Scanalytics Inc. recently received a $851,957 award from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) which will be used to develop floor sensing technology that reduces energy use in commercial buildings. The pressure-sensitive flooring will sense a large area with high resolution and fast response time in order to accurately measure the number of people in the commercial environment. This new class of advanced floor-sensing technology has the ability to broadcast collected data to issue orders to reduce heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) and lighting systems, significantly improving the energy efficiency of buildings.
Scanalytics was one of 15 companies selected for ARPA-E’s Saving Energy Nationwide in Structures with Occupancy Recognition program (SENSOR). The program seeks to develop sensor systems that accurately quantify human presence to dramatically reduce energy use in commercial and residential buildings. ARPA-E estimates that about 13% of all energy produced in the United States today is used to heat, cool, and ventilate buildings, with much of it wasted, as it is used when buildings are unoccupied or not fully occupied, and that by reducing energy used for HVAC systems by as much as 30%, SENSOR projects could produce savings of 2-4 quadrillion BTUs across the U.S. power system.
“For Scanalytics, this is validation of our approach to building smart environments as well as an acceleration of our vision of what a truly intelligent environment can provide its occupants,” said Joe Scanlin, Scanalytics Inc. co-founder and CEO. “Using our technology to decrease costs associated with energy usage is a perfect example of our ROI-driven approach to intelligent environments. We have always been passionately focused on using behavior data to provide a measurable return on investment. We are thrilled to be part of ARPA-E’s innovative project portfolio.”
