Factory Campus’s energy concept includes rooftop solar installations, decentralised power supply and a combined heat and power plant. A fully automated solar shading system was also a key requirement of the project architect, Ralf Petersmann.

Schneider Ingenieure GmbH of Kamp-Lintfort was commissioned to plan the solar shading control system.

Open-plan offices and flexible working hours create changing demands for solar shading. Work takes place at Factory Campus throughout the day, from focused screen work and presentations to teamwork. Individual needs may therefore differ from the programmed automatic settings.

The project therefore called for a solar shading control system that could be adapted flexibly while allowing simple individual operation.

Factory Campus uses Omnexo from WAREMA. The fully automatic control system is suitable for medium-sized properties such as schools, office buildings and campuses, and can be fully integrated into the building network.

The system can be set up, commissioned, modified and updated using a browser-enabled device such as a tablet, PC or laptop. Key automatic functions are preconfigured in the compact control unit in the distribution cabinet.

One control unit can operate up to 500 solar shading components, or up to 3,000 products when grouped. Omnexo therefore meets the requirements of Factory Campus.

Together with the WAREMA weather station move, one Omnexo control unit uses bus signals to control 16 switching actuators distributed throughout the building. A total of 76 external venetian blinds with automatic slat tracking adjust their position according to the control settings. This makes use of daylight while helping to limit heat gain in summer.

The solar shading products can also be operated using conventional push buttons or through an app using the user management integrated into Omnexo.

Digital universal inputs allow various scenarios and special functions to be integrated into Omnexo, such as a window-cleaning mode, a fire alarm control panel or a higher-level building management system.

Omnexo studio software is available for commissioning. Products are already configured with default values and can be customised individually. An integrated plausibility check supports configuration.

The move weather station installed on the roof measures wind speed, temperature, brightness and precipitation, then sends the data to the control unit. The slat angle is adjusted automatically based on these readings. The system thus supports daylight use, glare protection and thermal comfort indoors.

The control system can be adjusted to changing usage requirements. Software updates can also be installed centrally.

• Project: Factory Campus
• Location: Düsseldorf
• Client: EK 401 Grundstücksverwertungs-GmbH & Co. KG, Düsseldorf
• Use: 3,000 m² office building with 38 modern offices ranging from 38 to 218 m²
• Architecture: Dipl.-Ing. Ralf Petersmann, Düsseldorf, www.ralfpetersmann.de
• Planning: Schneider Ingenieure GmbH, Kamp-Lintfort, www.schneider-ingenieure.de
• Solar shading installation: Wilbrand GmbH, 48465 Ohne
• Control system installation: ES Project GmbH, Essen, www.es-project.de
• Completion: 2023
• Solar shading: 76 WAREMA basic external venetian blind units E80A6S
• Control system: Omnexo control unit // 6 Omnexo 4M230 AP switching actuators // 10 Omnexo 6M230 AP switching actuators // WAREMA weather station move