KNX Articles

KNX Association

KNX Association is the creator and owner of the KNX technology – the worldwide STANDARD for all applications in home and building control, ranging from lighting and shutter control to various security systems, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, monitoring, alarming, water control, energy management, metering as well as household appliances, audio and lots more. The technology can be used in new as well as in existing home and buildings.

For members of the KNX Association the system is royalty-free, moreover can be implemented on any processor platform. All products bearing the KNX logo are certified in order to guarantee system compatibility, interworking and interoperability.

KNX is the only global standard for home and building control with

A single, manufacturer independent design and commissioning tool (ETS).
A complete set of supported communication media (TP, PL, RF and IP).
A complete set of supported configuration modes (system and easy mode).
See more advantages.

KNX is approved as

European Standard (CENELEC EN 50090 and CEN EN 13321-1).
International Standard (ISO/IEC 14543-3).
Chinese Standard (GB/Z 20965).
US Standard (ANSI/ASHRAE 135).

This standard is based upon more than 20 years of experience in the market including its predecessors, EIB, EHS and BatiBUS. Over 200 member companies worldwide from different application domains have almost 7000 KNX certified product groups in their catalogues. The KNX Association has partnership agreements with more than 30,000 installer companies in 100 countries and more than 60 technical universities as well as over 150 training centres.

Open Standards

KNX is approved as an International Standard (ISO/IEC 14543-3) as well as an European Standard (CENELEC EN 50090 and CEN EN 13321-1) and Chinese Standard (GB/Z 20965). KNX is therefore future proof. KNX products made by different manufacturers can be combined – the KNX trademark logo guarantees their interworking and interoperability. KNX is therefore the world´s only open Standard for the control in both commercial and residential buildings.

Home & Buildings

A benefit in every type of building: From the office complex to the average household. Whatever the kind of building is, KNX opens up complete new opportunities for building control systems while keeping the costs at a manageable level. KNX can provide solutions that can only be realized with considerable effort with conventional installation techniques. Via a single touch panel, all applications in the home or building can be controlled. From heating, ventilation and access control to the remote control of all household appliances – KNX allows completely new ways to increase comfort, safety and energy savings in the home or building.

KNX: A single approach

Wherever it is employed, KNX brings real benefits to architects, designers and contractors and, above all, to building owners and/or users.

Low operating costs resulting in considerable energy savings
Lighting and heating are only switched on when needed, e.g. depending on time profiles and/or actual presence, thus saving energy and money. Furthermore lighting can be controlled automatically in relation to the daylight intensity of the daylight, thus maintaining a specified minimum level of brightness at each work place and reducing energy consumpion (only those light sources really needed remain switched on).

Time saving
Interlinking all communicating devices with a single bus considerably reduces design and installation time. A unique manufacturer and application domains independent Engineering Tool Software (ETS) allows the design, engineering and configuration of installations containing KNX certified products. As the tool is manufacturer independent, the system integrator is able to combine products of different manufacturers with different communication media (twisted pair, radio frequency, power line or IP/Ethernet) to one installation.

Flexibility and adaptability to future developments
A KNX installation can be easily adapted to new applications and is easily extendable. New components can be easily connected to the existing bus installation.

KNX Advantages

The KNX technology is the result of the pooling of knowledge and experience gained over the last 15 years with the predecessor technologies to KNX, i.e. the European Installation Bus (EIB), the European Home System (EHS) and BatiBUS.

1. International Standard, therefore future proof

ISO/IEC
Approved the KNX technology as the International Standard ISO/IEC 14543-3 in 2006.

CENELEC
Approved the KNX technology as the European Standard EN 50090 in 2003.

CEN
Approved the KNX technology as EN 13321-1 (as a mere reference to EN 50090) and EN1332-2 (KNXnet/IP) in 2006.

SAC

Approved the KNX technology as the Chinese Standard GB/Z 20965 in 2007.

ANSI/ASHRAE

Approved the KNX technology as the US Standard ANSI/ASHRAE 135 in 2005.

In view of the above, KNX is the Worldwide STANDARD for Home and Building Control.

2. By product certification, KNX guarantees Interoperability & Interworking of products

The KNX certification process ensures that different products of different manufactures used in different applications operate and communicate with each other. This ensures a high degree of flexibility in the extension and in the modification of installations. Product compliance is checked at neutral laboratories (third parties).

KNX is the only home and building control standard running global certification schemes for products, training centers (vocational and private institutions) and even for persons (electrical contractors, building designers).

3. KNX stands for high product quality

KNX Association requires a high level of production and quality control during all stages of the product life. Therefore all manufacturing members have to show compliance to ISO 9001 before they even can apply for a KNX product certification.

Besides the manufacturer compliance to ISO 9001, the products have to comply with the requirements of the European as well as International standard for Home and Building Electronic Systems. In case of doubt, KNX Association is even entitled to have certified products retested or can require from the manufacturer test reports underlying his declaration of hardware conformity.

4. A unique manufacturer independent Engineering Tool Software ETS®

The PC software tool ETS allows the planning, engineering, and configuration of all KNX certified products. The tool is moreover manufacturer independent: the system integrator is able to combine products of different manufacturers to one installation.

