The demand for building management solutions is increasing and finding the right resources to achieve a straightforward installation is not always easy. This is where KNX – an international standard that controls building systems automation – comes in.

Whether it is a residential property, an airport, a business block or a shopping centre; KNX allows integrators to create an intelligent building using less wiring while also obtaining shiny “green’ credentials. Management of air-conditioning, lighting, security systems, access control, HVAC systems, monitoring systems, metering, AV control, appliances and the ever important issue of energy control, can all be automated and organised via one protocol. This makes KNX a must for newly built, modern buildings looking to not only keep their carbon footprint small, but also to save costs.

KNX has been developed over 20 years, drawing from the experience from previous systems such as EIB, EHS and BatiBUS. KNX is an approved international standard (ISO/IEC 14543-3), a European standard (CENELEC EN 50090 and CEN EN 13321-1) and a Chinese standard (GB/Z 20965).
At the end of last year KNX opened its South African office and we spoke with Jean-Pierre Joubert, lead tutor and programmer at KNX, to find out more.

In your words, what is KNX?

Jean-Pierre: KNX is a standardised protocol providing both a common language and platform for installing, maintaining and updating all facets of building management. This allows building managers, such as theatre managers, to control not only the house lights but also manage the climate control, curtain operation, and any other electrical functions.

How does it work?

Jean-Pierre: KNX is very simple; an integrator uses a programme called EST (Engineering Software Tool) to design a layout of the building. Each product used has a software application that is placed into this layout. Every required function is linked into the software and the physical products are programmed individually.
For instance, if you have a light switch (called an “actuator’) and a button on the wall (called a “sensor’) you would add both applications to the building layout in ETS, linking the two using a virtual wire (called a “group address’) and download the software to them. You are able to switch the light using the button.


What are the benefits of integrating KNX?

Jean-Pierre: Besides energy efficiency, KNX brings the benefit of less cabling required for an installation because all products can be placed locally, meaning fewer cables are run. Since most items take their operating power from the KNX Bus, they can be put next to where they are needed. So, you can place a switching actuator directly in the pump room while the sensor may be down the hall, and all that you need between the two is the same KNX bus cable, a thin two/four-wire cable.

There is a wide range of products and manufacturers that use KNX. You could have a light switch from ABB, which will speak to a Zennio blind controller, a Hager movement sensor and an Elsner weather station, without a problem. With KNX there is no need for proprietary systems; it removes the need for superfluous multiple bus systems; fewer gateways are required, which minimises errors in translation between systems; it is easy to use and provides easy maintenance for the building manager who will only need to know one (not a multiple) system and it lowers installation costs.

How does it help energy efficiency?

Jean-Pierre: By allowing the various electrical systems in a building – lighting, climate systems, curtains/blinds, pumps – to essentially speak to one another via a common language, the various systems can be managed to work together better. For instance, lighting and climate systems are often left on in unoccupied rooms. This creates excess energy expenditure for the management company, as well as any tenants. By integrating these systems together with movement sensors, for instance, we can automatically switch both systems on or off, depending on movement inside the area. Adding a simple window sensor would allow the HVAC to turn off should the window open, minimising the workload of the air-con and lowering energy usage drastically.

Also, if you install a weather station and blind control to the building, you could allow the building to automatically lower blinds should the sun shine on a particular facade. This not only minimises sun damage and wood warping in furniture, but also lowers the amount of light and heat entering the room, lowering the light levels and air-conditioning temperatures required for a comfortable working environment. All of this increases the building performance and lowers energy usage.

What companies and manufacturers have adopted KNX?

Jean-Pierre: There are over 300 manufacturers developing more than 9 000 certified KNX products. Locally there is specific representation for ABB, Somfy, Hager, via Electromechanica, Cape Town and GIRA, via AMC German Technology.
In addition we (as KNX Electronic Components) have recently become local representatives for Futurasmus, a web-based provider of all KNX brands to allow access to products not normally catered for by the larger manufacturers such as direct HVAC integration, audio/video control, alarm system gateways and pricing comparative to that found in Europe.

What advantages does KNX bring to manufacturers and integrators?

Jean-Pierre: For manufacturers it opens products up to be sold in a global market. It allows external verification of product quality assurance, since all KNX products undergo a rigorous testing procedure to attain certification status. It ensures that products conform to ISO 9001, and minimises R&D time by using a tried and true bus system as its backbone – instead of developing its own from scratch and having to deal with bugs.

Benefits to integrators include international recognition of their skills, which are easily transferable in the event of relocation. In terms of using KNX standards they have easy use of planning, installation and maintenance; a unified software tool with ETS; a wide range of product solutions; and it is an open system, so clients always have access to an expert who can upgrade or maintain the system. Lastly, as each product has its own intelligence there is no central point of failure. If a part fails, everything else in the installation keeps working.

What is KNX South Africa doing?

Jean-Pierre: KNX South Africa National Group has just launched to better promote KNX locally. In addition to this we are working with groups such as the ECA to help KNX be recognised locally as the building standard comparable to the rest of the world.

What courses are available on KNX?

Jean-Pierre: Currently two companies, KNX Electronic Components in Cape Town, for which I am a tutor, and Industrial Data Xchange (IDX) in Johannesburg, which offer the certified KNX Basic and KNX Advanced training.

In addition to this KNX Electronic Components are also busy with local audio/video distributors to develop various KNX Integration courses for Elan Systems, Bang & Olufsen, and so on. These will be offered in addition to the standard KNX courses.

Provide some examples where KNX has been used in South Africa?

Jean-Pierre: Locally there are a number of installations using KNX including the Polokwane Stadium, the Vodafone Innovation Centre and the Rosebank Standard Bank building in Johannesburg, the library at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth, as well as many other offices, showrooms and private residences throughout the country.

There has also been an increase, not just in the awareness of KNX locally, but of certified individuals – a growth over the past three years from 11 to currently 46 KNX partners. With the work of the KNX National Group and Training Centres we are hoping to not only continue but also increase this growth rate.
For more information visit: http://www.knx.org/za/knx-south-africa.

By Geny Caloisi