March 15, 2026 – Frankfurt, Germany – Industry Groups to Standardize Sensor Interfaces
Five leading PIR sensor manufacturers—Panasonic, Murata, Excelitas, Honeywell, and Bosch—have announced the formation of the Open Occupancy Alliance (OOA), an industry group dedicated to developing standardized interfaces for occupancy sensors.
The alliance aims to simplify integration of occupancy sensors with building automation systems by defining common communication protocols, data formats, and configuration methods.
Alliance Goals
Standardized Communication Protocol
The alliance will develop a unified communication protocol for occupancy sensors that works across manufacturers. The protocol will support:
- Occupancy status reporting (occupied/unoccupied)
- Detection confidence (0-100% confidence)
- Number of occupants (where supported)
- Sensor health and diagnostic data
- Configuration parameters (sensitivity, hold time, etc.)
- Firmware update capability
The protocol will be designed to work over existing building automation networks (BACnet, KNX, Modbus) as well as wireless protocols (Matter, Zigbee, Z-Wave).
Common Data Model
The alliance will define a common data model for occupancy sensors, ensuring that data from sensors of different manufacturers can be interpreted consistently by building management systems.
Certification Program
An OOA certification program will allow manufacturers to certify their sensors as compliant with the standard, giving specifiers confidence that sensors from different vendors will work together.
Founding Members
- Panasonic: Leading PIR sensor manufacturer with PaPIRs+ technology
- Murata: Major supplier of pyroelectric sensors for consumer and automotive applications
- Excelitas: Provider of digital pyroelectric sensors with I2C interface
- Honeywell: Leading supplier of commercial occupancy sensors
- Bosch: Provider of security and building automation sensors
The alliance is open to additional members, including other sensor manufacturers, building automation companies, and system integrators.
Industry Context
Currently, occupancy sensors from different manufacturers use proprietary interfaces and data formats, making it difficult for building owners to mix sensors from different vendors or upgrade systems over time. The OOA aims to address this fragmentation by establishing open standards.
“Building owners shouldn’t be locked into a single sensor vendor,” said a Panasonic representative. “Open standards give customers choice and ensure that they can select the best sensor for each application, regardless of manufacturer.”
Timeline
- Q2 2026: Draft specification release for member review
- Q4 2026: Public comment period
- Q2 2027: Final specification release
- Q4 2027: First certified products expected
Relationship with Existing Standards
The OOA protocol will complement rather than replace existing building automation standards:
- BACnet: OOA will define standard occupancy sensor objects that can be exposed over BACnet
- Matter: OOA will align with Matter’s occupancy sensing cluster
- KNX: OOA will map to KNX’s occupancy sensor data points
Industry Reaction
“Standardization is long overdue in the occupancy sensor market,” said a building automation consultant. “Currently, each manufacturer has their own way of reporting occupancy, making it difficult to create consistent automation logic. The OOA’s work will make building automation more reliable and easier to maintain.”
The alliance has been welcomed by building automation companies including Siemens, Schneider Electric, and Johnson Controls, which have expressed interest in supporting the standard.
Conclusion
The Open Occupancy Alliance represents a significant step toward interoperability in the PIR sensor industry. By developing open standards, the alliance aims to give building owners more choice and simplify the integration of occupancy sensors with building automation systems.