Page 5 - InnoRenew CoE International Conference 2023
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LPWAN sensors for timber structure
monitoring – Challenges & Advantage
J.Včelák 1,2,3
1 Czech Technical University in Prague, University Centre for Energy Efficient Buildings, Třinecká 1024, Buštěhrad,
Czech Republic, jan.vcelak@cvut.cz
2 InnoRenew CoE, Livade 6a, Izola, Slovenia
3 InnoSens CZ, U panelárny 136, Buštěhrad, Czech Republic
Sensors for monitoring conditions in timber structures are still not a standard solution for timber structures
but could be seen in more and more new commercial as well as residential projects (Riggio at al. 2023). Wired
sensors provide solutions with unlimited service life and are suitable for newly constructed buildings with good
access to the timber structure during the construction phase. The installation costs are often equal to the HW
of the system and thus not negligible in the total budget of the monitoring project. Battery powered IoT wireless
communication offers an alternative technology to the wired sensors. The limited service life of the battery and
hard access to replace it open new challenges for LPWAN technology used in this market segment. New wireless
products in various timber structure monitoring applications will be introduced within this contribution. Specific
requirements of the timber monitoring system, low-energy communication protocol, achievable parameters
of the sensors will be presented together with methods to overcome the main problems in various application
scenarios. Innovative way of combining wired and wireless sensor components and using the advantages of both
will be shown in an example of timber-frame prefabricated elements. The applicability, ease of installation, and
data analysis will be presented on the first pilot installation of the wireless system for industrial building and
residential building.
Keywords: IoT sensors, timber structure monitoring
Acknowledgment: Authors acknowledge project FW03010267; this project is financed from the state budget
by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic and the Ministry of Industry and Trade within the TREND
Programme. The authors gratefully acknowledge receiving funding from European Commission for funding the
InnoRenew CoE project (Grant Agreement #739574) under the Horizon2020 Widespread-Teaming program
and the Republic of Slovenia (Investment funding of the Republic of Slovenia and the European Regional
Development Fund).
REFERENCES
Riggio M., Vcelak J., Kaitaniemi P., Barbosa A., Hrovatin N.,Sandak A., Sandak J., Mrissa M., Kresz M., Yli-Jyrä
A., Toivonen R., Alakukku L.,2023, FEDERATED USE OF HYGROTHERMAL MONITORING DATA IN MASS
TIMBER BUILDINGS: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES, WCTE 2023, Conference proceedings, 3896-
3904, https://doi.org/10.52202/069179-0507
13–14 SEPTEMBER 2023 I IZOLA, SLOVENIA 5
monitoring – Challenges & Advantage
J.Včelák 1,2,3
1 Czech Technical University in Prague, University Centre for Energy Efficient Buildings, Třinecká 1024, Buštěhrad,
Czech Republic, jan.vcelak@cvut.cz
2 InnoRenew CoE, Livade 6a, Izola, Slovenia
3 InnoSens CZ, U panelárny 136, Buštěhrad, Czech Republic
Sensors for monitoring conditions in timber structures are still not a standard solution for timber structures
but could be seen in more and more new commercial as well as residential projects (Riggio at al. 2023). Wired
sensors provide solutions with unlimited service life and are suitable for newly constructed buildings with good
access to the timber structure during the construction phase. The installation costs are often equal to the HW
of the system and thus not negligible in the total budget of the monitoring project. Battery powered IoT wireless
communication offers an alternative technology to the wired sensors. The limited service life of the battery and
hard access to replace it open new challenges for LPWAN technology used in this market segment. New wireless
products in various timber structure monitoring applications will be introduced within this contribution. Specific
requirements of the timber monitoring system, low-energy communication protocol, achievable parameters
of the sensors will be presented together with methods to overcome the main problems in various application
scenarios. Innovative way of combining wired and wireless sensor components and using the advantages of both
will be shown in an example of timber-frame prefabricated elements. The applicability, ease of installation, and
data analysis will be presented on the first pilot installation of the wireless system for industrial building and
residential building.
Keywords: IoT sensors, timber structure monitoring
Acknowledgment: Authors acknowledge project FW03010267; this project is financed from the state budget
by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic and the Ministry of Industry and Trade within the TREND
Programme. The authors gratefully acknowledge receiving funding from European Commission for funding the
InnoRenew CoE project (Grant Agreement #739574) under the Horizon2020 Widespread-Teaming program
and the Republic of Slovenia (Investment funding of the Republic of Slovenia and the European Regional
Development Fund).
REFERENCES
Riggio M., Vcelak J., Kaitaniemi P., Barbosa A., Hrovatin N.,Sandak A., Sandak J., Mrissa M., Kresz M., Yli-Jyrä
A., Toivonen R., Alakukku L.,2023, FEDERATED USE OF HYGROTHERMAL MONITORING DATA IN MASS
TIMBER BUILDINGS: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES, WCTE 2023, Conference proceedings, 3896-
3904, https://doi.org/10.52202/069179-0507
13–14 SEPTEMBER 2023 I IZOLA, SLOVENIA 5
