Gantner Instruments has won a major contract with KU Leuven, Belgium’s largest and one of Europe’s most prestigious universities, to supply advanced data acquisition (DAQ) systems for the ConstrucThor project. Together with its local sales partner CN Rood, Gantner Instruments secured a framework agreement covering multiple DAQ systems for this flagship research facility in sustainable construction.
A key role in climate-neutral construction research
Across Europe, the push toward climate neutrality by 2050 is reshaping the construction sector. Engineers, building owners, and policymakers must rapidly rethink how buildings are designed and operated, making reliable measurement data critical to achieving these goals.
Located in Genk, Belgium, ConstrucThor plays a key role in this transition. As part of the Open Thor Living Lab, it offers a real-world testing environment where sustainable materials, construction methods, and digital building models can be validated under realistic conditions.
Gantner Instruments DAQ systems at the core
Gantner Instruments’ DAQ systems will form the backbone of ConstrucThor’s measurement infrastructure. The fully autonomous, PC-free systems offer flexible, multichannel measurement capabilities and are primarily used for high-accuracy temperature monitoring with Type T thermocouples. Advanced cold-junction compensation ensures precise results, even in challenging environments.
By placing the DAQ modules close to the sensors, cable lengths are minimized, which reduces noise and improves signal integrity. This is an important advantage in large, distributed test setups common in building research.
Built for digitalization and long-term reliability
Measurement data is streamed via the MQTT protocol, enabling seamless integration into modern data platforms and digital twin models. With a built-in MQTT client and internal buffering, the DAQ systems ensure continuous and reliable data capture, safeguarding measurements even during temporary network interruptions.
 | MQTT is a lightweight, open-source messaging protocol that enables efficient communication between devices, even over low-bandwidth or unreliable networks. It’s commonly used in IoT, industrial automation, and remote monitoring. |
Supporting the future of sustainable buildings
With Gantner Instruments’ technology at its core, ConstrucThor is well equipped to deliver accurate, real-time data for advanced construction research. When the facility becomes fully operational, it will provide engineers with the insights needed to accelerate the development of climate-neutral buildings, marking a significant win for Gantner Instruments in the field of sustainable infrastructure research.
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