Program Objectives

Our goal is to work with organizations that can help develop in Canada the capability to enable intelligent building technologies using Printable and Organic Electronics (PE).

As with any new technology, the challenge is to move beyond conceptual and prototype development to actual industry engagement that leads to sales and revenues. At the CPEIA, we are developing a framework that will allow the Canadian PE technology industry to work with stakeholders in the commercial and residential building automation industries. This will create the collaborative environment that will drive the development of new products and applications that serve market needs and have a high likelihood of commercial success.

For PE technology developers, it’s an opportunity to rub shoulders with senior executives, potential business partners and new customers in this multibillion-dollar market. For stakeholders in the building automation industry, it is the chance to be in on the ground floor of a major technological shift that can dramatically change the economics of building operation.

Bringing Intelligent Automation to the Home, the Office, and Beyond

It all comes down to building automation. Intelligent Buildings and Connected Homes are or will be equipped with some form of building automation system (BAS), controlled with a distributed computer network via Ethernet and wireless communication. Heating, lighting, ventilation, air-conditioning, security and fire systems are all controlled by the BAS, to improve occupant comfort and operational efficiency, and to reduce energy consumption and operating costs.

The next generation of these systems will take advantage of new technology, including PE-enabled devices and applications, to go steps further, for remote monitoring and control of building systems, and to create new applications. Examples of these applications are flexible LED and OLED lighting, photovoltaic windows that will allow a building to generate its own electricity, transparent displays that can turn glass walls into multimedia platforms, and inventory management systems that can track goods tagged with intelligent labelling as they leave or enter the premises.  Comparable applications that may be powered with PE will evolve for the intelligent homes market.

We see a tremendous opportunity to help shape the evolution of this industry through PE.

Through our strategic collaboration agreement with the Continental Automated Buildings Association (CABA), CPEIA can open doors for you with end users and application-oriented companies.

Program Description

We will engage participants in a process that begins with Information Collection and Gap Analysis, through workshops and whitepapers. This will provide us with a clear understanding of the market’s needs, current technology readiness and commercialization efforts relevant to the building industry, barriers and possible ways forward.

Our next step will be industry engagement, to move forward with a network of complimentary businesses that are working together to engage customers with a comprehensive solution.

While this business network will be supported at the outset by the dollars invested by participants to take part, its success will ultimately rest on building these financial partnerships with end users in the building automation industry. If and when possible, CPEIA and CABA will explore other sources of financing to leverage the contributions made by companies.

Benefits for Industry Participants

1. An opportunity exclusive to CPEIA Members.
2. Meet with new customers, end users and designers from globally competitive companies who can influence the inclusion of your technology into their products.
3. Develop in-depth knowledge of these market needs and wants, including time horizons, willingness to invest in your technology and locations of these global market opportunities.
4. Learn about and help define relevant industry standards.
5. Build joint roadmaps with these customers/end-users for specific client-driven applications.
6. Team up with complementary technology companies to provide a full solution.
7. Pitch your company solution to VP-level decision makers at global companies that could be customers or end users of your technology.
8. Use CPEIA’s Project Management Professional (PMP) to put together specific demonstration projects to meet end user needs.
9. Lever your company resources with academic and government funding wherever possible for application development.
10. Gain access to funding programs with specific PE components.

All these benefits will translate into cost savings for your R&D budget, increased sales revenue, and new technology and product opportunities.

Tapping into the industry’s global ecosystem

What sorts of organizations are we engaging to join the CPEIA intelliBUILD Business Network through our partnership with the Continental Automated Buildings Association? They span the full spectrum of the industry and its ecosystem. In fact, CABA’s membership is an excellent representation of the organizations that can and should be part of intelliBUILD:

Sponsorship Opportunities

• Display your logo on the CPEIA intelliBUILD micro-site with your level of sponsorship clearly showing your support
• Display your company logo on email announcements as a sponsor
• Showcase your organization at selected CPEIA intelliBUILD meetings through speaking engagements
• First right of refusal to co-fund and participate in applications or R&D projects proposed by CPEIA intelliBUILD Members
• Seat on CPEIA intelliBUILD Advisory Board
• Access to special meetings with end users
• Access to special events and delegations to meet end users
• Access to CPEIA intelliBUILD application white papers, Canadian product and technology roadmaps (if developed)