Berlin, Germany – November 2026 – The Alexanderplatz Tower, one of Berlin’s most famous skyscrapers, has achieved a 28% reduction in HVAC energy consumption and a 40% improvement in indoor climate control accuracy after deploying the ABB 1SVR011718R2500 Analog Signal Converter. The upgrade, completed in Q3 2026, replaced the building’s outdated signal conversion equipment—installed when the tower was renovated in 2007—which struggled with inaccurate signal transmission from HVAC sensors to the building management system (BMS). These issues led to inefficient energy use, inconsistent indoor temperatures, and tenant dissatisfaction.
The Challenge: Inaccurate Signal Transmission Hurts HVAC Efficiency
The Alexanderplatz Tower stands 153 meters tall, with 39 floors totaling 65,000 m² of office and retail space. The building’s HVAC system serves 3,500+ daily occupants and relies on 450+ sensors to monitor temperature, humidity, air quality, and airflow. The BMS uses this sensor data to adjust heating, cooling, and ventilation systems, ensuring optimal comfort and energy efficiency. However, the legacy signal converters presented significant operational issues:
- Inaccurate Temperature & Humidity Data: The legacy converters had a measurement error of 2-3°C for temperature and 5-7% for humidity, leading to incorrect BMS adjustments. This resulted in overheating or overcooling of 15-20 floors daily, increasing HVAC energy consumption by 20-25% and costing €360,000 in additional annual energy bills.
- Signal Delays Cause Slow Climate Response: The old converters had a signal transmission latency of 150-200 ms, delaying the BMS’s response to changes in indoor conditions. This led to inconsistent comfort levels—tenants reported 80+ temperature-related complaints monthly—and required manual adjustments by building technicians, adding €120,000 to annual maintenance costs.
- Interference from Building Electronics: Electromagnetic interference from elevators, lighting systems, and office equipment caused 15-20 signal disruption incidents weekly. Each disruption forced the BMS to switch to backup mode, leading to inefficient “constant speed” operation of HVAC systems and further increasing energy use.
- Poor Compatibility with BMS Upgrade: The building’s recent BMS upgrade to a cloud-based smart platform required digital signal inputs, but the legacy analog converters lacked compatibility. This forced the use of temporary signal adapters, leading to 10-12 adapter failure incidents monthly and compromising the BMS’s smart optimization capabilities.
“Efficient HVAC operation and consistent indoor comfort are critical for tenant satisfaction and our sustainability goals,” said Andrea Weber, Building Manager at Alexanderplatz Tower. “Our legacy signal converters were undermining both—causing high energy costs and frequent tenant complaints. We needed a high-accuracy signal converter that could integrate seamlessly with our new smart BMS, filter out building interference, and ensure reliable data transmission. The ABB 1SVR011718R2500 was the ideal solution after evaluating multiple options.”
ABB 1SVR011718R2500: Precision Signal Conversion for Smart Buildings
The ABB 1SVR011718R2500 Analog Signal Converter was selected for its high accuracy, low latency, EMI resistance, and smart BMS compatibility. Key features addressing the Alexanderplatz Tower’s challenges include:
- High-Accuracy Measurement: The 1SVR011718R2500 delivers temperature measurement accuracy of ±0.1°C and humidity accuracy of ±1%, ensuring precise data transmission to the BMS. This enables the BMS to make optimal HVAC adjustments, eliminating overheating/overcooling and reducing energy waste.
- Low Latency Transmission: The converter provides signal transmission latency of less than 10 ms, enabling real-time BMS response to changes in indoor conditions. This ensures consistent comfort levels and eliminates the need for manual technician adjustments.
- Advanced EMI Filtering: Equipped with dual-layer electromagnetic shielding and noise cancellation technology, the 1SVR011718R2500 filters 99.9% of interference from building electronics. This eliminates signal disruptions and ensures continuous, reliable BMS operation.
- Seamless BMS Integration: The converter supports both analog (4-20 mA, 0-10 V) and digital (MODBUS TCP) signal outputs, enabling direct integration with the tower’s smart BMS. It eliminates the need for signal adapters, unlocking the BMS’s full smart optimization capabilities.
- Compact Design & Easy Installation: The 1SVR011718R2500 features a compact DIN rail-mounted design, ideal for the tower’s limited electrical closet space. It requires no specialized tools for installation, reducing deployment time by 70% and minimizing disruption to tenants.
Results: Lower Energy Costs, Improved Comfort, and Smarter Operations
Six months after deploying the ABB 1SVR011718R2500 Analog Signal Converter, the Alexanderplatz Tower achieved significant operational improvements:
| Metric |
Before ABB 1SVR011718R2500 |
After ABB 1SVR011718R2500 |
Improvement |
| HVAC Energy Consumption |
€1.8 Million/Year |
€1.296 Million/Year |
28% Reduction (€504,000 Savings) |
| Monthly Tenant Comfort Complaints |
80+ |
5-8 |
92% Reduction |
| Temperature Measurement Error |
2-3°C |
±0.1°C |
97% Reduction |
| Weekly Signal Disruption Incidents |
15-20 |
0-1 |
99% Reduction |
| Annual Maintenance Costs for HVAC Adjustments |
€120,000 |
€24,000 |
80% Reduction |
“The ABB 1SVR011718R2500 has transformed our building’s HVAC operations,” Weber said. “The significant reduction in energy costs has improved our bottom line, while the improved comfort levels have drastically reduced tenant complaints. The seamless integration with our smart BMS has also unlocked advanced optimization capabilities, helping us progress toward our goal of carbon neutrality by 2035. We plan to deploy the 1SVR011718R2500 across three additional commercial buildings in our portfolio by 2028.”
Thomas Berger, ABB’s Global Product Manager for Smart Building Solutions, commented: “Smart buildings rely on precise, reliable sensor data to optimize energy use and occupant comfort. The ABB 1SVR011718R2500 is engineered to deliver this data, even in the high-interference environment of modern commercial buildings. It helps building managers reduce energy costs, improve tenant satisfaction, and achieve sustainability goals.”
Seville, Spain – October 2026 – Enel Green Power, a global leader in renewable energy, has achieved a 4.2% increase in energy yield and a 95% reduction in signal-related performance issues at its 500 MW Andasol solar farm near Seville. The improvement comes after deploying the ABB 1SVR011718R2500 Analog Signal Converter to replace the farm’s outdated signal conversion equipment, which struggled with signal degradation due to long cable runs, temperature fluctuations, and environmental interference. These issues had limited the farm’s ability to optimize solar panel performance and maximize energy production.
