French company Airwell, a creator of climatic and thermal solutions, received the Bronze Winner award for its Hybrid House solution (Ma Maison Hybride), on 4th July, at the Innovation Awards at Le Mondial du Bâtiment.
The distinction was received in the Construction Tech - Start-Up and New Technologies category, as part of the Innovation Awards competition for exhibitors at Interclima, Batimat and Idéobain. The 2022 awards included 82 nominees, selected from a total of 167 submitted applications, by 43 professional jurors, with the Hybrid House being one of 27 innovations winning awards.
Comfort and energy consumption
The Hybrid House is designed for the residential sector, with the aim of empowering the user to take control of their energy consumption. Structured around Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Hybrid House uses mixed photovoltaic (PV) panels and traditional energy options (electricity and gas) to produce and manage energy. It integrates household equipment, such as heat pumps, air conditioning, heating, ventilation, domestic hot water and connected objects, all from a smartphone via the intuitive AirHome application.
It is also set to offer a wide range intelligent home automation, to be rolled out throughout 2022
The result is controlled energy use, more ecological energy generation, budget control and a comfortable home, adapted to the householders needs. The AirHome ecosystem enables consumers to better control their consumption, limit their carbon footprint and reduce their energy bills. It is also set to offer a wide range intelligent home automation, to be rolled out throughout 2022.
The Hybrid House in action
The Hybrid House is the alliance of natural photovoltaic solar energy with conventional energy. The energy collected via the PV panels is 100% renewable, and can be used by all electrical appliances in the home, whatever the brand.
"The approach is simple: you produce your own electricity, you supply and you control all the thermal equipment of the house at your fingertips," explains Laurent Roegel, CEO of Airwell. “The Hybrid House offers a tailor-made solution to meet the major challenges of the transformation of consumption, particularly in terms of heating and air conditioning.”
Real-time monitoring
AI technology makes it possible to create scenarios for energy optimization and preventive maintenance
Thanks to the real-time monitoring of the energy produced by the solar panels, and the consumption of all thermal equipment in the house, the system can perfectly balance supply and demand. Remote heating and air conditioning, room by room, is available via the app, which is all centralized by the Airwell home automation box, which uses an open ZigBee protocol (low frequency), so not to obstruct the speed of the Wi-Fi network.
The Airwell ecosystem makes it possible to instantly optimize the overall energy consumption of the property, according to the electricity production of the photovoltaic panels. AI technology makes it possible to create scenarios for energy optimization and preventive maintenance.
Learning household routines
With smart technology, the system can be pre-programmed, changed remotely or even learn household routines, so that indoor temperatures are automatically lowered when the house is unoccupied. Likewise, the system will regulate the indoor environment to ensure that temperatures stay constant when occupied. The system also optimizes domestic hot water production, ensuring that all aspects of the heating and hot water system work as efficiency and effectively as possible.
Since its launch in June 2021, the AirHome application has attracted an average of 900 users per month. The application is set to evolve in a few months to integrate a greater number of connected objects, including electrical outlets, temperature or humidity probes, air quality analysis sensors, and underfloor heating/cooling.
Alternating solar production
The all-in-one app lets users easily view their appliances’ consumption according to their usage
The app’s algorithm automatically optimizes the consumption of the appliances by alternating solar production and mains power. It also allows users to visualize the solar electricity production in real time, as well as the history. The all-in-one app lets users easily view their appliances’ consumption according to their usage.
The AirHome app is available under IOS and Android. Using the app, connectivity to air conditioning, heating, ventilation, domestic hot water and connected objects (washing machines, lamps, shutters, security), turns the smartphone into a remote control for the whole home.
The Hybrid House benefits
Airwell’s Hybrid House promises to:
- Align solar energy with traditional energies, creating a habitat that is more respectful of the environment thanks to the use of renewables
- Keep users connected through integrated home automation. Control and manage the electrical equipment within the home via the AirHome application
- Help create an autonomous house
- Help reduce energy consumption
- Help manage their budget by reducing energy consumption
- Help make thermal comfort gains thanks to the distribution of heat and inertia in the house
- Helps users save time. At a glance, they can control and manage all of the energy-consuming equipment in their home.