Lighting: Pros and Cons of using DALI with KNX for Homes
By Colin Price, Ivory Egg. DALI is well known as a commercial lighting control protocol that works perfectly with KNX. The question is why and how can DALI be used for residential lighting control? Addressable DALI lighting is organised in lines, or ‘universes’, of up to 64 addressable DALI ballasts. These are connected to luminaries […]
CEDIA and KNX: What are the Synergies?
By Matt Nimmons, CEDIA. As CEDIA celebrates its thirtieth birthday this year, it’s clear that the home technology integration business has changed significantly. CEDIA grew out of the home entertainment industry, driven by the consumer demand for professionally-installed and integrated cinema, TV and high-quality music systems that could be enjoyed throughout the home. CEDIA was […]
Business Opportunities: Transitioning between Residential and Commercial Projects
By Mark Warburton, Ivory Egg. When it comes to the built environment, it’s a big old world out there. Every town or city has myriad different buildings designed for countless different uses. Some buildings are even completely repurposed to fulfil a current market need – office buildings being converted to flats is a great example […]
Case Study: KNX Promotes Recovery and Energy Saving in the Defence National Rehabilitation Centre, Loughborough, UK
By Ben Patterson and Paul Murphy, Intecho. The Defence National Rehabilitation Centre (DNRC) is a newly-constructed GBP300 million world-class medical facility that is located centrally on the Stanford Hall Estate, close to Loughborough, UK. Operated by the Ministry of Defence, the facility provides cutting-edge treatments to injured members of the armed forces for complex injuries, […]
Trade Talk: At last – a Code of Conduct
By Simon Buddle, Future Ready Homes. Nearly every day at work feels like I’m wading through a swamp of treacle; adjust this drawing, update the revision number and drawing issue sheet, update the quote, dial in and change the lighting scene levels. Then there’s the constant barrage of questions from site. What size is the […]
Thinka for KNX is Apple-certified for Five New Features
The Thinka voice control and visualisation system for KNX is now Apple-certified for five new features. As of now, Thinka is Apple-certified for 5 new features: ● Push buttons allow you to trigger actions in HomeKit by pressing KNX buttons. ● Use the colour lightbulb service for any light that can change colour. ● Use […]
Country Profile: KNX in Spain
By Michael Sartor, KNX Spain During the deep financial crisis in 2013, the residential sector in Spain dropped by around 60 – 70%. The commercial sector also decreased a little, but by far not as dramatically as the residential sector. Now, the residential sector is growing again, and buyers are looking for value for money, […]
Project Haystack: a Boon to Bringing Order to Group Address Naming Conventions?
By Simon Buddle, Future Ready Homes. So much of what we do as an industry requires absolute precision. From the choice of actuators for a specific function, to communication devices that control third-party products. Is it Modbus RTU or Modbus ASCII? Buy the wrong device and not only are you unable to communicate with the […]
Lighting Design: Why KNX Provides the Opportunity for Greater Things
By Dharmendra Patel, KNX Controls. The advent of LED lighting a few years back has been the biggest challenge to lighting controls, ever. The lack of capable dimming products on the market is still an issue. The notable exception is KNX. With a new of generation products designed for the task, KNX gives me, as […]
Assisted Living: using Voice Control in a KNX System
By Neil McCarry, IDES Ltd. Our long-term client, a young lady who has been severely physically disabled and recently bedridden, lives in a KNX-automated house that was originally installed eight years ago. On good days, she has a little movement in her hands, which allows her to use a specially-adapted tablet that sends IR commands […]