Printed Sensors for Building Management

A high density wireless environmental sensor network has great potential to provide enhanced control options to building automation systems to reduce energy consumption and thus GHG emissions. In this work, we have developed light sensors and temperature sensors with solar energy harvesting and wireless communication capability for the application. The hybrid sensors are built by integrating printed sensing elements with EnOcean’s technology that provides solar energy harvesting and wireless transmission functions. The light sensing and temperature sensing elements were printed on flexible PET films using organic photosensitive materials and particle-filled polymer inks developed by our team. The resulting hybrid sensors were tested and shown to meet design specifications. The light sensors have been installed in a full-scale office test bed for demonstrating efficient light control.