Building Automation with Single Pair PoE

Extending Building Automation Networks with Omnitron’s SPoE Technology

A major customer in the commercial building automation sector operating a multi-story office complex in a metropolitan area.

The Challenge

The project posed several significant challenges:

The customer required a unified network to connect various building systems—HVAC, elevators, surveillance cameras, Wi-Fi access points, and motion detectors—through a Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) infrastructure. These critical systems needed to be centrally managed and monitored to enhance building efficiency, safety, and performance.

A key challenge emerged during the planning phase: extending connectivity beyond the traditional 100-meter distance limitation of standard Ethernet. Additionally, many of the edge devices such as smart sensors, control panels, and IP cameras required Single Pair Power over Ethernet (SPoE) to eliminate the need for local power sources, which were impractical or cost-prohibitive to install across the entire building.

Compliance Requirements: The project required hardware that met TAA, BAA, and NDAA procurement standards for secure government-regulated environments.

The Solution

To meet the customer’s technical and environmental requirements, Omnitron Systems provided a tailored solution consisting of:

• OmniConverter GLPoE/Sx Single Pair Power over Ethernet (SPoE) Switches
• OmniConverter 10TPS/LPD Industrial SPE Media Converters

These products enabled the customer to extend SPoE connectivity up to 1 kilometer, eliminating the Ethernet distance barrier. The solution offered:

30VDC Class 10-12 and 58VDC Class 13-15 PoE power delivery, compliant with IEEE and SPoE standards

SPE cabling to power and connect sensors and controls throughout the building

Fiber and copper uplinks to the centralized building automation control center

Industrial temperature operation, ensuring reliability in diverse deployment environments.

The GLPoE/Sx switches and 10TPS/LPD converters also offer fiber or copper uplinks to control centers, ensuring that all building systems can be monitored in real-time from a centralized management location. Their compact size, industrial temperature support, and flexible mounting options made them ideal for installation in ceiling spaces, control closets, and elevator shafts.

The Result and Conclusion

Omnitron’s solution successfully met the customer’s technical requirements:

• Extended the network range up to 1 kilometer using SPE, allowing devices in remote or hard-to-wire locations to connect to the central system.
• Delivered reliable SPoE power to sensors, control devices, and IP endpoints across the building.
• Simplified infrastructure deployment by reducing the need for additional power circuits and minimizing cabling costs.
• Ensured secure, real-time building management across multiple functions, enhancing operational efficiency and situational awareness.

Omnitron’s OmniConverter GLPoE/Sx Switches and 10TPS/LPD Converters enabled a major customer to modernize and streamline their building automation infrastructure with Single Pair Ethernet and Power. By overcoming the traditional distance limitations of Ethernet and delivering dependable SPoE power across an extended range, Omnitron’s products provided a scalable, reliable, and future-proof networking solution. The result was a smarter, more efficient building system—supported by American-made, high-performance technology.

Why Omnitron Systems

The customer selected Omnitron for several compelling reasons:

Proven Reliability: Omnitron’s solutions are trusted in mission-critical applications with high MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures) and robust operation.

Technical Support: Omnitron provided exceptional pre- and post-sales engineering design assistance, ensuring the solution met all project requirements and codes.

Industrial-Grade Features: All devices used were temperature-hardened and designed for demanding building environments.

Made in the USA: The TAA, BAA, and NDAA compliance assured the customer of high-quality, secure products manufactured in the United States.

Advanced SPoE Capabilities: The GLPoE/Sx series uniquely support extended SPoE power classes, enabling flexible and efficient deployment of various building subsystems over SPE cabling.

Product Overview

The OmniConverter and RuggedNet SPE switches have models that support copper or fiber uplink ports, and IEEE 802.3cg compliant 10BASE-T1L copper user ports.

The switches features two 10/100/1000 RJ-45 or 100/1000 fiber SFP uplink ports and four 10BASE-T1L 3-pin terminals or IEC 63171-2 user ports. Models are available with and without Single Power over Ethernet (SPoE) user ports.

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