KNX Association

There are apps for iPhone, for smart phones, for tablet PCs – and now there are new KNX apps for the Engineering Tool Software ETS4. In principle, the ETS Professional is sufficient for users wishing to install and configure KNX systems. Just as for mobile phones, users may however wish additional functionality when applying KNX. As not all can be part of the ETS 4 basic functionality, ETS apps will soon be offered in the KNX online shop.
   
The world standard for home and building automation is used everywhere: In residential buildings, in all kinds of commercial buildings and even in large building complexes like airports. The Engineering Tool Software (ETS) is the most important tool for KNX projects. The new ETS4 provides everything users need for configuration, commissioning and service. KNX users, who have familiarized themselves with the system and who are working on large projects, sometimes wish special functions, in order to work faster, safer and in a more controlled way. When developing ETS4, the KNX Association already integrated many of the functions demanded by users from the field. It offers everything users need to configure and to design a KNX project. Functions are easy to find and the application is easy to understand and to handle. Therefore, it was only logical to offer any further extras for users as extensions. With the concept of the ETS Apps, KNX Association has found a perfect solution. ETS4 remains open for future wishes of users and technical developments.

Compatibility is ensured
The apps will be developed by KNX members. Individual apps can be created thanks to the provided API, which already includes many basic functions. This allows nearly limitless creative ideas. However, compatibility of the entire system is maintained as all apps have to be validated by KNX Association and will only be available via the KNX online shop. Owners of ETS4 wishing additional functionality only need to download, install and licence the apps to enjoy the extras.

The first apps are already available
The first ETS apps were introduced at the world’s largest trade fair for intelligent buildings, light+building in Frankfurt/Main from 15th to 20th April 2012. One of them is the ETS app “Extended Copy”. KNX users who repeatedly edit the same room functions or building structures can save a large amount of working time. System integrators who work in teams on large projects and want to co-operate seamlessly, will undoubtedly welcome the ETS app “Split & Merge”. The ETS app “My Product Templates” can be used to save preferred product configurations as templates for later use in other projects.

Customized flexibility
With the ETS apps, KNX presents a concept to adapt the Engineering Tool Software ETS4 to the growing worldwide demands.  ETS4 can be customized to individual needs while maintaining compatibility. Especially KNX experts will profit from the transparency and faster configuration offered by these extra tools. Also, KNX members can now tailor their own apps according to the different features of their products and become even more flexible. The ETS apps are available exclusively via the KNX online shop (https://onlineshop.knx.org). Apps can be activated via a valid ETS4 licence.

Overview of ETS apps
“Extended Copy” – for faster configuration
“Split & Merge” – used for seamless co-operation in a team
“My Product Templates” – store your preferred product configurations
“Replace Product” – easy exchange of devices
“Labels“ – consistent naming of devices
“Long-term Recorder” – recording of telegrams at site
“Project Tracing” – documentation of all steps in the project realisation
“Online KNX Product Catalog” – search for ETS applications directly inside ETS
“ETS Training Centre App” – special application for trainers
“ETS Device Reader/Editor“ – application used to read device memory
“Project Compare“ – compares the actual status with the target status of an ETS project
“Graphic Room Control” – parameterisation with a graphical interface


About KNX
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, smart metering as well as household appliances, audio/video and lots more. KNX is the worldwide standard for home and building control with a single, manufacturer independent design and commissioning tool (ETS), with a complete set of supported communication media (TP, PL, RF and IP) as well as a complete set of supported configuration modes (system and easy mode). KNX is approved as a European (CENELEC EN 50090 and CEN EN 13321-1) and an International standard (ISO/IEC 14543-3). This standard is based upon more than 22 years of experience in the market including its predecessors, EIB, EHS and BatiBUS. Over 265 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 more than 100 countries.

www.knx.org

Press contact: heinz .lux knx .org
Images can be downloaded from: www.knx.org/news-press/press-room

KNX is the most popular protocol in European markets sharing more than 70% of the total market value.

