ABB has installed a smart low-voltage network in a cutting-edge shopping mall in Bangkok, the EmQuartier.
The project is the first retail development to use ABB’s Emax 2 circuit breakers and Ekip control and connectivity features for remote management of its power grid. ABB’s complete low-voltage solution improved the project’s delivery time by 35 per cent and reduced engineering costs by around 60 per cent due to its integrated SCADA functionality.
Giampiero Frisio, managing director of ABB’s protection and connection business, said building operators need solutions that make energy management easier and reduce total operating costs.
He said by pioneering the introduction of more integrated, intuitive and connected low-voltage solutions, ABB is taking power and productivity to the next level.
The EmQuartier is a 250,000 m2 uxury shopping and entertainment venue and a key part of the Mall Group’s multi- million dollar transformation of Bangkok’s business district. ABB developed the centre's low-voltage network in partnership with local panel builder PMK Group. Emax 2 circuit breakers’ built-in sensors and connectivity, configured with Ekip View supervision software enable remote monitoring, management and control of the low-voltage network at the shopping mall.
With each node in the electrical distribution network connected, everything from energy consumption to trend analysis and testing can be managed remotely. The air circuit breakers’ intuitive touchscreen user interface supports 10 different languages.
Chanapatt Pattaramaetakul, chief marketing officer of PMK Group, said: “The EmQuartier is a landmark in Bangkok’s economic development – and the development of its low-voltage network demanded a different level of innovation and quality. Working closely with ABB from the outset enabled PMK to offer a smarter solution in considerably less time.”
The solution for EmQuartier uses Emax2 circuit breakers, which can monitor, manage and even limit power consumption.
Emax 2’s connectivity features enable it to integrate into a wide array of automated systems so that facility managers can receive alerts and communicate remotely via a tablet.
ABB’s Ekip View supervision software connects more than 100+ Emax2 air circuit breakers with all the molded case circuit breakers (MCCBs) and other devices, like miniature circuit breakers (MCBs) and multimeters, as well as the mall’s central monitoring system.