Below are the interview highlights featuring Tobias Wöss, Product Manager Energy at LOXONE. The below piece explores how member LOXONE is utilizing building automation to address modern energy challenges and the importance of their partnership with the OpenADR Alliance.

1. Tell us a bit about yourself and your company.

I’m the Product Manager Energy at LOXONE, responsible for our energy management solutions, including hardware, control logic on the Miniserver, and the integration of spot-market prices and grid-operator signals.

Founded in 2009 in Austria, LOXONE now employs over 1,200 people across 45 locations. Our partners have delivered approximately 300,000 projects in over 100 countries. Our platform manages lighting, shading, climate, audio, access, security, and energy—all running locally on our Miniserver. In 2026, energy management has shifted from a "nice-to-have" to a baseline requirement due to volatile prices, EV adoption, and new global regulations.

2. What are the major challenges you are seeing in the energy market today? How is LOXONE addressing these?

We see three primary global challenges:

  - Volatility: Dynamic tariffs only provide value if buildings shift loads automatically.

  - Grid Limits: Low-voltage grids are struggling to keep up with the rapid rollout of heat pumps and wallboxes.

  - Fragmentation: The industry is cluttered with proprietary protocols and cloud-dependent hardware.

LOXONE addresses this with an open platform and local control. We integrate PV, storage, and appliances through the Miniserver without cloud dependency. Our spot-price optimizer and energy manager prioritize up to twelve loads against PV surplus, achieving up to 70% self-consumption automatically.

3. Why is being part of the OpenADR Alliance important to LOXONE?

Building flexibility only scales when utilities and manufacturers speak the same language. OpenADR resolves the bottleneck of utility-specific protocols. It is mandated in California under Title 24 and is gaining traction in Europe as governments roll out demand-side flexibility frameworks — from Germany’s §14a EnWG to the UK’s smart charging regulations. Joining the Alliance aligns with our promise to remain manufacturer-independent and ready for the emerging energy landscape.

4. How is the OpenADR standard already being implemented in projects you are involved in?

Since joining the Alliance in 2025, we have integrated OpenADR support directly into the Miniserver. We are currently in active discussions with utilities and aggregators in North America and Europe. Our success with Germany’s §14a EnWG frameworks proves we can process grid-operator signals reliably; OpenADR is the natural next step toward market-grade flexibility.

5. Anything else you would like to add?

Demand response must work for the people in the building, not against them. If users feel a loss of comfort, acceptance drops. Locally controlled automation delivers flexibility—like shifting EV charging or pausing a heat pump—without the occupant even noticing. We welcome conversations with utilities and grid operators who want to leverage the existing LOXONE infrastructure.

For more information, please visit LOXONE.com.