Table of Contents

Overall site planning Climkit

The Climkit energy management system covers the various needs related to energy flow management on a site. Depending on the building configuration and intended uses, a project may concern a single energy flow or a combination of several.

This article presents all the solutions offered by Climkit as well as the main associated technical installation options. It serves as a project planning aid to quickly identify relevant elements and structure the installation consistently.

The solutions can be deployed independently or combined according to the site's needs. This flexibility allows the installation to be adapted without unnecessary complexity.

Climkit Solutions

A Climkit solution corresponds to the setup of all the necessary elements for managing a given energy flow on a site.

It combines hardware equipment, software functionalities, and commissioning services, supplemented by operating services where applicable.

Each solution enables measuring and controlling consumption, ensuring equitable distribution and individual invoicing among the different occupants and consumers.

For each solution, a list of preliminary questions supports technical reflection and helps anticipate points to clarify during project preparation.

If there is any doubt about the configuration to choose or compatibility with an existing site, an upfront discussion with Climkit allows for validation of a schematic design and avoids later adjustments.

The fictional project Le Chemin des Sourires concretely illustrates the implementation of Climkit solutions in a residential building.

Communication with the Climkit Gateway

All Climkit solutions require the Gateway to communicate with the various installed equipment, particularly meters and charging stations.

Preliminary questions

  • Is a wired Internet connection available on site, or should a Climkit 4G router be provided?
  • Is there 4G signal in the electrical room, or should an extension cord and/or external antenna be provided?
  • Are there multiple buildings on the site and several electrical rooms? Can they be connected by a bus or Ethernet cable?
For more details and answers to these questions, see the Climkit Gateway connection diagrams

Electricity Management and RCP

In a building equipped with a photovoltaic installation and constituted as a Collective Self-Consumption Grouping (RCP), Climkit ensures complete management of produced and consumed electricity by connecting the various meters to a Climkit gateway to measure, allocate, and visualize energy flows.

This approach enables optimized collective self-consumption while ensuring fair invoicing for the energy used. Each resident can track their consumption evolution in real time on the platform.

The principle relies on private electricity meters connected to the Gateway via an RS485 communication bus and the open Modbus protocol:

Self-consumption optimization

When appliances such as water heaters, heat pumps, or charging stations use locally produced photovoltaic energy, the Climkit Optimization option increases the self-consumption rate by controlling certain appliances based on surplus solar energy production.

For more details, see the list of connection diagrams for electricity management

Installation examples

RCP site including private meters for apartments, common areas, photovoltaic production, and general grid input in series with the DSO input meter.

RCP site with a distribution board and its private meters for apartments and common areas, and an input board with Climkit private meters and DSO input meters plus photovoltaic production:

The meters are connected in series to the Climkit Gateway via an RS485 communication bus.

Board with Climkit meter installation in existing DSO meter locations thanks to the Climkit T-Box kit (DIN plate and housing):

Preliminary questions

  • Is electricity management planned, for example as part of an RCP?
  • What is the number and type of meters to consider:
    • General electricity grid input
    • Photovoltaic installation(s)
    • Residences / apartments
    • Ancillary areas, commercial spaces
    • Common areas
    • Other common areas such as parking
    • Electric vehicle charging stations
    • Battery
    • Other surfaces
  • Which meters are direct (<80A)?
  • Which meters are indirect with TI? What is the TI amperage?
  • Are the meters integrated into the electrical panel, or are they planned for installation in the existing DSO meter locations?
  • Is a storage system (battery) planned?
  • Can self-consumption optimization be planned by controlling the heat pump or the water heater?

Electric Vehicle Charging Station Management

Climkit allows for the installation and management of charging stations in collective parking areas.

The system regulates charging power based on network capacity and available energy, controls access via individual RFID badges, and manages charging billing for each consumer.

The stations communicate with the Gateway via Wi-Fi or Ethernet using the OCPP protocol:

For more details, see the list of connection diagrams for electric vehicle charging station management

Flat cable and Wi-Fi

Climkit recommends a basic infrastructure consisting of a flat cable and a Wi-Fi network to facilitate the progressive addition of charging stations without major intervention on existing wiring.

Preliminary questions

  • Is it a scalable installation with flat cable or only a few charging stations?
  • What is the number of parking spots that could accommodate a charging station?
  • What is the number of flat cable outlets planned in the electrical panel?
  • What is the number of charging stations to be provided immediately?
  • Do the charging stations communicate via Wi-Fi or are they connected to the IP network by wired Ethernet/RJ45?

Thermal Energy and Water Management

Climkit ensures the reading of heating and hot water consumption in accordance with federal regulations for individual expense statements for energy and water (DIFEE).

Each residence or surface is equipped with a heat meter (heating) and a hot water meter, supplemented by main meters to allocate the common area share and the hot water production share.

These measurements are used to establish transparent and accurate statements, based on actual consumption rather than estimates or surface areas.

For more details, see the list of connection diagrams for thermal energy and water

Example of a heat collector located in an individual apartment with a heat meter:

Preliminary questions

  • Are wired M-Bus heating and water meters planned for installation?
  • What types and number of meters are planned: hot water, cold water, heat?
  • Is the meter bus routed to a single location near the electrical panel?

Collective Laundry Room Management

Climkit offers a simple and reliable system for managing common laundry rooms.

An RFID reader connected to the Gateway identifies users and switches on the electricity supply to washing machines, dryers, or Secomats.

This system naturally integrates with other Climkit solutions, allowing all consumption to be grouped on the same platform.

For more details, see the connection diagram for collective laundry room management

Washing column with RFID reader fixed to the wall on the left

Keyless RFID for a single washing column

Preliminary questions

  • What is the number of laundry rooms?
  • How many washing machines, dryers, and Secomats per laundry room?

Electric Bicycle Charging Management

Climkit allows for the installation of connected sockets that enable residents to charge their electric bikes or scooters.

Access is via RFID badge, and consumption is individually accounted for.

Here is a typical connection diagram:

For more details, see the connection diagram for electric bicycle charging management

Installations with exposed or integrated sockets:

Preliminary questions

  • What is the number of bike rooms to be equipped?
  • Is the bike room indoors or outdoors?
  • What is the number of sockets?

How Did We Do?

Installer Getting Started Guide (Read first)

Climkit site setup process

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