Smart school: Facility Management made simple

SCOOP, one of the 26 school groups within the GO! Education of the Flemish Community, focuses on innovation and efficiency. With 12 elementary school, 2 teenage schools, 8 secondary schools, an academy for the performing arts, a CLB and a boarding school, the school group offers quality education in the north-eastern edge of Brussels. Recently, elementary school De Regenboog took an important step towards a smarter and more energy efficient school building by installing Loxone. The ambition is to use Loxone as a universal building management system within the school group.

Automating all school buildings in one way

The goal of the SCOOP school group is to automate as much as possible within the group through one unifying, intuitive system. This will make it a lot easier for staff and maintenance personnel to use.

Access Control: Secure and flexible access

To optimally secure the school building, a Loxone NFC Code Touch was installed at the entrance. This allows teachers easy access via a personal code. The gate is also controlled via a timer, ensuring smooth operation without manual intervention. An NFC Key Fob system will also be added in the future, allowing staff to both enter the school building and use the copier with the same fob.

Smart control of the heating system

One of the biggest challenges in older school buildings is managing heating efficiently. The school was struggling with an outdated BMS installation from another manufacturer that was faulty and for which there was barely any documentation. Thanks to Loxone, there is now fully automated control of the heating circuits.

• Pumps and valves are controlled directly by Loxone, ensuring optimal heat distribution control.
• 1-Wire Temperature Sensors continuously monitor the temperature in the pipes.
• Belimo valves, which are operated via the Belimo Tree Interface are controlled, making everything much easier.

In addition, Loxone’s flexible configuration offers the possibility of adding additional logic. For example, an initial design has already been created for a “free chilling system,” where outside air is cleverly utilised for natural cooling.

Monitoring temperature and air quality

A healthy indoor climate is essential in a school environment. Currently, temperature and CO₂ levels are being measured at seven locations.

Next Steps

In the long term, a series of interesting additions to the install are still on the wish list, including:
✔ Integration of the school bell into the Loxone system;
✔ Smart lighting which is controlled based on presence and daylight;
✔ Solar panels with energy monitoring to further track energy consumption;
✔ Installation of adjustment valves.

Thanks to Loxone, the school is already prepared to integrate future technologies.

IT Integration: one network for all schools

In addition to the technical installations, SCOOP’s IT department is pushing for a centrally managed network for the schools within the school group. The plan is to link all Loxone Miniservers into a single network, where the Miniserver at headquarters will function as the master and all other schools will be integrated as clients. This will ensure uniform management, efficient monitoring and rapid updates to all systems.

With these smart modifications, the school is taking a big step towards a sustainable and innovative school environment, where comfort, safety and energy management go hand in hand.