BSRIA are pleased to present the results of their European Smart Home Market Study, which includes six in-depth reports on different European markets (Germany, France, UK, Netherlands, Belgium, Norway) and the summarising Pan-European Report. In BSRIA’s smart home series - for the first time in the market - an encompassing overview of smart home technologies is given. This study is the one of the first to comprehensively analyse all the available knowledge on smart home technologies and generate reliable market data. BSRIA undertook the research by interviewing and exchanging information with the top players and stakeholders around Europe

Although the smart home market is closely associated with high-end niche solutions, it still has room for growth and is expanding at an impressive rate. According to BSRIA estimates, in 2011 the European smart home market value reached 600 million euros, which is 13% higher than in the previous year. Approximately 70% of the market value is generated by products, the rest being added by system integration.

With a share of 48% of the total European smart home market value, Germany is the largest manufacturer and consumer of smart home solutions. Correspondingly, German home automation manufacturers account for 70% of total smart home product, with ABB, Hager, Gira, and Siemens being Pan-European market leaders. France and the UK, the next biggest markets, cannot boast the same scale, accounting for only 10% and 8% of the European market respectively.

The smart home market is highly concentrated in the high-end housing segment, as bespoke solutions for luxury properties account for two-thirds of the market. The second most important niche (approx. 20% of the market value) is small and medium-sized businesses, which use residential smart home applications in commercial buildings, hotels, and restaurants. Affordable medium-range residential solutions are still not very common. However, major home automation manufacturers have started to pay more attention to promoting medium-range smart home systems. The success of medium-range standardised solutions is, however, highly dependent on the position of housing developers.

Due to the commitment of major German manufacturers and active position of the KNX Association, KNX has been established as the most popular protocol in most of European markets. It largely contributes to the growing technological integrity of the industry. According to BSRIA estimates, in 2011 the share of KNX-based solutions exceeded 70% of the total market value. In the last three years, the KNX share has been adding three percentage points on average, suggesting the growing importance of KNX across Europe. Even in the UK, which is more of a bespoke market compared with continental Europe, the share of KNX is progressively increasing, having exceeded one-third of the market by the end of 2011.

Comfort and convenience will be the key demand side drivers, with high-income households and commercial clients remaining the major client segments, generating stable demand.  In the medium term, however, we expect that the market will be moving towards simpler and less expensive mid-range solutions (basic light scenario – temperature controls – blinds). Assisted homes solutions are another interesting opportunity sector set to expand in the future.
   

For further details please contact:- Tim Page at tim .page bsria .co .uk or on 01344 465629

In Europe, and particularly in Germany, we are facing the so-called energy turnaround. This refers to changes in the energy sector – moving from fossil fuel generation to primarily renewable energy generation. The key challenge of the energy turnaround is to ensure a steady supply of energy in spite of the fluctuating nature of renewable energy sources. Traditionally, energy supply has been adjusted to the demand; in future, it will also be necessary to adjust the demand or load to the fluctuating nature of energy generation. In future, many energy suppliers will offer time variable electricity rates in order to motivate customers to use electricity when cheap, and to not use it in case of peak demands, in order to implement indirect load management. KNX City addresses current challenges related to buildings, mobility, energy generation, infrastructure and communication, and provides appropriate KNX solutions.

KNX, a systems approach in sustainable cities
Energy efficient buildings are the basis of a sustainable city. Whether residential buildings or large commercial premises, KNX offers a range of solutions for greater energy efficiency, including load management. Any load management system needs sensors and actuators. Sensors are needed to record e.g. consumption or conditions, which will then trigger the respective actuators for example to open/close electric circuits or to switch on/off equipment such as heat pumps, domestic appliances or other conventional loads. However, what is common to all current solutions is that although they can interact with each other within a building, they cannot do so with the outside world. That is about to change.
Mobility is becoming increasingly important and in future large parts of motorised traffic will be powered by electricity. However, electric vehicles will only be environmentally viable, if charged with renewable electricity. This is not evident, as there is no provision for this in the conventional energy supply systems. Smart grids should change this. Solutions are needed where electric vehicles can be recharged from renewable energy sources, e.g. own photovoltaics (if available), or renewable energy sources from the local power network. KNX provides solutions to ensure that at home or in other buildings, electric vehicles are charged exclusively with renewable energy.
In our growing cities and especially in so-called “mega cities”, large quantities of energy have to be provided within a small area. In Asia in particular, where many of these mega cities are located, it is not possible to ensure a continuous supply of electrical energy. As a consequence certain power circuits in buildings are simply switched off. This calls for new infrastructure concepts that provide a solution, if necessary based on the interaction between several buildings and the grid. Load management systems should work for several buildings. KNX City includes intelligent building services solutions such as load management, by means of which it is possible to vary a building’s load/demand while maintaining the same comfort level in order to deal with the issues at hand.

