Biz network to accelerate smart technologies

The Canadian Printable Electronics Industry Association (CPEIA) is advancing the development and adoption of new products and applications enabled with printable, organic and flexible electronics (PE) for the intelligent building industry with IntelliBUILD.

The Continental Automated Buildings Association (CABA), which has a strategic partnership with the CPEIA, is a supporting partner for this program.

“Our focus at the CPEIA is to foster collaboration between the creators and integrators of PE technologies, with end users in key market verticals where we believe PE offers a compelling competitive advantage,” says Peter Kallai, president and CEO of the CPEIA. “With IntelliBUILD, we are offering a structured program and a framework to kick start this process in what we consider to be one of the most promising market verticals – intelligent buildings and connected homes.”

In the intelligent building or connected home, heating, lighting, ventilation, air-conditioning, security and fire systems are controlled by a distributed computer network to improve occupant comfort and operational efficiency, and to reduce energy consumption and operating costs.

The next generation of these systems will take advantage of new technology, including PE-enabled devices and applications, to go steps further. Examples of these applications are flexible LED and OLED lighting, photovoltaic windows that will allow a building to generate its own electricity, transparent displays that can turn glass walls into multimedia platforms, and inventory management systems that can track goods tagged with intelligent labeling as they leave or enter the premises.

Given that one third of energy produced is consumed in the operation of homes and buildings, there is a big push for higher energy efficiency and energy harvesting solutions. PE-enabled products and applications can make a huge difference in global energy use.

“IntelliBUILD embodies the leadership, collaboration and knowledge-sharing necessary to drive the future of building automation and intelligent buildings,” says Ronald Zimmer, CABA president & CEO. “We must bring together stakeholders in this manner to create the innovative and economical solutions that will make buildings smarter, user-centric, greener, more efficient and less costly to operate.”

CPEIA has already been working with CABA and other industry partners to drive the intelligent building agenda prior to the launch of IntelliBUILD through webinars and conference participation. A working group of CABA and CPEIA members is developing a white paper that explores applications for PE in intelligent buildings.

These efforts will expand through IntelliBUILD, to accelerate the adoption of intelligent building applications that have strong market pull.

“PE in all its facets has a substantial role to play in the evolution of how homes and commercial properties can be used, built, managed and maintained,” says Dr. Michael Tischler, CPEIA Board Director and CTO of flexible LED lighting company Cooledge Lighting. “IntelliBUILD will drive the development of this market and assist technology companies like ours to connect with key market players.”