Sustainability and efficiency are crucial success factors for companies. Together with Schneider Electric Austria, a leading expert in energy management and digitalisation, Three Austria (Drei Österreich, has developed an innovative solution for one of Austria's largest retail chains using its LoRaWAN technology.
The goal was to establish comprehensive energy management and sustainability monitoring. This helps achieve sustainability goals, makes energy consumption transparent, and thus generates significant savings.
Promote sustainability, reduce energy costs
In an era where sustainability and resource efficiency are increasingly important, companies face the challenge of reducing their environmental footprint and lowering operating costs. Effectively monitoring and controlling energy consumption across numerous, often historically developed locations presents a significant challenge. This was the situation faced by an Austrian food retail chain with well over 1,000 stores, nine warehouses, and other distribution centres.
They needed a solution that would consolidate and process energy data from all locations – despite differing building structures. Schneider Electric, an energy management solutions provider, and Three, a connectivity provider, jointly developed a solution that paves the way for sustainable digitalisation.
More transparency, less energy consumption
The challenge was to equip all locations with sensors covering up to five measuring points per branch. The goal was to continuously collect and centrally analyse energy data such as electricity, water, gas, and oil. "The aim was to establish an energy management system for a large food and retail chain that integrates individual branches, as well as warehouses and production centres. The relevant energy data, such as heat and electricity, were to be recorded in a central system and processed for various reporting purposes," explains Karl Sagmeister, Managing Director of Schneider Electric Austria.
The biggest challenge in this project was retrofitting the numerous existing branches. This presented the challenge of long cable runs, making wireless data transmission essential. Drei's Three’s LoRaWAN technology provided a wireless solution specifically designed for such challenges. It transmits data over long distances and through thick walls – with low energy consumption and high reliability. The telecommunications provider operates a nationwide, energy-efficient LoRaWAN network that is revolutionising wireless data transmission and offers customised solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT).
"The goal was to establish an energy management system for a large food and retail chain that integrates individual branches, as well as warehouses and production centres. Relevant energy data, such as heat and electricity, were to be recorded in a central system and processed for various reporting purposes."
Karl Sagmeister, CEO Schneider Electric Austria
LoRaWAN as a game changer
LoRaWAN sensors wirelessly transmit meter readings, such as those from gas or heat meters, to Three's server. From there, the data is fed into Schneider Electric's energy management system. A dashboard allows the retail chain's energy management team to see at a glance the energy consumption of each branch. Deviations are immediately apparent, for example, if a branch consumes significantly more energy per square meter than others.
"The customer can instantly see how much electricity and heat a branch consumes at any given time and can analyse how this consumption can be further reduced. It's about genuine energy optimisation," says Karl Sagmeister. In the long term, the system contributes to saving energy and costs and supports the company's sustainability goals – for example, through targeted building optimisations or the integration of renewable energies.
Three as a reliable IoT partner
The collaboration between Schneider Electric and Three went smoothly and was characterised by openness and innovative strength. The successful implementation in the food retail sector demonstrates how modern IoT solutions are already making economically relevant areas fit for the future.
"The customer can immediately see how much electricity and heat a branch consumes at what times, and can analyse how this consumption can be further reduced. It's about genuine energy optimisation."
Karl Sagmeister, CEO Schneider Electric Austria
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