Internet of things (IoT) and cloud networking provider Semtech Corp is working with Kairos, a risk management vendor for commercial and residential properties, are collaborating on a water monitoring and leak protection system at Ghirardelli Square building in San Francisco.
Kairos will use leak detection strip sensors and gateways based on Semtech’s long range (LoRa) technology. The sensors and devices will operate on a LoRa wide area network (LoRaWAN) network and connect to the cloud for real-time monitoring.
If leaks are detected, the LoRa-enabled sensors send an instant alert to facilities management so any potential damage to properties can be reduced or even eliminated. The sensors are installed in seconds to provide data, coverage and protection up to 10 years.
Semtech’s LoRa chipsets help connect sensors to the cloud for real-time communication of data and analytics. The company has more than 300 million LoRa end nodes deployed across the globe for IoT devices. These run the gamut of use cases such as agriculture, industrial, transportation and smart infrastructure.
The leak protection system at Ghirardelli Square is considered one of the country’s first successful real estate adaptive reuse projects. The goal is to install these smart programs without disrupting the tenant or the critical infrastructure.
“Having built a real estate home service business and witnessed the aftermath of over 3,000 water damage incidents made me realize the size of this problem that plagues about 14,000 homes a day in the U.S.,” said Dean Fung-A-Wing, CEO and founder of Kairos. “Water detection systems for commercial and multifamily properties must be affordable, require minimal maintenance, and consume little energy to provide a good return on investment and environmental benefits.”