KNX offers worldwide systems solutions for sustainable buildings
KNX city’s solutions include methods for making KNX buildings more intelligent and sustainable. You can learn how KNX electricity tariff management is handled and how, thanks to KNX, more renewable energy than fossil fuel based energy can be consumed in case of time variable electricity tariffs (depending on the availability of renewable energy). You can also learn how KNX links domestic appliances, HVAC equipment and electromobility into building automation systems and thus enables unparalleled load management.
KNX Home as part of KNX City demonstrates intelligent living in a metropolis. KNX Home illustrates how smart metering, energy monitoring, electromobility, energy generation and load management / tariff management can be linked up in a residential scenario without loss of comfort.


About KNX
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, smart metering as well as household appliances, audio/video and lots more. KNX is the worldwide standard for home and building control with a single, manufacturer independent design and commissioning tool (ETS), with a complete set of supported communication media (TP, PL, RF and IP) as well as a complete set of supported configuration modes (system and easy mode). KNX is approved as a European (CENELEC EN 50090 and CEN EN 13321-1) and an International standard (ISO/IEC 14543-3). This standard is based upon more than 22 years of experience in the market including its predecessors, EIB, EHS and BatiBUS. Over 265 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 more than 100 countries.

www.knx.org

Press contact: heinz .lux knx .org
Images can be downloaded from: www.knx.org/news-press/press-room

Frankfurt, 17 April 2012. The 14 KNX Awards were handed out on 17 April in Frankfurt (Germany) at the world’s largest trade fair for intelligent buildings – light+building 2012. The KNX Awards are given to internationally outstanding home and building control projects based on the KNX standard. The grand awards ceremony was part of the world’s largest KNX event – the KNX TOP Event 2012 – attended by more than 1,500 guests from 76 different countries. To take into account the huge diversity of the various projects from around the world, three additional categories were created for this year’s awards: for the first time, separate KNX International Awards were presented for each of three different geographical areas – Europe, Asia, and Africa, America and Australia. In addition, in six categories, two companies were awarded first place, in recognition of the extraordinary originality of the projects entered in these categories. This year’s ceremony once again broke all previous records: twice as many KNX projects were entered as just two years ago, and this time from 43 different countries.

The KNX Award, which was created in 1996, is a reflection of the growth of KNX around the world. Initially just a very few projects from Germany and Switzerland were entered, whereas in recent years more and more projects have been submitted from across the globe. At the ninth ceremony on 17 April 2012, at Light+Building in Frankfurt, a total of 14 international KNX projects received awards in 8 different categories, in recognition of their exceptional originality, sustainability, and future orientation. Selecting the winners was no easy task for the jury: more than twice as many entries were received this year as just two years ago, with entries coming from 43 different countries. More than 1,500 guests from 76 countries attended the award ceremony, which formed part of the KNX Top Event at the Light+Building trade fair. The awards were presented by Iris Jeglitza-Moshage (Member of Management Board, Messe Frankfurt), Anke Hüneburg (Head of Energy Division, ZVEI), Janne Skogberg (AIE President), Joost Demarest (Director of KNX Association), Simon Bartley (WorldSkills President), Hans-Georg Krabbe (President of KNX Germany), Karl-Heinz Bertram (Vice President, ZVEH), Benjamin Houghton and Kieran Doherty (both WorldSkills 2011 gold medal winners).
The award-winning projects entered from Asia, the USA and Europe testifies the diversity of ingenious solutions being developed using KNX. 1,000 euros were awarded in each category to the KNX Awards 2012 winners. Each winner in each of the categories additionally received the KNX trophy. Awards were presented for the following fourteen projects, in eight different categories:

Energy Efficiency Award
In this category, the jury selected the KNX installation at Shanghai Hongqiao Airport, China as a winning project. The size of the airport – 300,000 m² and 40 million passengers annually – gives a good idea of just how big this project was. It was realised by the company Shanghai Longchuang Control Automation System Co., Ltd., who impressed the jury with their demand-oriented – and hence highly energy-efficient – lighting control system for the airport’s 6,000 lighting circuits. The focus was on ensuring optimal lighting conditions at all times of day, which the KNX building control components do by controlling the lights according to the amount of available daylight, flight schedules, and other key lighting-relevant criteria.  

