DBS

Powering smart buildings with Power Over Ethernet (PoE)

The role of PoE in a Smart Building 

05/01/2024 - 11:26 AM

Power over Ethernet (PoE) delivers DC power to devices through copper Ethernet cabling, consolidating both power and data connections on a single cable. This technology supports a range of devices, including access points, IP cameras, VoIP phones, LED lighting, Emergency Lighting, IoT Gateways, and Wellbeing Sensors. As a versatile and brand-agnostic solution, PoE serves various industries, such as commercial, industrial, retail, and residential, fostering communication across diverse systems and devices. Its standardized installation process, coupled with backward compatibility to previous standards, ensures efficiency and ease of integration.  

PoE's intelligent infrastructure facilitates data collection and analysis, empowering digital services to transform data into actionable insights. Through the integration of open protocols, smart buildings experience improved master system integration and scalability. This, in turn, reduces congestion in installation spaces by seamlessly combining power and communication within a single cable. 

 

General Benefits of PoE Infrastructures 

■ Cost-effective, Lower cost to deploy and operate compared to AC Power 

■ Ease of Installation 

■ Operational flexibility 

■ Greater insight, control, interconnectivity, and automation 

■ Material ongoing energy savings 

■ Enhanced health and wellness for employees 

■ Sustainable future proofing for the OT environment 

 

Intelligent Building Management Applications Supported by PoE 

PoE technology serves as the foundational support for diverse building services, including predictive HVAC, personalized lighting control, indoor wayfinding, asset tracking, centralized security, dynamic signage, real-time conference room availability, and flexible workspace allocation. Its centralization enhances reliability, ease of use, and maintenance, making PoE a robust solution for streamlined infrastructure management. 

Cost-effective Technology

CAT 6A for Power Over Ethernet (PoE) applications For High Performance Infrastructures 

Cat6a is the de-facto PoE cabling infrastructure and core architecture of digital buildings. It carries direct current (DC) electrical power to any device on a network, enabling a vast variety of functions from smart devices with sufficient power and bandwidth. As the next generation of cabling system standards, Cat6a is designed to elevate the performance of Cat6 cables, supporting data transmission at rates of up to 10 gigabits over distances exceeding 328 feet. 

Benefits of Cat6A

Category 6A provides superior performance for the elevated power needs of Power over Ethernet (PoE) applications as it mitigates heat effectively with enhanced thermal dissipation. Draka UC’s copper cabling solutions offer a powerful combination of high-bandwidth data connectivity and flexibility, enabling support for advanced capabilities and futureproofing of your infrastructure.

CAT 6 A for PoE Applications: