Assam PWD Gives Provisional Nod to German Firm Microsens, Opens Northeast Opportunity

GUWAHATI, September 10: The Assam Public Works Department (APWD) has granted provisional approval for the use of products under the German technology brand Microsens in its ongoing and upcoming projects, potentially opening a new market for DC smart lighting and advanced networking solutions in Assam and the wider Northeast.

The approval was issued by the Office of the Chief Engineer, PWD (Building), Assam, to Microsens Global Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.

According to the approval letter, the permitted product categories include Fibre-to-the-Office (FTTO) networking, Industrial and Enterprise Network Solutions, DC lighting and PoE integrated Smart Building Management Systems, Building Automation, Optical Transport equipment, Transceivers, and indoor - outdoor, street and solar LED Lighting, including Façade Lighting.

The development is significant for the emerging adoption of low-voltage DC lighting and network-based building infrastructure. Unlike conventional lighting systems that generally use AC distribution and individual LED drivers, DC smart lighting systems can distribute low voltage power and data through network cabling to LED luminaires, sensors and other connected devices.

“More than 80 per cent of the electrical loads in modern buildings are DC loads. Shifting from conventional AC wiring to network-powered DC lighting can reduce energy losses, electricity consumption and potentially lower fire risks and maintenance costs,” said Sarvesh Chauhan, Director, Microsens Global Pvt. Ltd.

The company says its technology can integrate intelligent lighting controls, occupancy sensing and daylight harvesting, potentially reducing energy consumption while also reducing wiring and maintenance requirements in suitable projects.

Beyond lighting, the underlying fibre and Cat 6 network infrastructure could potentially be used for other smart-building and smart-infrastructure applications, including surveillance cameras, environmental sensors and traffic monitoring systems.

“The significance of this technology goes beyond lighting. The same network can provide the foundation for safer, smarter and better-monitored public infrastructure, without requiring a separate network to be installed later,” Chauhan said.

The approval letter, however, makes clear that APWD engineers will continue to conduct necessary checks relating to the quality, range and performance of the products during procurement and use.

Microsens Global, based in the Delhi-NCR region, represents German technology company Microsens GmbH & Co. KG. The company says its technology has more than 900,000 active fibre ports installed worldwide and lists organisations including Deutsche Bahn, Dubai Airports, Siemens, RWE and E.ON among its clients.

The provisional approval could provide Microsens with an opportunity to demonstrate its smart lighting and networking technologies in Assam and potentially expand its presence across other states of the Northeast.