Switzerland-based building controls specialist SAUTER has introduced upgraded modulo 6 building automation stations and ecos 5 room automation controllers, featuring increased processing capacity, expanded memory and new cybersecurity measures.
Building automation stations manage services such as heating, cooling and ventilation across a property. Room controllers operate at a smaller scale, coordinating indoor climate, lighting and blinds within individual rooms or zones.
The new platforms remain compatible with SAUTER’s existing building and room automation systems. The company said this would allow customers to modernise installations while retaining earlier control-system components.
More processing capacity and distributed controls
The modulo 6 and ecos 5 platforms use multi-core processors that can handle several tasks at the same time. Their expanded memory can continuously record and analyse operational data.
SAUTER said building operators could use this information to improve energy performance and occupant comfort while reducing long-term operating costs. It did not provide measured savings or identify installations that had used the upgraded products.
The modulo 6 stations support decentralised input and output layouts. Input/output modules connect controllers to equipment and sensors. Remote modules and IP-based couplers can now be distributed around a building instead of being concentrated in one location.
According to SAUTER, this arrangement can simplify system design, later expansion, and maintenance when controls are distributed across different parts of a property.
Room controls connect HVAC, lighting and blinds
The ecos 5 controllers can manage several room functions through a single device. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) can be linked with lighting and blind controls.
SAUTER had already equipped its ecos504 and ecos505 controllers with occupancy-based functions, window-status monitoring, ventilation-demand sensing and scheduled temperature settings. Demand-controlled ventilation adjusts airflow based on room use or conditions rather than running continuously at a fixed level.
The upgraded platform supports KNX, DALI, Modbus, M-Bus, EnOcean and SMI. These industry protocols connect building controls to HVAC equipment, lighting, meters, wireless sensors and motorised blinds. Earlier, SAUTER said Modbus and M-Bus could record energy consumption by room or zone.
The ecos504/505 system can also divide a space into separately controlled zones. These can be rearranged when the interior layout or use of the room changes.
Cybersecurity builds on existing protections
SAUTER’s ecos504 and ecos505 controllers already support BACnet/SC, the secure-connect version of the BACnet communication standard used by building automation systems. They also use TLS encryption to protect data travelling across a network.
The latest update adds a system architecture designed to reduce security weaknesses, along with modern encryption and secure software updates. SAUTER said it incorporated these measures during product development under a security-by-design model.
The company said the platforms were prepared to meet requirements under the European Cyber Resilience Act. Adopted in 2024, the regulation sets cybersecurity requirements for products with digital elements placed on the European Union market.
Web server keeps controls available locally
The controllers include an upgraded moduWeb Unity web server, which SAUTER said is faster when used for commissioning, diagnostics and operation. Commissioning is the process of configuring and testing a building system before it enters service.
SAUTER’s existing product information says moduWeb Unity can store historical data, manage user access and bring devices on the same BACnet network into one interface. It can continue to provide local monitoring and control if a cloud service is temporarily unavailable.
The server is accessed through a web browser and does not require separate software. Compatibility with earlier SAUTER systems means the new controllers can be introduced as part of a staged building automation upgrade.
Image: Courtesy of Fr. Sauter AG