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Düsseldorf-Sonnenblumenfeld:
affordable, high-quality
sustainable living thanks to digitalisation!
The combination of Zuhause-Plattform smart building system & EnOcean selfpowered wireless technology offers considerably more safety and comfort together
with reduced energy consumption through building automation for everyone.
Author: Graham Martin - Chairman & CEO EnOcean Alliance

Early 2023 saw the completion of more than just a new residential estate in DüsseldorfLichtenbroich - it marked the birth of a new benchmark in terms of modern living
comfort and tangible sustainability, with 96 energy-optimised apartments in keepingwith the most up-to-date building criteria. The property developer is the DüsseldorferBau- und Spargenossenschaft e.G. (DüBS). Planning and implementation comply with
the City of Düsseldorf‘s Residential Action Plan (Handlungskonzept Wohnen) and theapartments are partly publicly subsidised. The average rent* is 30% to 40% lower thanfor comparable new residential properties in Düsseldorf.
„The Sonnenblumenfeld project shows just how affordable sustainable living and smart-hometechnology can be. More innovation, comfort and safety with lower rents, energy andassociated costs for the tenants.“ says Patrick Weber, Project Leader Digitalisation, DüBS
The attractive residential complex consists of a U-shaped main building featuring 78
apartments and a roof garden, plus a second unit with 18 two-room apartments.
Friendly, bright one- to five-room homes for single persons, senior citizens, couples andfamilies; many apartments have a one- or two-room layout and pay tribute to the needsof senior citizens. All units are barrier-free and feature balconies or garden terraces.

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The requirements of the latest climate-friendly official policies are taken into accountin many ways. Optimal thermal isolation, efficient climate control and ventilation as
well as the means to reduce energy consumption (see Zuhause-Plattform) are important
prerequisites for a sustainable future. The green roof and a flower meadow also
contribute towards ecological balance. Solar energy is harvested by the photovoltaic
rooftop system, helping to power 30 charging stations for electric bikes, scooters andcars.
The Sonnenblumenfeld project is based upon a consistent smart building concept: theinnovative building management and control system by the ZP Zuhause Plattform
GmbH company was selected as the best all-round digital solution for a modern living
environment in apartment buildings - with innovative management software facilitating
communication between tenants, landlords and property management company.
Useful smart functions such as climate control, light control, shading control, accesscontrol, intercom system, smoke and leakage alarms, administrator & facility
management contact, energy consumption data and many more features can begoverned via a simple central display and control unit within the apartment(„WohnungsAdapter“). Everything is intuitively structured and simple to use, requiring
no technical skills whatsoever.

Easy-to-use interface for tenants and property management
services alike.
The WohnungsAdapter is the heart of the Zuhause Plattform. It‘s wirelessly connectedwith various self-powered switches and sensors throughout the apartment. Thisadvanced wireless EnOcean technology uses energy harvesting to generate power fromthe environment: movement, sunlight, temperature variations or magnetic fields supply
enough energy to power a sensor, operate a switch or send a radio signal. Such wirelessdevices are completely maintenance-free, require neither batteries nor AC mains powerand can be installed on any surface - even on glass - in a matter of minutes. The

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WohnungsAdapter can receive EnOcean signals as well as wireless M-Bus signals fromthe water, electricity and heating counters within the apartment in order to enable
intelligent consumption analysis. The administrator can access mid-month and end-ofmonth consumption data as required.
„Approximately 400 manufacturers currently supply the market with over 5.000 devices
employing the EnOcean (ISO/IEC 14543-3-1X) wireless standard. They are built into morethan 2 million buildings throughout the World. The Sonnenblumenfeld complex employs
approx. 2.000 EnOcean switches and sensors, and more devices can be selectively added
according to the individual needs of each tenant - e.g. should a senior citizen require
additional assistance.“ says Graham Martin, CEO of EnOcean Alliance.

Comfort, safety and energy efficiency.
Here are some examples of Zuhause-Plattform functions and features:••
•
•••
•
•

Wireless sensors in all rooms monitor room temperature and humidity,
Temperature sensors and actuators for underfloor heating enable demandbased warming of living spaces,
The WohnungsAdapter can memorise time-based heating profiles that takeindividual weekdays, weekends and vacation-related absences into account,
The WohnungsAdapter can govern all lighting appliances individually,
Sunblinds can also be governed via time-based profiles, individually orcollectively - with the possibility of varying the degree of aperture for eachsunblind,
Additional wireless switches and sensors can be easily retrofitted in minutes without the need for disruptive masonry work in order to lay power cables orwithout the need for batteries as a power source,
Door and window sensors monitor whether they are open and prevent lockouts in the event of automatic timer-governed sunblind operation,
Sensors register smoke and humidity (e.g. in case of water leaks due todefective washing machine plumbing) and send appropriate alarms to theWohnungsAdapter – as well as warning messages via an app and to theadministrator via the facility management portal.

Further smart-home functions••••

When the doorbell button is pressed by a visitor, the WohnungsAdapter
displays the notification „doorbell ringing“ and an acoustic signal sounds,
With the intercom button, the tenant can trigger an audiovisual alarm toattract attention and summon help from next of kin or friends as required,
The tenant can monitor his water, electricity and heating consumption - andpre-warm the bathroom for the morning shower,
App and voice control via Amazon Alexa or Apple HomeKit is possible using
the additional OPUS Dot gateway solution (available from JÄGER DIREKT).

Building automation delivers significantly more safety and comfort with greatly reduced
energy consumption. The residents can govern lighting and shading via dedicatedswitches or using the central WohnungsAdapter unit. Digital operation is not a „must“ only the heating and the intercom are always operated via the display unit.

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The EnOcean Alliance
As creator and promoter of this global standard, the EnOcean Alliance features aninteroperable ecosystem based on the open EnOcean wireless standard encompassingmore than 5,000 products on offer from over 400 vendor members worldwide. Foundedin 2008, the EnOcean Alliance is an international association of leading companies inthe building and IT industries, with global headquarters in California. This open, nonprofit organization is committed to enabling and promoting interoperable eco-systems
for Smart Homes, Smart Buildings and Smart Spaces based on the maintenance-freeradio standard (ISO/IEC 14543-3-10/11).
www.enocean-alliance.org

Press contacts
Evelyn Back
EnOcean Alliance
M +49 (0)176 636 13 964
press@enocean-alliance.org(* Source: VdW Wohnungsmarkt-Barometer 2021 /InWIS Forschung & Beratung GmbH)