AC Controller IoT Device & App Development Using ESP32 and Flutter

Client: Smart Controls Buildings Energy Efficiency Services, UAE

Smart Controls Buildings Energy Efficiency Services is a company located in the UAE that specializes in creating and delivering energy-efficient solutions and the number one leader in their industry. The company partnered with Adequate Infosoft to design and deliver a custom IoT-based Smart AC Control system.

Although initially designed for hotel guest rooms, the client’s solution is now built for use across all environments where air conditioning units are present, including homes and apartments, hospitals and clinics, offices and retail stores, and large commercial buildings.

The client's new range of energy-efficient AC controls has been designed to require a full-complement of mobile and web-based applications to work with each of the control units, to monitor the environmental parameters of each of the control units, and to give administrators the ability to adjust control unit parameters from anywhere in the world on their mobile or web-based application.

The desired outcome was to develop an intelligent energy management system that was scalable, secure, and provided an opportunity for significant operational cost savings and increased comfort.

The client intends to implement an international energy management system that includes many different places: UAE, USA, Europe, UK, Africa, and India. They believe they’ll be able to successfully roll it out, as every feature/functionality of each product has been constructed from the beginning to support large-scale, dependable use and be prepared to be utilized on a global level.

We are happy to share that our client has already begun market expansion in Europe and the USA.

Web: Smart Controls Buildings

The client outlined several critical objectives:

• 1. Real-time monitoring of environmental conditions including:
  • Temperature
  • Humidity
  • Occupancy
  • Energy consumption
• Remote control capabilities for administrators to adjust AC settings across rooms, apartments, or commercial spaces.
• Secure and scalable communication between devices, cloud, and mobile applications.
• Support for all types of AC units, including split, window, and centralized systems.
• Mesh network integration to maintain reliable communication across multiple devices in large properties.
• Data analytics and reporting to optimize energy consumption.

1. Hardware and IoT Devices

• Control Device

  Every site has an ESP32-based air conditioning control unit with Wi-Fi and GSM SIM card connectivity.

• Sensory Devices

  Temperature, humidity, and presence sensors are built into the equipment that allows for accurate monitoring.

• Air Conditioning Libraries

  Contain all major types of air conditioning units, making them versatile for all environments where they’re deployed.

• Mesh Network

  Devices are connected in a mesh network with one gateway controlling multiple nodes, providing reliable, low-latency performance, and easy scalability.

  Adequate Infosoft has created a complete end-to-end solution from start to finish providing hardware, firmware, cloud architecture, backend systems and mobile applications.

2. Firmware Development

• Firmware developed in C/C++ for the ESP32 performs:
• Data Acquisition from Sensors
• Live control of AC
• Protocols for Networked Devices
• Securely Communicating with Cloud
• Allows for Over-the-air Updates to add new features after installation without direct access.

3. Cloud and Backend

• Cloud Platform

  AWS IoT Core manages secure device communication and data ingestion.

• Backend

  ASP.NET Core powers the API layer, managing device data, configurations, and analytics.

• Database

  PostgreSQL stores historical data, energy reports, and device configurations.

• Analytics

  Real-time dashboards provide insights into energy consumption and environmental conditions across multiple environments.

4. Portable App and Web-based Program

Made with flutter / cross platform.

Features:

• Monitoring all AC units across multiple locations
• Adjust temperature, fan speeds (Also modes) from remote locations.
• View historical data and reports in an easy to read format.
• Alerts for unusual conditions or maintenance needs, let you know about any unusual activity on your equipment or require maintenance.
• Administrator can set and Zone-Specific Settings to help save energy and keep rooms at a comfortable temperature.

5. Trustworthiness and Security

• Encryption that is end-to-end protects all information sent from one device to another, as well as between devices and the cloud and applications.
• A mesh network guarantees continuous operation, including when nodes (that is, devices) fail.
• Redundant cloud infrastructure guarantees maximum uptime and no loss of service.

• Requirement analysis: Understanding the technical/operational requirements with the client's input.
• Hardware Development: Building ESP32-based controllers with multiple sensor modules.
• Firmware Programming: Creating control algorithms and protocols for mesh communication between the various devices.
• Cloud Setup: Setting up AWS IoT Core and PostgreSQL to store the secured data.
• App Development: Developing the Flutter-based app to ensure it's user-friendly for admins.
• Integration and Testing: Testing for the device’s accuracy, mesh communication and the app-to-cloud sync process.
• Pilot Deployment: Completed a successful pilot test in the UAE with more than 100 devices.
• Full Deployment: Successfully completed full deployment with thousands of devices across many environments.

Rahman Ji, CEO
Smart Controls Buildings Energy Efficiency Services

"Adequate Infosoft delivered a reliable and scalable solution that exceeded our expectations. Whether for hotels, offices, homes, or clinics, we now have full visibility and control over all AC systems. Energy costs are down, and we are confident in rolling this solution out globally, including UAE, Europe, USA, Africa, and India."

• Diverse Deployment Settings

  Can be deployed in a wide array of environments- hotels, residences, apartments, hospitals, clinics, office buildings, grocery stores, and commercial properties.

• Energy Savings

  Lowering total cost of energy through unnecessary use of AC units.

• Remote Management Capability

  Single interface for managing multiple locations/environments.

• Analytics/Insights Capable

  Increased Levels of Energy Optimization - Data driven decisions.

• Proven Performance History

  Over 8000 devices installed, the system demonstrates reliability and real-world performance.

Adequate Infosoft successfully delivered a cutting-edge IoT-based Smart AC Control system for all AC-equipped environments, integrating hardware, firmware, cloud, backend, and mobile app development. The solution enhances energy efficiency, provides remote control, and enables scalable global deployment. With proven success in UAE and expansion plans for USA, Europe, UK, Africa, and India, the project demonstrates our expertise in end-to-end IoT solutions for smart buildings and energy management.