International Award Africa, America, Australia
System integrator mySmart CTI from North Ryde, Australia demonstrated with its KNX project at the Surf Coast Shire Civic Building – a leisure complex in Torquay on Australia’s south coast – that KNX is the ideal technology to easily meet the criteria of the Green Building Council. As well as controlling the lights and so keeping energy use in the building to a minimum, KNX is also responsible for monitoring HVAC, gathering energy data from the building’s photovoltaic system and wind power plant, controlling hydraulic systems and linking audio/video with lighting to create user-definable lifestyle scenes. In this way KNX is the basis for a comprehensive building management system with a focus on energy efficiency and conservation of water.

International Award Asia
The jury named two winners in this category also:
The KNX installation at Princess Noura University for Women in Saudi Arabia stood out because of its unusually large scope and sophisticated control features. The project was implemented at the university’s new 40,000-student campus, and controls and dims the lights in lecture halls, classrooms, offices, corridors and bathrooms, in some cases on the basis of presence detectors. Highlights from Jeddah-based system integrator Modern Times Technical Systems include smart controls for classrooms that can be divided up into smaller rooms, and fully automatic shading systems for the large glazed window areas to protect against solar radiation and efficient climate control.
The KNX installation at Asia Square in Singapore also received an award. Asia Square, built in 2011, is an award-winning, eco-friendly twin-tower development consisting of offices, a luxury hotel, retail space and a central open leisure area. Its outstanding energy efficiency is not in the least thanks to KNX, which is responsible for controlling and monitoring lighting in the building. The KNX system includes presence detectors for demand-oriented lighting, and actuators with electric current detection for monitoring power consumption. The lighting management system is courtesy of system integrator Youmetronics Pte Ltd, and includes facilities for time-controlled lighting, system monitoring, energy consumption optimisation and efficient system maintenance.

International Award Europe
Two prizes were awarded in this category too: Prousaloglou Pantelis Konstatinos & SIA O.E., Rhodes, Greece, realised a very large KNX installation at La Marquise, a hotel complex consisting of luxury rooms, suites and bungalows spread over an area of 12 hectares. This project clearly demonstrates the sheer versatility of KNX, which is used here to integrate the lighting, solar shading, air conditioning, audio/video and alarm systems, and to monitor the equipment, for maximum efficiency, safety, security, comfort and convenience. One particularly sophisticated feature of the project is a key card control system for room scenes, alarm management, and the information system for hotel staff.
The training centre – also the new headquarters – of the foundation Fundación Metal Asturias in Gijón, Spain is another award-winning project that clearly demonstrates the diversity of the KNX bus system. The 340 KNX components, of which the system is made up, make the building a superb example of efficiency, safety, security, comfort and convenience. KNX is responsible for the lighting control, alarm system and access control, technical monitoring, smart metering, and the integration of audio/video components. It also regulates and controls room temperature, fan coils and floor heating, and regulates the supply temperature of the HVAC system.