5. KNX can be used for all applications in home and building control

KNX can be used for all possible functions / applications in home and building control ranging from lighting, shutter control to security, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, monitoring, alarming, water control, energy management, metering as well as household appliances, audio and lots more.

KNX improves comfort and security and contributes heavily to energy savings and climate protection (up to 50% for lighting control and the same amount for heating applications).

6. KNX is fit for use in different kind of buildings

KNX can be used in both new as well as existing buildings. KNX installations can therefore be easily extended and adapted to new needs, with little time and financial investment (e.g. when new tenants move into a commercial building).

KNX can be installed in both small-size single family houses as well as large buildings (office, hotel, conference centers, hospitals, schools, department stores, warehouses, airports...).

7. KNX supports different configuration modes

KNX offers different step-in levels for the realization of KNX projects: via KNX E-Mode, non-KNX qualified electrical contractors are addressed. Via S-Mode, KNX trained contractors/integrators are able to realize sophisticated installations. The different modes are:

Easy installation (E-mode):
Configuration is done without the help of a PC but with a central controller, code wheels or push buttons. E-mode compatible products normally have limited functionality and are intended for medium size installations.

System installation (S-Mode):
Planning of the installation and configuration is done via a PC with the installed ETS Software, whereby the manufacturers’ product data is contained in the ETS database. S-mode is intended for KNX certified planners and contractors and for large size installations.

8. KNX supports several communication media

Each communication medium can be used in combination with one or more configuration modes, allowing each manufacturer to choose the right combination for the targeted market segment and application.

Twisted pair (KNX TP):
KNX is transmitted across a separate bus cable, hierarchically structure in lines and areas.

Power Line (KNX PL):
KNX is transmitted on the existing mains network.

Radio frequency (KNX RF):
KNX is transmitted via radio signals. Devices can be uni- or bidirectional.

IP/Ethernet (KNX IP):
This widespread communication medium can be used in conjunction with the ‘KNXnet/IP’ specifications, which allow the tunneling or routing of KNX frames encapsulated in IP frames.

9. KNX can be coupled to other systems

Several KNX manufacturers offer gateways to other networks, i.e. to other building automation systems, telephone networks, multimedia networks, IP networks, etc. KNX systems can be mapped to BACnet objects (as documented in the international standard ISO 16484-5) or offers the possibility to interface with the DALI technology.

10. KNX is Independent from any hard- or software technology

KNX can be realized on any microprocessor platform. KNX can be implemented from scratch but for easy market entrance, KNX manufacturers can also take recourse to providers of KNX system components. For KNX members, it is completely FREE of additional royalty fees.

Standards

KNX is the worldwide approved INTERNATIONAL STANDARD for home- and building control.

KNX is approved as:

International Standard (ISO/IEC14543-3)
European Standard (CENELEC EN50090 and CEN EN 13321-1 and 13321-2)
Chinese Standard (GB/Z 20965)
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard (ANSI/ASHRAE 135)

From an Industry to an International Standard:

Convergence of Batibus, EIB and EHS

The predecessor specifications to KNX: Batibus, EIB and EHS, came into being in the early 1990s. At that time nobody could foresee their individual future. These three highly important homegrown European solutions for home and building control initially tried to develop their markets separately and tried to find their own places in European standardisation. Batibus did particularly well in France, Italy and Spain, whereas EIB enjoyed success in the German speaking and north European countries. EHS was the preferred solution for manufacturers of white and brown goods.

In 1997, the three consortia in charge of the above mentioned specifications decided to join forces to develop the market for intelligent homes with the agreed goal to develop a new, common industrial standard that could also be proposed as an international standard. The KNX specification was published by the newly set-up KNX Association in the spring of 2002. It is based on the EIB specification, supplemented with new configuration mechanisms and communication media originally developed by Batibus and EHS.

CENELEC

In December 2003, the KNX protocol as well as the two media, TP (twisted pair) and PL (power-line) was approved by the European national committees and ratified by the CENELEC Bureau Technique as the EN 50090 European Standard. The KNX Radio Frequency communication medium was approved in May 2006.

CEN

As KNX increasingly provides specifications that are not only used for the automation of electrical installation equipment but also for HVAC applications, the KNX Association proposed its specifications to CEN for publication as a European standard for building automation control systems. CEN accepted the proposal and the KNX specifications were published by CEN as EN 13321-1 and EN13321-2.

ISO/IEC

In view of the large interest in KNX compatible products outside European countries and its proven technology, the KNX association also initiated the necessary steps to have the KNX standard approved on an international level. Countries active in CENELEC proposed the European EN 50090 norm for standardization by ISO/IEC at the end of 2004. In November 2006 the KNX protocol, including all transmission media (TP, PL, RF and IP) was approved for publication as the ISO/IEC 14543-3-x International Standard. This makes KNX the only worldwide open standard for home and building control.

SAC

The great interest in China for compatible KNX products and KNX technology was the main reason for the KNX Association to have the international ISO/IEC 14543 standard translated into Chinese. The Chinese standardisation committee,

SAC TC 124 introduced the KNX standard in China and adopted it as standard GB/Z 20965 in July 2007.

ANSI/ASHRAE

Also the coupling of KNX to other automation systems is internationally standardized: both the US ANSI/ASHRAE standard 135 as well as the ISO 16484-5 documents the mapping between KNX and BACnet.