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Now in its fourth decade, the KNX standard has also introduced secure IoT, more RF functionality and ever-greater system security and BIM compatibility.
YOUR OPPORTUNITY The bottom line is that having some form of heating control is mandatory – why settle for the lowest common denominator when you can offer value-added customised HVAC. HVAC does not exist in a silo anymore – anymore than lighting engineering or AV installation do. It is an opportunity for anyone with integration skills smart enough to manage the infinite possibilities of an open system control protocol. We live in a joined-up world and smart buildings need to be actively intelligent, reacting automatically to events around them with different applications acting in concert. Falling temperatures will turn heating on, but they might also close the windows and doors. People walking into a room can boost airflow as well as trigger lighting. Failing evening light can close curtains as well as trigger evening lighting scenes and temperature comfort settings, potentially involving dozens of circuits. Your skills will customise all this complexity and make it transparent to the owner. Control also needs to involve analytics for predictive maintenance, performance monitoring and remote management, all building bricks of longterm client relationships. All good in theory but can you really trust KNX for HVAC? Absolutely. HVAC control is not an afterthought but a fundamental pillar of the KNX standard, with recently updated Application Description document ensuring
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the interworking of KNX devices in a system including multiple applications: lighting, curtains and blinds, access control, zoned HVAC etc. KNX gives you control of all types of heating and cooling including radiators, hydronic and electric underfloor, trench heaters, air conditioning and forced air. Remember, the standard evolved from the commercial world and was designed from the outset to handle complex heating installations. Traditionally seen as primarily a wired system, KNX has embraced the growing importance of RF control. The imminent ETS6 release of the manufacturer independent KNX commissioning software will carry five RF channels instead of one. In addition, KNX RF couplers can behave as segment couplers so you can extend an existing TP line without changing physical addresses and reprogramming. In short, KNX RF is geared for HVAC and delivering the levels of control users want. Throughout the world, the KNX manufacturer community is busy developing further improved HVAC controls with unprecedented functionality to take full advantage of the most recent facilities the standard is offering, including the KNX third party IoT API.
Users can command a multiple systems to call up a specific lighting scene, HVAC comfort settings or entertainment at the press of a single, beautifully designed button or touch screen. A lot of this functionality can be duplicated on Apps for remote access. As KNX Tutor and consultant Gordon Fry points out, “Room controllers hide any control ‘complication’ while providing full system control. All the user needs to see is a single elegant device per room.” Last but not least, the release of version 6 of the ETS commissioning software is making device addressing and system configuration easier than ever for integrators. If you haven’t looked at the opportunities KNX offers in earnest yet, now’s surely the time to do so. Start with a free taster training course, progress to become a KNX Partner and then, to claim your share of the inevitable demand for better HVAC control, take a few days hone your skills further with a specialist KNX HVAC course. Find out who can help you get onboard with the global open control standard from the KNX UK Association. 95,000 other integrators around the world cannot be wrong!
FRONT OF HOUSE Native KNX devices can be used at primary system level, for direct control of boilers for instance. However, the star of the show of any KNX system is at the user interface, in this case the room controller where control of multiple building functions can be brought together.
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