ECCO2 Solutions AG, a startup based in Givisiez in the canton of Fribourg, has developed an innovative building intelligence solution. This enables it to decouple buildings from digital information networks and reduce energy consumption for heating by an average of 15 per cent at the same time. This is achieved with the help of a networked interface, the gateway. It was thanks to this solution that ECCO2 won Swisscom's Start-up Challenge in 2022 and quickly became a Business Platinum Partner.
The building intelligence solution.
The building intelligence solution is based on four pillars:
1. A mathematical model of the building referred to as a "digital twin"
2. A high-resolution network comprising IoT sensors for temperature, humidity and air quality
3. A professional-quality weather forecast
4. A real-time interface to energy meters
The AI NARA motor evaluates and combines this information to precisely calculate energy requirements and refine the settings of the digital twin. The result is heating control with Swiss precision that minimises consumption. The savings are calculated using a certified procedure. The automated consolidation and analysis of the data enables the monitoring of the energy efficiency of the customer property portfolio and their plans for CO₂ reduction.
A smart solution – installed by cablex.
In November 2022, ECCO2 Solutions AG signed a contract with Groupe Mutuel to equip more than 40 buildings with its innovative solution. The insurer has set itself the target of more efficiently monitoring and reducing the energy consumption of buildings in order to save one million kWh.
The cablex teams are tasked with carrying out the low- and high-voltage installation work. In order to be able to connect the various systems with the ECCO2 gateway, the gateway must be installed alongside various probes and the power supply must be connected to an independent group in the junction box. In addition, temperature and CO₂ sensors are installed in the apartments within the building in order to enable real-time measurements and provide the digital twin with precise readings.
Once the cabling is complete, the installation of the live part takes place on site. This process entails installing the gateway, connecting the various probes to the gateway and testing the connection. This step is important and requires a delicate approach, since there are a number of heating models and sensor types. Based on its experience, ECCO2 assists us in analysing the special sensors and determining whether they can be reused or whether new sensors are required. The temperature sensors are installed by the maintenance personnel in the various buildings, since it is difficult to reach all tenants during our work on site. Since the sensor is easy to stick in place (clever solution) and automatically connects to the gateway, this can be done without our assistance.
The success of our solution in the market leads to a need to develop our deployment. The collaboration with cablex enables us to take our capabilities to the next level. We can now offer customers from all over Switzerland even more efficiency and flexibility. Together with our strategic equipment purchases, which began in 2022, this collaboration is the second pillar of our current growth.
Alain Wagnières, Head of Operations at ECCO Solutions AG.
Our promise.
We provide ECCO2 with physical on-site support and guarantee the quality of the installations and the optimisation of usage processes. Thanks to our specially trained teams and the pilot project carried out in the vicinity of Penthalaz in the canton of Vaud, we have been able to demonstrate that a professional roll-out in an ad hoc structure is possible throughout Switzerland.
We look forward to industrialising many more facilities in order to satisfy increasing demand from property owners and achieve CO₂ reduction goals. Our goal is to equip more than 400 buildings each year throughout Switzerland.
Cédric Payet is supervising the project in his capacity as Key Account Manager at cablex.
I am extremely pleased with our collaboration with ECCO2, particularly because it fits 100% into our strategy to develop smart energy and to support the 2030 Energy Strategy, which is becoming one of our customers’ main goals as well. Bringing together the different technical abilities of our two companies enables us to develop a strong relationship for the long term, as each of us makes our own contribution to the value chain, without any overlap! This allows our communications to be satisfyingly open-ended. I want to thank my colleagues at IBS-INF and IBS NET very much for their commitment to the success of this collaboration. They take care to simplify complexities to the maximum extent possible, thereby facilitating deployment and making the proposal and order process easier all the time.
Cédric Payet, Key Account Manager at cablex.
