APC 2011 Annual Report Download - page 29

272011 REGISTRATION DOCUMENT SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
DESCRIPTION OFTHEGROUP, ANDITSSTRATEGY, MARKETS ANDBUSINESSES
1
R&D STRATEGY
3.2 A platforms strategy
The growing digitalisation of products, which provides for more
fl exibility and the growing share of software within solutions, open new
perspectives on the development of shared technological platforms
for different businesses. This possibility, already demonstrated by
the new components of StruxureWare, can be extended to other
Schneider Electric product/solution portfoliodomains.
Ambitious programmes were initiated in 2011 to create shared
platforms in the embedded control domain and the SCADA (control
and monitoring systems) or in the user interface domain, with major
innovations such as augmented reality.
In addition to effi ciency gains, the platform strategy has major
advantages:
•faster integration of acquisitions, as demonstrated by
StuxureWare;
•increased ease of integrating outside products into
Schneider Electric solutions due to the defi nition of
interoperabilitystandards;
•and therefore, faster innovation.
The Innovation and Technology Board, which was created
in 2009 and has strongly contributed to the success of the
EcoStruxure programme, is behind this strategy and responsible
for its management.
3.3 Projects with significant impact
Parallel to the cross-cutting programmes such as EcoStruxure and
long-term investments such as the platforms, Schneider Electric’s
R&D still strongly contributes to the success of the Group’s products
and solutions.
Large scale collaborative programmes
HOMES is Europe’s most important innovation programme for
the energy effi ciency of buildings. Led by Schneider Electric and
supported by OSEO, an agency that supports entrepreneurship
and innovation; it involves a total of 13 companies and research
laboratories.
The aim of HOMES is to fi nd a number of coherent solutions to
improve energy management for buildings without reducing
comfort. Covering both new and existing residential and commercial
buildings, the program’s goal is to produce prototypes ready for
manufacture.
In addition, testing has been carried out under the programme at
fi ve pilot sites since February 2010, in conjunction with the FFIE
(French Federation of Electrical Engineers). The aim is to devise a
method for effectively measuring performance for existing buildings,
to enable ways of reducing energy consumption to be identifi ed in
each case.
At the end of 2011 the programme was used to assess a potential
gain of around 20% to 50% on the pilot buildings by using the
building energy simulation tool of the CSTB (Building Scientifi c and
Technical Centre). These remarkable results are accompanied by a
description of a control functions library to be implemented in order
to achieve these gains; this library will be gradually integrated into
the Schneider Electric solutions.
The programme has also shown the ability to move directly from the
CAD drawings of a building to the simulation of the building’s energy
performance, thus providing a view of an uninterrupted chain from
conception to control.
Finally, one of the major results from the HOMES programme is
the completion of a new type of wireless comfort sensor with an
autonomous energy supply. The fi rst prototypes for tertiary sector
and residential buildings have been completed; they measure
temperature, humidity, luminosity and carbon dioxide. This result
allows a measurable understanding of the dynamic compromise
between energy effi ciency and comfort.
MIRTIC is an ENIAC European cooperative programme launched
in 2011 with the company Ulis. It responds to a need highlighted
by the results of the HOMES programme: the need for a presence
sensor (not a movement sensor) for the best possible adaptation of
the building control for work, or even for the activity in the different
zones. The aim of the programme is to supply a new type of sensor
that will use affordable, low resolution infrared technology.
SCUBA is an FP7 European cooperative programme launched in
2011 with the Universities of Cork and Dresden, Philips and the
CEA. The SCUBA project aims to defi ne the tools for conception,
confi guration and the associated integration technologies in order
to guarantee interoperability and fl exibility of the building control
systems. It will use a test platform and a pilot site of the HOMES
programme.
MIND aims to improve the productivity of embedded software
developments and critical components of “intelligent” products.
The component assembly construction technology allows for
effective development of reliable and fl exible products.
Schneider Electric complements the results of this project with its
own research into combining within the same product certifi ed
embedded software, which ensures safe operation, and open
software enabling related, evolving functions to be developed
morerapidly.
The MIND programme also passed from concept to rollout in 2011
with an initial prototype phase underway through the ADN4SE
project before a larger rollout of this technology in the embedded
control platform mentioned below.
Projects around Smart Grids
2011 saw the start of two major projects involving the smart grids
Greenlys and Millener.
GREENLYS: the fi rst large scale demonstrator offering a global
vision (www.greenlys.fr). The four-year project will test and rollout
innovative solutions for the whole electrical system: decentralised
electricity production, communicating meters, distribution network
management, new demand reduction programmes, in-home
energy management solutions,etc.