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Ecologic Smart system for Housing and Innovative Electronic Large Defence

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ECOSHIELD (Ecologic Smart system for Housing and Innovative Electronic Large Defence)

Reporting period: 2015-10-01 to 2016-03-31

"The ECOSHIELD project will deliver the Motushelter: an innovative Modular Smart Frame (MSF) for the shelters used to protect and contain electronic equipment in a broadest set of applications such as Microwave stations, Satellite communication - Earth stations, Base repeater stations (BTS), Power stations, Switching stations, Gas & Oil pipelines SCADA station, Railways, Computer rooms etc..

The ambition of the project is to deliver the most viable, versatile and eco-sustainable solution for passive insulation and cooling of electronic, ICT and telecommunication devices in EU: Motushelter can keep them cool cheaply.

Specifically, the MSF will have a remarkable economic impact on saving the energy usually required to cool the internal environment of the shelters protecting electronic devices. This is possible because the panels of the frame are designed in order to extract the produced internal heat and shield from the external one. It allows at least a 30% downsizing in required HVAC systems power, making them smaller, sometimes useless and switching from cooling devices using external air to ‘free coil’ machines just needed to move internal air fostering a ‘chimney effect’ letting the smart frame do most of the job. This can in turn cut down power consumption, transport costs, clearance requirements and a whole set of features which improve the operability and the opex/capex ratio, generating profit for the users choosing the Motushelter with respect to the standard.

Indeed, the shelters for electronic equipment have a broadest set of applications crosscutting total different markets with their own dynamics. 3 serviceable market segments have been identified, in order of priority they are:

1)Telecom operators stations: This segment is the most crowded, the fastest growing and has a strong priority for the Motushelter business. The main serviceable application is related to the BTS stations dominated by telecom operator and tower companies, who own the towers infrastructure. The former are hungry to increase margins by decreasing opex for power consumption, the letter ones wishing to provide better structures increasing their profitability.

2)Railways and highways control stations: Shelters for these segments are of paramount importance and working 24-7. They are used to contain UPS – uninterruptible Power Supply – and control systems. The target users are thus the managing authorities. Highways and railways companies, or their infrastructure suppliers.

3)Special applications: this segment includes a number of different applications to be considered.
-Internal applications: Data centers or computer rooms. Target user can range from banks, research centers, universities and a widest number of private companies.
-Transportable labs: shelters usually made in Aluminum that require increased comfort, low power and lightness for transport
-Airport shelters: regulated by ICAO, this shelters contains instruments for air navigation
-Camouflaged shelters for application in natural reserve or wherever low visual impact is required.

Strong Market Drivers and trends have been acknowledged
Specific driver #1 - More and faster communication technologies and infrastructures are needed. The market scenario related to telecommunication infrastructure is very promising indeed: major investments have kept increasing in 4G/LTE and are now pushing 5G technology infrastructures – i.e. fifth generation of wireless network technology –. Motulab will follow a business strategy getting in touch with major stakeholders in this scenario, including equipment manufacturers, telecom operators and tower companies.
Specific driver #2 - need for ecological design in defining 5G standards. As assessed very recently the ITU – International Telecommunication Union - was strongly urged by telecom companies such as Vodafone, Huawei and Orange, to release an international standard covering ecological design principles for 4G and 5G architectures and sites, and develop key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the energy consumption and gains in efficiency for mobile, fixed and core networks, along with servers and storage facilities. The Motushelter can perfectly fit this scenario, providing an improved standard for infrastructure facilities at different stations sites. Motulab will search for establishing relationships with relevant authorities.
Specific drive #3- the HVAC market positive forecasts. On a parallel path, global demand for innovative HVAC equipment is forecast to increase 5.7 percent annually to €110 billion by 2018, with new impulse from developing countries like India and China and the need to renew from EU and US . The Motushelter can deploy the need for HVAC system providing an alternative solution thanks to its cheap cooling capability.

