Addressing Office Trends: When to Use Type 4 PoE Devices

Hybrid work models have changed the design of commercial office spaces. Today’s office trends focus on design flexibility, smart technology support, and health-focused environments. Organizations find that these design trends improve productivity and employee engagement. Further, by supporting the hybrid model, these trends can help companies attract and retain top talent.

Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology delivers the flexibility needed to reconfigure spaces quickly and cost-effectively. By implementing Type 4 PoE devices, companies can integrate Internet of Things (IoT) devices with facility management systems to optimize resources. PoE-based networks allow businesses to create collaborative hubs, personal workspaces, and home-like aesthetics for sustainable growth.

What is PoE?

PoE technology sends power and data over a single Ethernet cable. The initial PoE standards supported Type 1 PoE devices, which required up to 15 W of power.  Between 2003 and today, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has released additional standards. The latest PoE standard supports devices needing up to 100 W of power, known as Type 4. The following table lists the published standards, device type, power ratings, and data transmission speeds:

Standard	Device Type	Power	Data
802.3af/Type 1	Type 1	15 W	10/100/1000 Mbps
802.3at/Type 2	Type 2	30 W	10/100/1000 Mbps
802.3bt	Type 3	60 W	2.5/5/10 Gbps
802.3bt	Type 4	100 W	2.5/5/10 Gbps

Early PoE standards leverage the twisted pairs of copper wires in Ethernet cables to send 10 Mbps of data at 3 MHz for a maximum distance of 100 meters. While Category 3 Ethernet cables became the mainstay of office networks, today, Category 5e, 6, and 6a cables support Type 3 and 4 PoE devices. These cables and devices address the higher power demands and transmission requirements of the 21st century’s office trends.

Addressing Office Trends

In 2003, laptops and instant messaging were emerging trends. Most employees commuted to work, sat in cubicles, and used desktop computers. Hot desking and open workspaces were viewed as flexible work solutions. PoE technology was used for Type 1 devices such as basic sensors, static IP cameras, and VoIP phones. Today’s flexible and adaptive workspaces feature moving walls, function-based spaces, and biophilic design solutions that leverage smart technologies for cost-effective operations. These more powerful workspaces require more powerful Type 4 PoE devices.

Flexibility

Office space is no longer one-style-fits-all. Whether a company offers a hybrid option or prefers the standard in-office model, organizations must adjust their work environments to meet the collaborative and personalized needs of their workers. For example, imagine a multifunctional team created to oversee a new product release—instead of team members continuing to operate from departments spread across an enterprise, with modern office trends, a new workspace can be immediately set up that places the offices of those brought into the team close to each other, as well as a conference room for meetings and a breakout space for brainstorming.

This flexibility requires an office space that can be reconfigured in hours, not days, without requiring time-consuming renovations. It would also need a ‘resimercial’ (residential and commercial) design that reflects the comfort of working from home. Adapting a network to meet these needs can be challenging and costly.

PoE technology facilitates office flexibility by delivering power and data through Ethernet connections. Since proximity to external power sources is no longer a constraint, reconfiguring device placement becomes as simple as running another Ethernet cable. A Type 4 PoE switch could be placed in a conference room to support multiple laptops during a team meeting. A Type 1 VoIP phone could provide basic voice communications, and Type 3 lighting systems could ensure that energy was not being wasted when the space is unoccupied. Because PoE standards are backward compatible, companies can deploy the latest technology without jeopardizing older solutions.

Smart Technologies

Leveraging smart technologies is one way organizations can reduce facility management costs. Smart solutions can control lighting and temperature to lower energy consumption and improve security with high-resolution cameras and access control systems. Smart technologies use data collected from multiple endpoints for enhanced monitoring.

Advanced technologies can adjust work environments for optimal productivity. They can maintain ideal temperature ranges, check air quality, and automate systems for improved work performance. These technologies can even provide data on how to use office space effectively. The latest PoE standards support transmission rates of a gigabit or more per second, making real-time data analytics possible.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is essential to smart building success, and PoE technology offers a cost-effective way to deploy IoT networks. Smart Type 4 PoE sensors can adjust window coverings based on the time of day. For example, east-facing windows could automatically lower shades during the summer to reduce radiant heat. Simple Type 2 light sensors could notify centralized systems of light level changes so coverings could remain open on cloudy days.

Smart buildings are sustainable buildings. They use IoT networks to reduce energy consumption, waste, and their overall carbon footprint. PoE solutions foster sustainable growth by supporting LED lighting, motion sensors, and environmental monitoring equipment. Because they do not require a separate power source, PoE devices reduce buildings’ overall energy consumption.

Biophilic Design

Biophilic design brings nature into the workspace to create a sense of relaxation and improve concentration. Natural light, vegetation, and water features contribute to a biophilic design. Type 1 PoE sensors can report if lights are on or off. More complex data may require Type 3 or 4 devices that can report light levels, indicate low-level or warm lighting, and identify natural light.

PoE devices can control water features, deactivating water flow when a space is unoccupied. Smart Type 4 devices can monitor vegetation to ensure plants receive sufficient light and water. Incorporating these natural features into the office helps simulate the comfort of working from home. PoE devices can also support wireless access points to allow greater mobility as employees move throughout their day.

Using Type 4 PoE Devices

Backward compatibility ensures organizations can continue to use Type 1, 2, and 3 devices while upgrading their infrastructure to support greater power capacity and faster transmission speeds. The latest PoE standards mitigate heat dissipation concerns, improve power transmission, and position infrastructures for growth.

By deploying Type 4 devices, businesses can address the emerging trends in office design. They can increase employee engagement, lower operating costs, and reduce their environmental impact. Upgrading an infrastructure to support Type 4 PoE devices may be the best approach to addressing today’s trends and preparing for tomorrow’s.

Versa Technology is a leader in PoE solutions for today’s office trends. Contact them to discuss how their products can help develop a more environmentally and employee-friendly workspace.