A brief introduction to KNX
The demand for comfort and versatility in the management of heating, lighting and access control systems for a family home as well as an office complex is growing. At the same time, the efficient use of energy is becoming increasingly important. People want a comfortable, sustainable and safe place to live and work and that’s where automation jumps in. However, more convenience and safety together with lower energy consumption can only be achieved by intelligent control and monitoring of all products involved. This is a true challenge as it implies more wiring, running from the sensors and actuators to the control and monitoring centres. For professionals, such a mass of wiring also means higher design and installation efforts, increased fire risk and soaring costs. That’s where knx system jumps in!
The benefits of knx system
- A future-proof technology
- Endless flexibility and personalization
- A safe and secure system
- Timesaving and easy installation
- An integrated and future proof solution
- An international community
Realizing the automation dream
Automation doesn’t have to be difficult. It simply requires a system that does away with the problems of isolated devices by ensuring that all components communicate via one common language. The kind of device you want to use doesn’t matter anymore.
Whether you want to control lighting, shutters, security systems, energy management, heating, ventilation, air-conditioning systems, signaling and monitoring systems, interfaces to service and building control systems, remote control, audio and video control,… All these functions work via an uniform system. This is called the principle of interworking. This is home and building control made easy. This is KNX.
Maximized flexibility and personalization
The possibilities of creating a smart home or office are numerous. Keep it simple with light control or go all the way and connect different sorts of devices. KNX takes automation and personalization to the next level.
Mission and Objectives
Our Mission is
To develop and promote the KNX standard so that it is recognised as the basis for creating:
Smart home and building solutions
That can be globally used, are secure and connected.
To ensure that the market recognises KNX Association, its members and their products as the driving force worldwide to open the Market of smart homes and buildings and enhance the share of intelligent building infrastructure. KNX Association with its standard KNX is a generator of business opportunities.
More about our Association
Our Objectives are
The objectives of KNX Association are oriented towards the development and promotion of an international communication standard for Home and Building Automation by :
- Developing a single stable and affordable system technology with the goal to improve overall market acceptance and expand the today’s market (mostly in commercial buildings) into the residential market.
- Defining and improving the KNX Specifications related to:
- Protocol (including Security).
- Different media.
- Configuration modes.
- Application specifications
- Extending the KNX Technology towards the Internet of Things.
In respect of its coherence in communication interworking amongst devices and interoperability between applications.
- Standardising system requirements, including test methods.
- Managing the relevant system related intellectual property rights, establishing trademarks and issuing trademark licenses.
- Setting-up an appropriate certification system to enable certification of “products” (hardware, software, components) and services in order to guarantee system compatibility, interworking and interoperability.
- Introducing this standard into the common international HBES/BACS standardisation bodies and actively promoting it to become THE NORM.
- Managing (including development, sales support of) an appropriate common Engineering Tool Software (ETS) and other KNX related tools.
- Promoting Certified KNX training for professional users such as contractors, designers and installers.
- Defining the long term KNX strategy.
- KNX marcom activities related to the standard (corporate image, market surveys, trade fairs, conferences, journal, website, flyers,…).
- Ensuring cooperation with the scientific world.
- Organisation of KNX Working Groups.
- Technical development support related to the KNX Standard.
- Winning new partners from industry, training and science.
- Founding of KNX userclubs and national groups.
The legacy of knx system
In May 1999 members of the following associations founded KNX Association cvba:
- EIBA ( European Installation Bus Association)
- EHSA(European Home Systems Association)
- BCI(BatiBUS Club International)
The Association is the owner of the Worldwide STANDARD for Home and Building Control: KNX and also the owner of the KNX trademark logo worldwide. KNX Association is a non-profit-oriented organisation governed by Belgian Law. Members are manufacturers developing devices for several applications for home and building control based on KNX like lighting control, shutter control, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, energy management, metering, monitoring, alarm/intrusion systems, household appliances, audio/video and lots more. Next to manufacturers also service providers (utilities, telecom, …) can become a member of the KNX Association.
Structure
- General Assembly– the highest legal authority of the association, in which all members have a seat – meets at least once a year to approve the activities undertaken and the budget for the coming year. The Executive Board, elected for a 5-year period amongst the members of the General Assembly, is responsible for the association’s strategy, its standard KNX and for the budget proposal.
The Executive Board (KEB) is assisted by 2 permanent boards:
- Technical Board (KTB)This Board is responsible for the approval and evolution of the KNX standard, including the system/test specifications and certification rules. KTB is the ultimate KNX Technical Decision Body. KTB is also responsible for the transfer of parts of the KNX standard to the appropriate international standardisation committees.
- Marketing Board (KMB)This Board is responsible for the marketing strategy of the KNX standard, including the communication and promotional activities of KNX Association around the KNX KMB is the ultimate KNX Marketing Decision Body. KMB is also responsible for the activities undertaken in the different markets by the national KNX groups.
The Technical as well as Marketing Board is assisted by several Working Groups (WG) and Task Forces (TF) in which all shareholders can take part on the further developing and promotion of KNX standard.
Partnership
Next to its members, KNX Association has concluded partnership agreements with more than 75.000 partners in more than 164 countries worldwide. The type of partnership depends on the respective target group. You can find an overview of all our Communities here
