Our new sensors will facilitate the use of wood as a sustainable building material

Within the framework of a joint research project between CTU UCEEB and InoSens CZ, s.r.o. a new range of long-life wireless sensors for wooden structures monitoring at all stages of their life cycle has been successfully completed and tested in pilot installations. The technology is now being offered to potential partners for licensing.

By using LoRa/LoRaWAN data transmission technology, a specially designed communication protocol and battery power circuitry, we have been able to extremely reduce power consumption, thereby extending the lifetime of the sensor to over ten years. The purpose of the sensor is to monitor and provide early warning in case of rising humidity or moisture in a timber structure, thereby minimising damage and preventing wood-decay processes in often hidden and inaccessible areas within the structure.

The sensors measure wood mass moisture content, relative air humidity and temperature. Their unique features make them among the world's leading sensors and they can be deployed to monitor all stages of the life cycle of timber elements, from production and storage through transport and construction to the day-to-day operation of buildings. We have designed the sensors to be used for moisture monitoring of timber frame, CLT, LVL or Glulam structures. We are now offering the technology for licensing and believe that it will help to increase the use of wood as a sustainable building material not only in the Czech Republic but also elsewhere in the world.

The project System for complex monitoring of the conditions in timber structures (contract no. FW03010267) was supported by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic within the TREND programme.