Heating, lighting, air quality and energy consumption are closely linked. Yet in many buildings, each area is managed by a separate system. The Robustel LG5120 industrial gateway helps connect these systems and use shared data for clearer oversight and automated operation.
Managers of office buildings, schools and hospital campuses need to know where heating is being wasted, which rooms need ventilation and whether water consumption matches normal operation. The data often already exists, but remains scattered across meters, controllers and separate applications. LG5120 provides a foundation for processing it together at the installation site.
How LG5120 connects building technologies
The gateway supports KNX, BACnet, Modbus, M-Bus and LoRaWAN, allowing lighting controls, ventilation systems, utility meters and wireless sensors to be connected. A LoRaWAN EU868 variant is available for European installations.
E2C Facility Suite provides tools for data collection, automation rules in Node-RED, visualisation and alarms. Configured logic can run locally without waiting for a cloud command. Data can also be passed to building management systems (BMS) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems via BACnet/IP and OPC UA.
Offices and schools: control based on room use
An office building undergoing gradual modernisation may already have bus-based heating or lighting controls but lack data from individual rooms. A model solution using LG5120 can add wireless temperature and occupancy sensors and connect their readings to the existing controls.
A meeting room could then switch to a reduced heating setting according to actual use. The building manager also gains an overview of conditions in individual zones. The specific possibilities depend on controller and actuator compatibility and on radio coverage within the building.
The same principle can be applied in schools. Classrooms, gyms and offices have different operating schedules. Combining temperature and CO₂ measurements with timetables can help identify overheated or poorly ventilated spaces. In buildings with compatible controlled ventilation, the readings can also support automatic ventilation.
Start with a specific issue, such as overheating in selected classrooms. Comparing consumption and indoor conditions before and after the changes provides a basis for deciding whether to expand the solution.
Consumption monitoring across a campus
Another option is to monitor consumption across a site comprising a school, sports hall and community centre. A model solution can combine available bus-connected meters with wireless readings and make data from individual buildings accessible in a single application.
Configured rules can highlight unusual overnight water consumption or heating during a planned shutdown. Operators gain data for investigating increased consumption and assessing the measures taken. The scope of monitoring always depends on the specific meters and their communication interfaces.
Temperature monitoring in hospitals and laboratories
In a hospital or university laboratory, a similar solution can provide continuous oversight of storage conditions. Suitable sensors can monitor temperature, while local rules evaluate deviations. A connected application makes historical data available and sends alerts to the responsible member of staff.
Such a project requires appropriate sensors, verification of communication at the installation site and a defined response to alarms. The communication gateway is one component of the complete monitoring system.
Hardware for building service areas
LG5120 features a quad-core processor, 8 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. Connectivity and interfaces include:
- two Gigabit Ethernet ports,
- two isolated RS-485 ports,
- digital inputs and outputs and two analogue inputs,
- Wi-Fi and 4G/LTE mobile connectivity with two SIM slots.
A metal housing, DIN rail mounting and an operating temperature range of −40 to +70 °C support installation in building service areas. The RCMS platform is supported for remote device management.
More possibilities with LoRaWAN
To explore another device using this technology, read our article about the Robustel R1520LG LoRaWAN gateway. This is a different model; compare the required interfaces and data processing capabilities when selecting a device.
Discuss your project with SECTRON
We are an authorised distributor of Robustel industrial routers and IoT gateways. We provide sales and technical support to help you select a device and integrate it into your infrastructure.
Planning to add remote meter readings, connect building technologies or extend monitoring without extensive cabling? Discuss the possibilities of Robustel LG5120 with our sales team at obchod@sectron.cz or on +420 556 621 030. You can find further details on our SECTRON contacts page.
Technical source: Robustel LG5120 – manufacturer's product page. The applications described are illustrative scenarios, not references to projects delivered by SECTRON.