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During the ECOSHIELD SME-Instrument Phase-1 project, a detailed feasibility study was completed: it was provided through a set of technical, operational, economic and financial analyses.
The business and commercial strategies for the successful definition and commercialisation of the product were drafted, to be possibly implemented during the SME-instrument Phase 2. The implementation plan for a two years project has been defined. It will also involve commercial & technical partners and some end-users interested in trying the product. The study has covered major key topics to ensure the right pathway to market, assessing the addressable segments, starting to reach stakeholders, defining drivers and barriers to be overcome and assembling the starting commercial network.

The results are hereby summarized and ordered.
- Technical analysis and operational capacity assessment. - The analysis assessed still improved properties, performances and achievable benefits due to brand new research that Motulab has done on the shelter technology. A detailed analysis has defined the prototyping costs and the manufacturing and supply chain requirements. The needed investment has been assessed.
- Market Strategy set-up defining the market targeted segments, the commercial network/strategy shape, the required empowerment of HR dedicated to business development, the pre-engagement of first end-users.
- A detailed exploitation and business plan – to show EC and investors the preliminary potential and ROI of an EU wide diffusion of the innovation through a dedicated commercial strategy.
- The IPR securement, intangible assets definition and the freedom to operate analysis by starting the patenting process, putting in safe and evaluating the technology for future licensing.
- Finally a detailed planning and strategy for the SME Instrument Phase 2 project has been provided and presents funding, preliminary work-plan and tasks.
The Feasibility Study has confirmed the great potential of the Motushelter. The main results have been:
- Partnership consolidation: as a consequence of the analysis, the needs have been highlighted to assess the partnership and the Value Architecture of the business and to find the best providers/partners.
- Exploitation strategy assessment: the exploitation guidelines have been set. A business model has been drafted, defining the main Make or Buy choices and understanding the main management roles to be covered.
- Preliminary technical and economic assessment: the cost of the shelter has been preliminary defined. Stakeholders mapping, market scenarios and Investment analysis have been drafted and ROI for the company and for possible users have been found.
- Phase-2 implementation: the SME-instrument Phase-2 application has been confirmed. The Workplan of the project and the roles inside it have been defined, corresponding to the business and technical needs. The budget costs have been indicated.


The technical assessment has confirmed the potential to cut OPEX related to the necessary cooling of electronic equipment. At least 30%. The average downsize of the HVAC system can in turn yield to

Economic benefits:
Comparable CAPEX (on a new unit), as the increased cost for the shelter is mitigated by the drop in the cost of HVAC systems
at least -30% decrease in OPEX due to HVAC power consumption
Less transport costs due to a decrease in space and weight (-75% in weight, average -200 kg, -54% in volume for the HVAC)
Less maintenance costs related to a simpler and safer environment
The possibility to use White Certificates incentives in the countries where they are foreseen if CO2 is cut down
Environmental benefits:
Less power, 30% cut in CO2 consumption by the HVAC system
Less noise, average 12% drop in emissions
The possibility to use totally recycled plastic for the external panels
Other advantages:
The shelter, without the required clearance for heavy external HVAC systems can be positioned in isolated spots, including underground (situation already tested by the Italian Telecom company)

The Motushelter can join increased performance and simplicity of standard shelter with the performance of PCS - Passive Cooling Shelters - usually addressing remote sites like deserts where there is no power. They are based on large tanks and thermosiphon effect to exchange heat and require steep changes in external temperature between night and day. Motushelter will allow the same funnctions with less space, less costs and a simpler structure easier to maintain

The market is broad. Only concerning telecom stations, EU accounts for hundred of thousands of available sites. By addressing a small set of them Motulab can reach highest profits. The societal impact can be broadest. As operator are requiring new 5G standards to include environmental indicators also concerning sites and passive infrastructure, the Motushelter can be an easy eco-product to invest into. Only in italy the acknowledged impact can reach 1.2 Mtons of equivalent CO2