LoRa Alliance sees a rise in smart building adoption of LoRaWAN technology
Key Highlights
- LoRaWAN enables long-range, low-power communication ideal for smart building sensors and IoT devices.
- Wireless deployment offers faster, more flexible installation compared to traditional wired systems.
- Integration with existing building management standards facilitates seamless upgrades in both new and existing structures.
- LoRaWAN coexists with other wireless technologies like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 5G, ensuring versatile connectivity.
- Applications span healthcare, sports, commercial real estate, and industrial sectors, demonstrating broad utility.
What is LoRaWAN?
LoRaWAN is a global, open-source standard for Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWANs) that enables long-range, low-power communication for Internet of Things (IoT) devices. It provides bidirectional communication for battery-powered devices, such as sensors, over distances of several kilometers, making it ideal for applications in smart cities, agriculture, and industrial monitoring.
Low-power wide-area networks (LPWANs) continue to make an impact in the internet of things (IoT) arena, with smart buildings emerging as the fastest-growing vertical market, based on information provided by members of the LoRa Alliance.
Energy and operational efficiency, environmental monitoring, and preventive maintenance applications are driving a rapid return on investment (ROI) for building owners. Legislation, such as France’s BACS decree, imposes a gradual reduction in energy consumption, which is also accelerating activity in this sector.
“LoRaWAN adoption has skyrocketed in the smart buildings sector because operators realize the benefits it offers alongside a strong ROI once solutions are implemented,” said Alper Yegin, CEO of the LoRa Alliance.
Wireless offers flexibility
A key development in building management is the increasing role wireless is playing.
While building management traditionally leveraged wired systems, these are now being replaced with wireless technologies that offer faster, more flexible deployment.
LoRaWAN advocates claim that its technology can penetrate walls while maintaining low-power consumption. The LoRaWAN Alliance said that the combination of these attributes is what makes LoRaWAN stand out within the smart building industry and what has accelerated adoption.
Another attribute that is driving interest in LoRaWAN networks for smart buildings is that they can co-exist with other wireless networks, as they are complementary to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 5G, and RFID.
The technology applies to both existing Brownfield and new Greenfield buildings. Because LoRaWAN integrates seamlessly into building management system standards like BACnet, KNX, Modbus, and similar environments, it enables a quick path to modernizing and upgrading Brownfield buildings while retaining the value of existing building management systems. In new buildings, LoRaWAN offers a wide range of certified sensors available to better manage building environments, energy use and utilization.
Applying LoRaWAN
LoRaWAN continues to be applied by service providers and building owners across a diverse set of property types, including business centers, hospitals, real estate and sports arenas.
One example is Verizon Business with its Sensor Insights. As a turnkey IoT solution, Sensor Insights has been sold to companies in diverse industries such as food refrigeration and insurance.
In February, Verizon Business announced Sensor Insights is being deployed by the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena, where the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks play, to monitor and manage the temperature and condition of sensitive technical equipment and to better track waste disposal and resource efficiency.
Verizon Sensor Insights supports multiple IoT protocols, including LoRaWAN, allowing users to manage sensors, gateways, and connectivity from a centralized portal for optimized decision-making.
Healthcare is also finding utility with LoRaWAN. Kerlink and Microshare deployed a LoRaWAN IoT network at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability in London. Over the course of a few days, sensors enabled real-time monitoring for bed occupancy, energy use, fridge temperatures, and equipment tracking, boosting hospital efficiency, patient care, and cost savings without impacting core IT systems.
“Given the projected growth in smart buildings over the next five years, LoRaWAN solution providers are extremely well-positioned to capitalize on this growth and bring sustaining value to this sector,” said Yegin.
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Transforma Insights forecasts that global IoT connections will surpass 40 billion in 2034
Global IoT is on the cusp of new growth. A new Transforma Insights report revealed that active IoT devices will grow to $40.6 billion in 2034, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9%. Annual device sales will grow from 44.3 billion in 2024 to $9 billion (a CAGR of 8%). Low-power WAN technologies will also see a strong showing. The research firm said it expects LPWAN technologies, such as LoRaWAN will collectively grow from $439 million in 2024 to approaching $1.8 billion in 2034.
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Sean Buckley
Sean is responsible for establishing and executing the editorial strategy of Lightwave across its website, email newsletters, events, and other information products.