Smart sensors enhance energy efficiency in Swedish preschool

This work was done in collaboration with Safe Software partner Sweco.

Innovative lighting solutions

The Municipality of Jönköping was looking for a way to control ventilation to reduce their energy consumption and environmental impact while saving money. They installed presence sensors in the light fixtures of a preschool, which detect motion and automatically turn lights off or on. 

While the new lighting fixtures helped save energy, the city faced a challenge. Their ventilation systems ran all day, resulting in significant energy wastage, higher costs, and a larger ecological footprint. The city needed a way to match ventilation with room occupancy to avoid wasting energy while providing proper air quality during school hours.

A smart solution to the ventilation challenge

With assistance from Sweco and FME, Jönköping Municipality employees quickly developed their own solution. They used FME to connect the presence sensors with their IoT platform, facilitating API calls to access real-time motion detection sensor data. FME then analyzes and filters the data and sends the necessary information to the property system, where the logic for ventilation control resides. The entire process is automated through FME Flow, providing easy access to sensor movement and ventilation activity statistics. Through more efficient coordination of the ventilation and lighting systems, Jönköping saves energy while maintaining excellent indoor air quality and comfort for staff and students.

Jönköping has reduced ventilation unit run time by at least 10%, leading to significant energy savings. Preschool staff noticed no change in air quality, indicating that the new system runs efficiently behind the scenes. Jönköping has set a new standard by leveraging sensor data to optimize the ventilation system. This innovation combines efficiency with environmental responsibility, demonstrating Jönköping’s commitment to a greener future.