Making smart buildings even smarter

Sometimes, less is more.

Such is the case with Domatic, a pioneering California-based tech company that is redefining how smart buildings are managed.

Domatic’s novel approach to smart building infrastructure is based on its intelligent power distribution system that delivers both low-voltage power and data over a single two-conductor cable.

This innovation simplifies the wiring of fixtures, such as lighting, sensors, cameras and access controls, by utilizing a unified plug-and-play network that reduces installation complexity and cost.

Founded in 2019 by software/hardware engineers Jim Baldwin and Gladys Wong, Domatic installs its wiring into new commercial buildings and is targeting hotels, gut renovations and smaller residential products in the future.

ALL IN THE WIRING

Wong says the firm’s programmable electrical system solutions are cheaper to install, provision and manage, and easier to connect than traditional wiring.

“Whatever's out there can make people's heads explode when it comes to installing it, paying for it and getting it working,” says Wong, who serves as the company’s chief operating officer.

“If you want to do what we do by using an older or legacy kind of system, it's probably like three to five times more expensive and three to five times harder to put together.”

Driven by technological advances, the concept of smart, or intelligent, buildings surfaced in the late 1970s and early 1980s. All systems used legacy wiring as the USB (universal serial bus) wasn’t introduced until 1996.

Wong says application of the USB concept to the built space meant significant changes to the legacy systems.

“If you experienced life before the USB and you wanted to install a mouse or some other drive, another device, you had to get the IT team to help do it because you needed to install drivers, you had to reboot the system and then make sure you didn’t hot-plug it because of fear that something was going to blow up.”

THE SYSTEM

Domatic leaders say the foundation of their system is simplicity.

By delivering power and data through a low-voltage, 2-conductor cable, the Domatic approach simplifies the design, installation and maintenance of smart building technology. It also makes it more accessible and cost-effective.

The Domatic PowerHub is at the heart of the system. It delivers power to the fixtures, manages the network, runs applications connects to the Domatic Cloud. It features 10 class 2-compliant ports (multiple units required for higher power demands) for powering up to 1,000W of fixtures

The system also enables real-time management and analytics

“Once we move to low voltage, we’re in the realm of electrically safe, fire safe, shock safe,” says Wong. “This is the reason why it’s cheaper and easier – everything is running on low voltage, which is safer.”

The Domatic platform also supports features such as LED dimming, circadian lighting, occupancy-informed climate controls, enhancement of tenant comfort and energy efficiency.

DOMATIC BY THE NUMBERS

• 30% - less cost than traditional methods of automation
• 93% - less copper used than high voltage
• 95% - less time commissioning
• 5-10X – faster to pull and terminate wires than high voltage
• 10X – less cables and infrastructure than PoE (power over ethernet)

WORKING WITH PROTOCASE

Given that Domatic’s philosophy revolves around efficiency, so too does its choice in supply partners.

According to Wong, her company has been using Protocase ‘since forever’.

“I believe our collaboration dates back to before we were even known as Domatic,” she says. “I think we found Protocase through an online search, but it was so long ago that I don’t remember.”

Protocase supplies prototypes of various networking equipment that Domatic designs for smart buildings.

“We use Protocase because they’re fast and have good tools and capabilities. And, our engineers love using the online tools (such as Protocase Designer),” says Wong.