National Award
Two companies share this award:
Bauer Elektroanlagen GmbH from Halle, Germany devised a building control system for the new headquarters of the insurance company HDI-Gerling in Hanover in 2011. This building complex consists of offices, a conference centre and an atrium. KNX controls the lighting, in some cases according to the amount of daylight available and on the basis of presence detectors; can activate predefined scenes in conference rooms; control venetian blinds depending on the time of day, sunlight intensity and outside weather conditions; control room temperature; and also performs smart metering and technical monitoring functions. The efficiency of these KNX applications helped to achieve the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) Gold certificate for the building’s energy management system.
Anton Hieber GmbH & Co Elektroanlagen KG from Schwabmünchen, Germany, also won the National Award, for a project that showed how KNX can be used for energy management in an industrial context: production at the new plant of Ritter GmbH generates considerable waste heat, so the KNX system here controls the ventilation in such a way as to allow this heat to escape the building in the summer, but remain in the building in the winter to supplement the heating. It also controls the lighting throughout the factory’s 24-hour production schedule, according to demand and the amount of daylight available. The large amount of saved energy helps to pay back the system in less than two years. Special features include 3D visualisation, integration of emergency lighting, and monitoring of technical functions.

Publicity Award
The Publicity Award goes to KNX projects that communicate the benefits of the KNX world standard to the general public. The jury also rewarded two projects in this category:
During a visit by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to the Moscow State University of Civil Engineering, the KNX National Group Russia demonstrated to him the latest trends in building control, based on the KNX standard. Mr Putin and his companions expressed great interest in the technology. For their demonstration, the KNX National Group Russia set up training stations explaining the capabilities of KNX.
Three applicants jointly received the award for their “Launching KNX in a new country” project, aimed at introducing KNX in Finland: Tampereen Ammattikorkeakoulu, Sähkö- ja teleurakoitsijaliitto, and STUL ry/KNX Finland ry. In their project they described how they had promoted KNX in Finland with the help of seminars, training sessions, stands at trade fairs, and conferences.

Special Award
The Special Award, for which this year there were likewise two winners, attracted wide interest.
The first of these was the system integrator eibmarkt.com GmbH from Plauen, who is the first company ever to have installed KNX in a sports yacht. In the KONNEXA 42 motor yacht, KNX not only controls lighting moods, room temperature and audio-visual equipment on board, but also performs monitoring functions, manages energy and electrical loads, simulates presence, and much more. One particularly sophisticated feature was highlighted at the ceremony: the installation includes interfaces with the NMEA on-board marine electronics system and the CAN bus machinery protocol, thus allowing visualisation of all relevant ship data.
The second Special Award went to the enormously complex KNX installation at the Gran Melià Resort and Luxury Villas Daios Cove on the Greek island of Crete. Here the centralised building control system includes more than 300 lines and 6,728 KNX devices spread over 32 different zones and linked together via IPC servers. System integrator Automationssystems Triantafillidis, located 900 km north of the site, in Thessaloniki, can perform remote maintenance at any time of day or night. KNX controls a total of around 20,000 lights, all of the venetian blinds and the HVAC system for the resort’s hotels, rooms, suites, villas and gardens, and performs technical monitoring of the installation.

Young Award
Young people are also becoming increasingly interested in building control, particularly in relation to energy conservation and climate protection. The jury believe that efforts in this direction deserve to be rewarded, and for this reason, this year they once again selected two winners for the KNX Young Award. One of the winning projects was a study by the technical college HTL St. Pölten, which presents some highly practical data on the effects of automating school buildings to increase their energy efficiency. The study is based on observations made in a classroom fitted with KNX, and demonstrates the potential savings that can be achieved at various different levels of automation. Technische Universität Darmstadt was the other prize winner in this category. It received the award for a training installation that is a simulation of a complete KNX installation in a house, and which motivates students to come up with practical ideas for new KNX functions, for example the interplay between a photovoltaic system, current energy consumption, and a priority control system. KNX links together electrical loads such as household appliances and a KNX charging station for electric vehicles, the latter having been developed in-house at the university.


About KNX
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, smart metering as well as household appliances, audio/video and lots more. KNX is the worldwide standard for home and building control with a single, manufacturer independent design and commissioning tool (ETS), with a complete set of supported communication media (TP, PL, RF and IP) as well as a complete set of supported configuration modes (system and easy mode). KNX is approved as a European (CENELEC EN 50090 and CEN EN 13321-1) and an International standard (ISO/IEC 14543-3). This standard is based upon more than 22 years of experience in the market including its predecessors, EIB, EHS and BatiBUS. Over 265 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 more than 100 countries.

www.knx.org

Press contact: heinz .lux knx .org
Images can be downloaded from: www.knx.org/news-press/press-room