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24 E L EC TR I C AL CONNEC T I ON
S PR I NG 20 1 6
THE INTERNET OF OPPORTUNITY
T
he Internet of Things (IoT) is
coming and, whether we like it or
not, this new level of connectivity
is destined to make a significant
impact on all sectors of the electrical
industry. From residential products
that perform simple remote monitoring
tasks to complex industrial systems that
increase productivity while reducing
expenditure, the IoT is promising to be
a truly disruptive technology that will
fundamentally change the way we live
and work.
“The overall concept of the IoT is that
everything, no matter what it is, can
be connected and controlled. What we
are seeing residentially is an absolutely
huge array of cost effective, wireless
products to do home automation,”
says Perth-based home automation
integrator Ryan De Rozario.
“These products cover what we have
always been able to do with automation
but at a much more accessible price
point, making them attractive to a wide
range of people – not just those building
luxury homes.”
If opportunities presented by the
uptake of IoT technologies are to be
leveraged effectively, contractors will
need to adapt their skill-sets to include
a higher level of knowledge regarding
communication protocols and the like.
“Better knowledge of how IoT devices
interface is going to become a key
driver and a change, not just in skill-
sets, but also in business approaches
will be required. As these different
devices become more connected,
the importance of partnerships
and platform approaches between
businesses also becomes more
important,” says Schneider Electric
Pacific director of process automation
offer management and business
development Brad Yager.
“We need these various systems
to integrate. If we don’t have open
standards and open dialogue between
the people producing these separate
systems – vendors, installers,
electrical contractors and asset owners
– it’s not going to work. So different
methodologies of business practice
will become a key skill-set required
going forward as well as the ability
to interface the physical
devices themselves.”
According to Brad, industry demand
for contractors with IoT knowledge is
there now. Demand for IoT technologies
across all sectors is increasing almost
exponentially although whether or
not the market can accommodate that
demand is yet to be seen.
“With the introduction of products
that give users the ability to monitor
their power consumption in real-time,
consumers are going to see a baseline
of electricity consumption when
everything’s switched off because of
standby mode. This will cause people to
start choosing different products based
on their standby consumption – not just
the consumption when they’re using
it – and contractors who can articulate
that change of thinking to consumers
are going to get more work than those
THE INTERNET OF THINGS
PROMISES TO USHER IN
FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES IN ALL
SECTORS OF THE ELECTRICAL
INDUSTRY.
JACOBHARRIS
TAKES A CLOSER LOOK AT THE
TECHNOLOGY TO SEE HOW
CONTRACTORS STAND TO BENEFIT.
TECHNOLOGY