By Healthcare Facilities Today

DALLAS – Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management, today announced a new addition to its SmartStruxure™ suite with the launch of the SmartStruxure Lite solution, a high-performance, low cost, integrated building management system (iBMS) designed for small- and medium-sized buildings. As the first iBMS to address the unique needs of owners and managers of buildings less than 100,000 square feet (10,000 square meters), the SmartStruxure Lite solution provides tailored  functionalities for facilities with a smaller footprint, including retail stores, offices, hotels, schools, and healthcare clinics. 

The SmartStruxure Lite solution is an open system that integrates management of HVAC, lighting, energy and more into one easy-to-manage interface. The solution allows building managers to quickly improve resource use and occupant comfort, increase energy efficiency in both existing buildings and new construction, and drive value with cost-effective building management throughout the life cycle of a facility. The SmartStruxure Lite solution also offers programmable control and management using the StruxureWare™ Building Expert software, a no-license-fee web interface. By lowering the total cost of ownership (TCO) for buildings with a smaller footprint and enabling wireless control and networking of building systems, the SmartStruxure Lite solution provides a quick return on investment (ROI) for small- and medium-sized facilities.

“Traditionally, building management systems are created for facilities with a much larger footprint and incorporate tools that are not applicable or cost-effective for small- and medium-sized buildings,” says Frederick Morency, vice president, Small Building Systems at Schneider Electric. “Schneider Electric’s SmartStruxure Lite solution fills a significant gap in the building management system market and empowers our small and midsize building customers to achieve their energy and budgetary goals by providing the tools and data they need to create an efficient, affordable, streamlined building management model.” 

Built on open standards, the SmartStruxure Lite solution integrates with new and existing building infrastructure, through EcoStruxure™ Web Services (EWS), BACnet® IP, and oBIX™, allowing for simple and fast installation without needing to “rip and replace” existing technology. Through this seamless integration, SmartStruxure Lite solution also acts as the wireless enabler to Schneider Electric’s comprehensive iBMS, SmartStruxure solution, which meets the more complex needs of commercial buildings larger than 100,000 square feet (10,000 square meters). The solution’s compatibility with open standards also enables building stakeholders to gradually deploy new technologies to ensure continuous improvement of their building while “future-proofing” the solution.