to enhance their ordinary radiators with smart thermostats.

This approach allowed them to save costs while achieving significant energy savings and improved operational efficiency. The integration of Mclimate Vicki valves and the Datacake IoT platform provided a cost-effective solution that could be easily incorporated into the existing heating system, preserving their existing infrastructure while adding the benefits of IoT technology.

Implementation of the IoT Solution

To achieve this success, KEMPER initially uninstalled the existing valves on the radiators and replaced them with Mclimate Vicki valves. These tasks were carried out by KEMPER themselves to ensure optimal integration into the existing system.

Setup of a LoRaWAN Gateway

A LoRaWAN Gateway was then installed, which connected to the Datacake platform via The Things Stack. This enabled real-time visualization of the actual values, temperatures, and the status of the valves on Datacake.

Cost Reduction through Time-Based Shutdown

The crucial functions that contributed to cost reduction were the implementation of automation and logic on the Datacake platform. This included the automatic weekend shutdown of the heating, which helped reduce unnecessary energy consumption during times of low usage.

Nightly Lowering of Room Temperature for Additional Energy Savings

The nightly lowering of the room temperature is another important measure KEMPER implemented in their IoT solution to achieve additional energy savings. During night hours, when the premises are generally not in use, temperatures are automatically lowered. This leads to a reduction in energy consumption, as the heating system does not need to constantly operate at a high level to maintain room temperatures.

Efficient Remote Monitoring of Room Temperatures

An essential component of the Datacake solution for building management is the remote monitoring of all room temperatures. KEMPER has the ability to display all temperatures on the floor plans of each floor, which provides a better overview of room conditions. Central monitoring also helps to quickly identify potential issues and take targeted measures to optimally adjust room temperatures and further optimize energy consumption.

Furthermore, the central control via the Datacake platform eliminates the need for staff to walk through the rooms and manually check the valves and temperatures.