Delivering an innovative platform for unprecedented flexibility, sustainability and energy efficiency in commercial buildings, the EMerge Alliance recently announced the release of the EMerge Alliance Standard, the first roadmap for the utilization of safe, low-voltage directcurrent (DC) power in commercial interiors.
 
The new industry standard allows buildings of today to adapt to the needs of tomorrow by defining critical physical and electrical requirements that help achieve the following goals:

• Reduced energy losses by eliminating device-by-device electrical conversions from alternating current (AC) power to DC power
• Use of safe Class 2 power levels, wherever practical, as defined by the National Electrical Code
• Broad capabilities for faster and simpler moves, adds, and changes in occupied spaces
• Movement towards interoperable device-level controls and smart grid integration at the building level
• Easier integration of native DC power sources, such as solar, wind, fuel cell and batteries, with traditional AC power sources
• Flexibility to implement new energy-saving devices, such as LED lighting and controls, and energy-saving technologies, such as renewable power sources, more efficiently and effectively
 
The EMerge Alliance Standard establishes a more efficient means of powering the rapidly increasing number of digital, DC-powered devices, such as sensors, lighting and IT equipment, found in today’s workplaces. It creates an integrated, open platform for power, interior infrastructures, controls and a wide variety of peripheral devices to facilitate the hybrid use of AC and DC power within buildings.

In the standardized scheme, AC power is converted to low-voltage DC for efficient distribution at the room level, eliminating the inefficiency of numerous AC to DC power conversions at the device level. The Standard also provides for an optional connection to on-site alternative power generation, including solar panels and micro-turbines that naturally generate DC power. Historically these native DC power generators required their power to be converted to AC for local distribution, reducing their efficiency and increasing costs. Using native DC power generated from on-site sources to drive DC loads more directly can dramatically improve building efficiency, reduce energy costs and reduce environmental footprints.