Room control on the phone. Scan the QR code and control the room.
With the virtual switch, people control lighting, temperature and solar shading from their own phone – no app and no login. Operations decide room by room what can be controlled.
No app · No login · Access per room
How it works
- 01
Scan the QR code in the room
Every room gets its own QR code. Econex makes printable QR signs, and the room number can be hidden if you prefer.
- 02
Control the room in the browser
The panel opens directly in the phone's browser. People only see the functions set up for that room.
- 03
Econex logs and follows up
Every time the panel is opened it is logged with time and outcome, and changes go through Econex to the plant. The panel shows when the light has confirmed the change.
What people can control
The functions are linked to the room functions in Econex. Operations choose per room what is shown and what can be changed.
- Lighting
- Switch lighting groups on and off and adjust the light level.
- Lighting scenes
- Create and save scenes that set all selected lamps with one tap.
- Temperature
- Warmer or cooler – within the limits operations have set, either as a setpoint or as an offset from a fixed base.
- Solar shading
- Move the shading up or down for the windows in the room.
The operator decides. The tenant sees the result.
Pick a room and change the setup the way an operator does in Econex. Switch between operator and tenant to see the switch through each one's eyes.
The operator sees everything. Dashed cards are hidden from the tenant.
Where the savings come from
A virtual switch does not replace the building's automation, but it can replace many of the physical switches and panels that would otherwise be mounted, wired and programmed.
- Fewer physical switches and panels
- The room does not need its own wall switch for every function people should control.
- Less cabling and fewer bus devices
- Every switch you skip is one box, one cable and one bus device less.
- Faster installation
- A room is set up in Econex and gets a QR sign, instead of on-site mounting and programming.
- Easy reconfiguration
- When a room changes use, the panel is changed in Econex – without rewiring.
- Less to commission
- Fewer wall devices and wall sensors mean fewer points to mount, address and check.
- Works on any phone
- People only need a browser. No app to install or keep updated.
Calculate for your building
Enter the number of rooms and how many physical switches or panels each room would otherwise get.
Illustration based on assumptions, not a quote. Licences for Econex and virtual panels come in addition and are not included. Ask us for a concrete estimate for your building.
- Physical switches not mounted
- 80
- Hours of installation and programming saved
- 140 h
- Physical switches (estimate)
- 400,000 NOK
- Virtual switch, setup and QR signs (estimate)
- − 25,000 NOK
Assumptions in the calculation
Assumptions – not Econex prices or supplier quotes.
| Physical switch or panel with bus device | 2,500 NOK |
|---|---|
| Cable, boxes and material per switch | 600 NOK |
| Mounting and wiring per switch | 1.5 h |
| Programming and test per switch | 0.5 h |
| Hourly rate | 950 NOK/h |
| QR sign per room | 150 NOK |
| Virtual switch setup per room | 0.5 h |
In the tenant's colours
The switch can carry the landlord's or the tenant's logo, colours and name – room by room. It then feels like part of the workplace, not a technical system.
- Logo, colours and name per room or per tenant
- The landlord's look in shared areas, the tenant's in their own space
- Same control and same limits underneath – only the look changes
Questions and answers
Who can control the room?
Whoever has the QR link to the room. In addition, the panel can require a PIN (with a limited number of attempts), be open only within a time window, and require the phone to be near the building. A session lasts a set number of hours, configured per panel. Every opening is logged with the time and whether access was granted – or why not.
Can people change everything?
No. Only the functions set up for the panel can be controlled, and temperature can only be adjusted within the limits operations have set. The limits are also enforced on the server, not only in the panel.
Do people need an app?
No. The panel opens in the phone's browser when the QR code is scanned. No app and no Econex account.
Does it work with existing KNX or DALI systems?
Yes, when the points are connected to Econex through drivers and room functions. The virtual switch controls what Econex already has access to – it is not a stand-alone plug-and-play switch without Econex.
What happens if the network is down?
The panel needs a connection between the phone, Econex and the plant. Without it the room cannot be controlled from the phone, and the panel shows the last known values marked as uncertain until the connection is back. How the room behaves locally depends on the building's automation and is clarified in the project.
Can the switch carry our brand?
Yes. The panels have design templates, so colours, logo and name can follow the landlord or the tenant.
How do rooms get their QR codes?
Econex makes printable QR signs per room. The room number can be hidden on the sign.
More in Room control
Want to see the virtual switch in your building?
We show you the panel in a real room and go through what needs to be in place in the building.