Trade Talk: Creating a Scene with DALI – a Plea to KNX Manufacturers
By Simon Buddle, Future Ready Homes. Did you see the strawberry full moon on the summer solstice? A full moon on the solstice only comes around once or twice in a life time – the last time it happened was in 1967. The summer solstice marks the beginning of summer, but in the northern hemisphere, […]
Tips: Handover and Supporting a Project
By Mark Warburton, Ivory Egg. We are nearing the end of this series looking at the different stages of a project. It is now time to discuss the last stage – finishing the project. This is one of the most critical stages of the entire project and if completed correctly, can ensure the success of […]
KNX, Big Data and IoT – Linking IoT and big data to the built environment
By Paul Foulkes, EchoHouse. Almost everyone is talking about the Internet of Things (IoT) and data, particularly ‘big data’. I am no expert in this area, but what is evident is that the data people want to see originates in the built environment and has to be extracted. But data alone is useless. Data collection, […]
Product Design: How KNX Systems can Benefit from MCUs with FRAM Technology
By Damian Szmulewicz, Texas Instruments, and Oscar M. Guillen, Technical University of Munich. There has been a tremendous increase in the adoption of building automation systems over the last two decades, in part due to the development of smart microcontroller (MCU)-driven products. With critical functions such as access control, video surveillance, intrusion and fire detection, […]
How to Solve it: KNX Presence Detectors Affected by Adverse Environmental Factors
By Mahir Mensuri Karataş, Turkish Petroleum. The Problem In a KNX lighting automation system, a common problem is when lights turn on automatically due to undesirable environmental factors that adversely affect the presence detectors. One of the most important tasks of presence detectors is to switch lights on after perceiving active objects in the detection […]
Trade Talk: Why Developers Need an Integration Specialist
By Simon Buddle, Future Ready Homes. I’ve been asked many times over the years, ‘How do you sell integrated systems?’ and I’ve always answered, ‘I have no idea – I’m an engineer, not a salesman’. I tend to work from the technical angle and build a solution for the client’s needs, in the same way […]
Tips: Troubleshooting After the First Switch On
By Mark Warburton, Ivory Egg. If you have been following my previous articles on how to sell KNX, how to specify KNX, how to choose the right products and documentation, and how to start installing products and commissioning, you now need to be prepared for troubleshooting any problems. Getting a project working on site is […]
Advice for Architects, Designers and Building Planners: Prepare for Care
By Paul Foulkes, EchoHouse. In my last article I looked at KNX and Passivhaus. This was a direct view of saving energy in buildings by using Passivhaus techniques to reduce the heat load and improve thermal comfort, and using KNX to help regulate, monitor and control the remaining active elements of the building. But energy […]
Trade Talk: Why using KNX for Centralised Services and Billing Makes Sense
By Simon Buddle, Future Ready Homes. A couple of months ago, a man from Thames Water (our water supply company) arrived at the flat to fit a water meter to the incoming main feed. When it comes to tradespeople, my tip is to always make them a hot drink. They will usually be in less […]
Tips: Commissioning and Installation
By Mark Warburton, Ivory Egg. If you have been following my previous articles on how to sell KNX, how to specify KNX and how to choose the right products and documentation, you will know that is has taken three months to get here, but it is finally time to start installing products and commissioning! Hopefully, […]