The latest iteration of IEEE 802 standard promises to provide more Power over Ethernet (PoE) than ever before. Simultaneously, the established devices are getting increasingly efficient and new low-power devices are entering the market every day. This convergence is enabling a host of new devices to be powered via ethernet cables, giving a huge boost to the smart building and the wider Internet of Things in Buildings (BIoT). It all starts with a yearlong effort to assess rapidly diversifying ethernet bandwidth needs around the world. The IEEE 802.3 standard’s initial approval came about in 1983, long before the connectivity revolutions currently taking place had been envisioned. It was 20 years later when PoE first emerged as an IEEE 802.3af standard in 2003, at that time power output was only 13 W at 350 mA and could only be transferred over a distance of 100 m. This was sufficient for powering certain VoIP systems and CCTV […]