Education

When buildings think for themselves: sensor solutions at the Université Catholique de Lille.

The idea behind

Catholic University of Lille

A campus thrives on activity: students, lecturers and staff use a wide variety of spaces every day – from lecture theatres and seminar rooms to offices, corridors and communal areas.

To ensure that lighting, temperature and air quality adapt to this changing usage, the Université Catholique de Lille relies on sensor solutions from STEINEL. These reliably detect presence and movement, thereby laying the foundation for demand-based building control.

In this way, the actual occupancy of a room forms the basis for control: lighting is provided where it is needed, whilst the building services can adjust accordingly in unused areas. At the same time, the sensor technology supports a pleasant learning and working environment – operating unobtrusively in the background, yet making a noticeable difference to everyday life.

Client: Institut Catholique de Lille
Location: Lille, France
Construction status: in operation since 1875
Converted to STEINEL sensor technology in 2024
Installed: 189 Steinel sensors – True Presence KNX, True Presence Multisensor KNX, IR Quattro HD KNX, True Presence DALI, IS 2180 ECO, IS 2360 DE ECO, IS 345 COM1
Scope of work: Hardware and services

A common room with people at the University of Lille

Thanks to the comprehensive monitoring of actual occupancy, heating, ventilation and lighting in the campus buildings are controlled precisely according to demand. This ensures that unnecessary continuous operation in empty rooms is consistently avoided.

All products used at a glance

Man standing outside the university in Lille

"Our aim was to manage the campus buildings in a way that better responds to how they are actually used and to improve day-to-day comfort. STEINEL sensors reliably detect occupancy and key room data, allowing lighting, temperature and ventilation to be adapted more precisely to actual usage."

Stéphane LAURIDANT – Manager, Energy & Building Performance, Institut Catholique de Lille

Everything from a single source: the right sensor for every application.

The refurbishment of the Université Catholique de Lille placed high demands on the sensor technology: a wide variety of room types with differing uses and occupancy levels required bespoke solutions. Thanks to STEINEL’s comprehensive range of sensors, the right solution was provided for every application – all from a single source. From intelligent multi-sensors with precise presence detection to simple motion detectors, the ideal sensor was found for every requirement.

Learning areas

Smart lighting, ventilation and heating control for an optimal learning environment. Our solutions discreetly support daily campus life in the background, ensuring comfort whilst at the same time preventing the lighting and ventilation systems from running unnecessarily when rooms are not in use.

Focus fully on your studies, whilst the technology takes care of the rest. The smart room control system links the heating and lighting directly to the actual use of the room and the university’s booking system. Whether it’s dimming the blackboard light at the touch of a button or automatically turning off the heating when a window is open – the system always creates the perfect learning environment without any manual effort.

The large lecture theatre utilises innovative True Presence technology. To ensure absolutely uniform coverage despite the varying mounting heights within the room, each sensor has been individually fine-tuned. The devices communicate seamlessly with one another via Bluetooth Mesh, enabling precise control of lighting, temperature and fresh air at all times.

Thanks to their black design, the sensors blend discreetly into the dark ceiling of the lecture theatre. As well as detecting occupancy, they also measure CO₂ levels, thereby providing important information for controlling the ventilation system in line with demand.

Perfectly lit right into the corners: despite the sloping ceilings and beams, the smart sensor system on the ceiling ensures comprehensive coverage and daylight-dependent lighting control at every table.

Workstations & break rooms

In office and break areas, the lighting is adjusted according to actual occupancy in the room. The True Presence technology used can detect even people sitting still and the slightest movements, such as typing on a keyboard, thereby supporting reliable lighting control during the working day.

Even in smaller office spaces, the sensor technology helps to control lighting and room temperature in line with actual usage.

Whether it’s a short break or a group discussion: the system is controlled based on the room’s actual occupancy.

Spacious communal areas are automatically monitored depending on occupancy and can therefore be managed in a way that suits everyday campus life.

Corridors, staircases & toilets

In circulation areas and ancillary areas, the sensor system controls the lighting automatically. This ensures that lighting is provided where movement is detected and where guidance is required.

Entrance area with lots of people at the University of Lille

Even in large areas, STEINEL sensor technology ensures that the lighting can respond to actual usage.

A corridor filled with people and posters at the University of Lille

In spacious corridors, precise detection ensures that lighting is available along the routes that are actually used.

Staircase at the University of Lille with 3 people

In stairwells, the automatic switching system helps people find their way as soon as they enter the area.

In the toilet areas, the sensor system performs an additional function: depending on whether anyone is present, it controls the electric valve for the toilet flush, which is supplied with collected rainwater.

Why STEINEL?

For the Université Catholique de Lille, it was crucial to be able to equip different rooms with sensor solutions tailored to each one’s specific needs. STEINEL’s extensive product range covers a variety of requirements – from small offices to large lecture theatres, and from simple motion detection to precise presence detection. A further advantage lies in the measurement of additional environmental parameters such as brightness, temperature or CO₂. This means that, depending on the application, a single sensor solution can provide several relevant pieces of information. Close coordination between the university, the electrical installation team and STEINEL also helped to tailor the technology specifically to the respective areas of the building.

189

Steinel sensors installed in various buildings at the Université Catholique de Lille

7^{Types of sensors}

tailored to different rooms and conditions of use