Semtech and Kairos Implement Leak Detection Systems to Preserve Historic Ghirardelli Square Building

August 03, 2023

News

CAMARILLO, CALIFORNIA. Semtech Corporation and Kairos recently announced a joint effort to improve water monitoring and leak protection efforts at San Francisco's Ghirardelli Square. The collaboration features Kairos’ leak detection strip sensors and gateways, which are based on Semtech’s LoRa technology, run on a LoRaWAN network, and can enable real-time monitoring capabilities via cloud connection.

These LoRa-enabled sensors send an instantaneous alert about any detected water leaks to facilities management to mitigate potential property damage as much as possible. Semtech's LoRa chipsets connect sensors to the cloud to facilitate real-time data and analytics communication of data and analytics. This prompt management is designed to improve efficiency and productivity in sustainable IoT use cases like agriculture, transportation, and industrial.

Often considered to be the country’s first successful real estate adaptive reuse project, Ghirardelli Square combines rich history and contemporary infrastructure, which makes it challenging for acquierers and restoration teams to integrate leak protection systems without disrupting tenant and customer experience or critical infrastructure. Establishing modern, non-intrusive facility management systems in the center of risk mitigation efforts is critical to preserving iconic assets like Ghirardelli Square.

“As we modernize and preserve more historical locations, we must use minimally invasive, low-power and long-range risk mitigation solutions that do not disrupt the cultural experience," said Tom Mueller, executive vice president and general manager, IoT System Products Group at Semtech Corporation.

An instance of rainfall-induced water intrusion in one of Ghirardelli Square's main switchgear rooms resulted in temporary interruptions in the buillding and neighboring businesses. The site team installed Noah Multifunction Leak Sensors, based on LoRa technology and running on a LoRaWAN network, as an asset protection system, which was able to detect multiple leaks within the first month of use, preventing further substantial damage.

“Water detection systems for commercial and multifamily properties must be affordable, require minimal maintenance, and consume little energy to provide a good return on investment and environmental benefits," said Dean Fung-A-Wing, chief executive officer and Founder of Kairos. "With Semtech’s LoRa technology, our discrete Kairos sensor solutions significantly impact even the most challenging real estate assets. Our sensors install in seconds while providing data, coverage, and protection for up to 10 years.”

For more information, visit https://www.semtech.com/lora/lora-applications.